“We may continue to conduct some of our tracking surveys, and/or keep some of them for academic or private reference only, and/or stop some of the surveys,” Chung, the former director of the public opinion programme at the University of Hong Kong before the polling organisation became independent in 2019, told the Post.

Pori had planned to release its “June 4th Anniversary Survey Report” on Tuesday.

“In response to suggestions from relevant government department(s) after their risk assessment, HKPORI has decided to cancel its release,” the organisation said.

Chung told the Post that a government official contacted the organisation and advised them not to release the survey report in view of the government’s risk assessment.

But he said Pori did not know the details of the risk assessment and had not asked for further information.

“We respect their assessment, although we may not necessarily agree with their assessment should we have known the details,” he said.

Chung did not identify the department or the official involved.

Hong Kong police said that safeguarding national security was the obligation of all citizens and organisations.

The force added it was a “responsible act” by the group to decide not to release any information with national security risks.

It did not, however, confirm if an official had contacted Pori as suggested by the organisation.

Hong Kong, mainland China slam UN criticism of handling of June 4 anniversary

The survey has been carried out every year since 1993 and was designed to canvass public opinion on the crackdown.

It asked questions such as whether people thought the Beijing students involved and the Chinese government had done the right things in connection with the incident.

Last year’s survey involved a phone poll of 1,003 Hong Kong residents and the institute said the results showed that mainstream opinion was that the Chinese government was wrong in 1989.

It found people supported the Beijing students and wanted to see a revision of the official stand on the incident. But the figures registered significant drops from the previous year.

The pollster’s decision to pull the survey came after police arrested a woman for allegedly refusing to show her identity card and detained another 23 people for suspected breaches of the peace on Sunday in the area of Victoria Park in Causeway Bay, the traditional venue for the June 4 candlelight vigil to mark the 1989 crackdown.

Police also detained the former chairwoman of the Hong Kong Journalists Association Mak Yin-ting, but she was later released.

Hong Kong public libraries pull books related to Tiananmen Square crackdown

Lee said only that people “must be acting in accordance with the law” and that all cases would be dealt with based on their circumstances.

“The law is already very well and clearly stated in Hong Kong,” he said. “The law governing these [public] events include the Public Order Ordinance and also the laws governing activities that may be related to incitement, disorderly conduct, et cetera.”

The vigil in Victoria Park, which attracted tens of thousands of people in the past, has not been held since 2019.

No one applied to organise a mass gathering this year or last year. The park was booked by an alliance of pro-Beijing groups for a carnival over the weekend.

Secretary for Security Chris Tang Ping-keung earlier warned that “resolute action” would be taken against anyone who threatened national security.

Hundreds of officers fanned out across Victoria Park and surrounding streets on Sunday, conducting stop and search operations as well as cautioning people lingering in the area.

Additional reporting by Kahon Chan