HONG KONG: On Sunday, Hong Kong police allowed a small protest march in the eastern district of Tseung Kwan O that is strictly regulated under the first protest approved from the national security law enactment in 2020.
A maximum of 100 protestors were present, as per a letter comprising seven pages given to the organisers by the police.
Numbered lanyards were to be worn by many dozen protestors, who were also prohibited from wearing masks. The police also observed the protestors’ whereabouts and monitored their march in opposition to a project on land reclaimation and waste processing.
Slogans were chanted by the demonstrators against the reclamation project during their walk in the rain with slogan boards and banners. The restrictions of the protest were heavily condemned by some.
Approximately 50 people took part in the first protest that was authorised by the police for many years, but they later updated the number to 80.
The police mentioned in the letter that “some lawbreakers may mix into the public meeting and procession to disrupt public order or even engage in illegal violence.”
The city’s Development Bureau mentioned that the project was implemented to “support the daily needs of the community” and that it would “respect the right to freedom of expression.”
Hong Kong’s mini-constitution, the Basic Law, deems it fit to give the public the right to conduct gatherings. Few Western countries have criticised the law as a means of oppression.
According to the Chinese authorities, this had installed a potential balance in the financial segment. A 50-year-old protester surnamed Chiu said, “It doesn’t mean putting a leash on us to restrict our expression. I think it’s acceptable.”
The Western diplomats are however observing if authorities will permit the flow of important protests in Hong Kong, especially on June 4 and July 1, which have been an important spot in Hong Kong’s strategic civil society scene and caught the attention of a lot of people.
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