Hong Kong Holds First Authorized Protest Since Lifting of COVID-19 Restrictions
Date
3/27/2023 3:57:59 AM
(MENAFN) Dozens of people joined Hong Kong's first authorized protest on Sunday since the lifting of major COVID-19 restrictions, under unprecedentedly strict rules such as wearing a numbered badge around their necks. The rules, set out by the Police citing security reasons, came as the city was promoting its return to normalcy after years of anti-virus controls and Political turmoil. During the pandemic, protests were rare due to COVID-19 restrictions, and many activists were silenced or jailed after Beijing imposed a national security law following massive protests in 2019. Critics say the city's freedom of assembly that was promised Hong Kong when it returned to China from Britain in 1997 has been eroded.
Sunday's demonstration against the proposed reclamation and construction of rubbish-processing facilities was the first police-approved march of its kind after the city scrapped its mask mandate and social distancing limits. But organizers had to comply with police requirements, such as taking measures to ensure the number of participants would not exceed the expected turnout of 100 people and asking for proof of a "reasonable excuse" from protesters who wore masks during the event. At the height of the 2019 anti-government movement, Hong Kong's government invoked emergency powers to ban masks from public gatherings so it could identify protesters who officials accused of illegal acts.
On Sunday, about 80 people expressed their opposition to the plans in Tseung Kwan O, a residential and industrial area, while walking in a cordoned-off moving line in the rain amid heavy police presence. The organizer said that the new restrictions were "a bit weird," but still acceptable because the city was adjusting to "the new Hong Kong." Some protesters expressed their discomfort with the numbered badges, which police said aim to prevent lawbreakers from joining the march.
Theresa Wang, a 70-year-old retiree, said that she hoped the protest would be a sign that the government is more open to discussion. Meanwhile, protester Jack Wong said he would prefer not to wear the badge printed with a number. The demonstration against the proposed reclamation and construction of rubbish-processing facilities is a reminder of the ongoing tensions in Hong Kong and the erosion of civil liberties in the city. The strict rules set out by the police highlight the challenges faced by activists in exercising their right to protest, and the need for continued advocacy for the protection of human rights and civil liberties in Hong Kong.
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