Hong Kong extradition bill protests: police warn organisers they may block Kowloon rally between Hung Hom and To Kwa Wan over unrest fears
- Police raise public safety concerns about July 27 event following violent clashes at protests over the weekend
- Organisers say they cannot stop people taking to the streets even if police refuse permission for the march
An anti-Hong Kong government rally scheduled for next weekend in Kowloon risked being blocked by police because of their concerns about escalating political unrest and violence, organisers said.
The police warning for the July 27 event in the neighbouring residential districts of Hung Hom and To Kwa Wan was the second time the force had raised fears about demonstrations, after earlier protests in Sha Tin and Sheung Shui descended into mayhem between protesters and police.
But police on Wednesday gave the green light to a bigger march to the city’s top court in Central on Sunday, organised by the pro-democracy Civil Human Rights Front, after earlier urging organisers of that event to postpone it to next month.
Local community group Synergy Kowloon, which is behind the July 27 rally, said the march might go ahead regardless of police objections because they could not stop people taking to the streets to express their feelings, adding they would consider supporting protesters if that scenario played out.
The focus of the Sheung Shui rally last Saturday was against parallel trading in the border area, while the one in Sha Tin the following day arose from anger at the unpopular bill, leaving both police and protesters with injuries and resulting in the arrest of at least 47 people.