Children’s clothing chain Chickeeduck has been ordered to remove a two-meter tall version of the iconic Lady Liberty Hong Kong statue from one of its stores by its shopping mall landlord on Wednesday, citing potential violation of the lease and the law.

The management of Tsuen Wan shopping mall D.PARK, under property giant New World Development, issued a warning letter to its tenant Chickeeduck, demanding the children’s clothing chain remove the pro-democracy statue from its shop. New World Development, one of the city’s “Big Four” property developers, has publicly backed the controversial national security law set to be enacted in Hong Kong.

The letter stated that the statue has been on display since Tuesday afternoon and its presence could “draw a crowd,” therefore constituting a purpose of the exhibition. This could violate the lease as “shops selling high-end clothing are not allowed to operate for other purposes.”

The mall’s management also warned that the statue on display “might attract a crowd to its shop space,” potentially violating the Places of Public Entertainment Ordinance.

It added that “Chickeeduck has the responsibility to ensure that the shop’s decoration meets the standard of a high-end shopping mall in order to satisfy the management of the mall. All tenants must obtain written approval from the mall’s management for their decorations and interior designs.”

Lady Liberty Hong Kong is a symbolic icon of the year-long protests in Hong Kong that began last June, fueled by opposition against the now-withdrawn extradition bill. It was designed by users of the popular internet discussion forum LIHKG, which was also the main platform for discussing strategies for the leaderless anti-extradition bill movement. The original three-meter tall statue of a female protester waving the flag of protest slogan “liberate Hong Kong, revolution of our times” was first created last August. It was hauled to the top of the Lion Rock mountain but was vandalized shortly after.

The statue was made using 3D printing technology, and has featured in international media including CNN, BBC, the New York Times, the Financial Times, as well as art publications.

Chickeeduck’s Tsuen Wan shop also features a version of a “Lennon Wall”— another common sight during anti-extradition bill protests — to encourage children to write down their messages on coloured Post-it Notes and place them on the wall. There was also a selection of children’s books about democracy available to read in the store.

Chickeeduck told Apple Daily that it was still in discussions with the landlord about the statue. The statue remained at the shop for the time being and they were still trading as normal, Chickeeduck said. New World Development has yet to respond to Apple Daily’s enquiry.

In an interview with InMedia, Chickeeduck’s CEO Herbert Chow said he hoped to teach children about the concept of democracy through the statue and the books on display. Chow said he was considering running in the upcoming Legislative Council elections in September.

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