Police ban takes the parade out of Hong Kong’s pride celebrations, amid violent protests in the city
- Annual event for the first time reduced to a static rally, with no march allowed
- Organisers claim the force gave them late notice, rather than the usual month in advance
Hong Kong’s annual pride parade has for the first time been reduced to a static rally, after police on Thursday rejected LGBT groups’ application for a march, amid intensifying civil unrest.
Yeo Wai-wai, director of the Hong Kong Pride Parade’s organising committee, accused police of informing them at the last minute – rather than the usual month in advance – leaving organisers with little time to liaise with guests, many of them distinguished diplomats.
“The police have been clamping down on freedom,” said Yeo, also a member of the Civil Human Rights Front, which organised peaceful protests a few months ago to oppose the now-withdrawn extradition bill in June, drawing crowds which the group estimated at more than a million.
“Sexual minorities are no exception,” she added.
A parade was scheduled to take place on Saturday, co-organised by the Association of Transgender Rights, Gay Harmony, Les Corner Empowerment Association, Rainbow Hong Kong and Pridelab. Gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender people, as well as their supporters, were expected to march from Victoria Park in Causeway Bay to Edinburgh Place in Central.
