Govt says it will never try to stamp out protests

Chief Secretary Matthew Cheung says protests are part of Hong Kong's landscape and the government only wants to stop the violence. Photo: RTHK

Chief Secretary Matthew Cheung said on Thursday that the government does not take steps to curtail protests in the city and it is not working on any new measures to tackle the ongoing violence.



Last week the administration invoked emergency powers to impose a ban on masks at demonstrations.



But Cheung said there would be nothing in Chief Executive Carrie Lam's policy address on October 16 regarding efforts to prevent further violent clashes on Hong Kong's streets.



"We have no further intention, particularly in the context of the policy address, of devising new measures to clamp down on protests," he said.



"We never clamp down on protests, we only clamp down on violence. A protest if it's legal, if it's lawful, if it's peaceful...in Hong Kong, assemblies and protests are part of Hong Kong's landscape, part of our core values."



Cheung added that it will take time for everyone to familiarise themselves with the new mask ban, but he is confident that in time, it will act as an effective deterrent against crime and will help the police enforce the law.



The police have refused permission for numerous demonstrations in recent weeks, citing safety fears following previous clashes between protesters and riot officers.