Hong Kong police sealed off the city’s Victoria Park on Thursday citing alleged calls online for unauthorized assemblies in the recreation area, Radio Television Hong Kong (RTHK) reported.
The timing of the park’s closure on July 1 coincided with the anniversary of Hong Kong’s handover to China from British colonial rule in 1997, as well as the centenary of the Chinese Communist Party. Hongkongers have traditionally staged a “handover” march starting at Victoria Park on the date, but the Hong Kong police prohibited the demonstration this July for the second straight year citing large gathering bans during the Chinese coronavirus pandemic.
“Officers set up barricades around the park’s football pitches, basketball courts and the central lawn at noon, and large flags were put up, warning people they could be prosecuted for entering the area,” RTHK reported on July 1, adding, “Dozens of officers were seen patrolling inside.”
Hong Kong Police Senior Superintendent Liauw Ka-kei told RTHK his department “had made risk assessments and decided the park should be closed to ensure public order.”
“Balancing all the situation, we decided that the best approach was to close Victoria Park … any person who enters or remains in the closed area is subject to a maximum penalty of 12 months [in prison],” Liauw said.
“I believe that the Hong Kong citizens will understand the decision made by the Hong Kong police in order to ensure public order, public safety, as well as balancing the rights of others. We are making the decisions to best protect members of the public,” he added.
RTHK cited anonymous sources on June 30 as saying that the Hong Kong Police Force planned to deploy over 10,000 officers across the metropolis on July 1 “to prevent the public from gathering on the streets on the 24th anniversary of the handover.”
“There will be a strong police presence in the vicinity of Victoria Park — where organisers of a march banned by the police, citing public health concerns, had originally planned to begin their protest,” the public broadcaster noted.
The Hong Kong Police Force issued a Facebook statement on July 1 revealing it had arrested 19 people city-wide as of 9:00 pm local time.
“The alleged offences included possession of imitation firearm, possession of offensive weapon, desecrating the Chinese national flag, distributing seditious publications, disorderly conduct in public place and obstructing police,” the Hong Kong Free Press (HKFP) reported. “The force also issued tickets to at least 19 people on suspicion of breaching the Covid-19 [Chinese coronavirus] gathering restrictions.”
At least 11 of the 19 people arrested as of Thursday night were detained “on suspicion of distributing ‘seditious publications’ on Thursday,” according to the HKFP.
“Police said on Facebook that patrolling officers suspected that the materials handed out were ‘seditious,’ and thus made three arrests under the Crimes Ordinance which was last amended during the British colonial era,” the online newspaper noted.
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