March organisers tweak plans, but refuse any delay

Jimmy Sham (centre) says the public will still be just as angry with the government next month if it hasn't answered their demands. Photo: RTHK

Jimmy Sham

March organisers said on Tuesday that they intend to push ahead with fresh protest action against the government this weekend, despite a plea from the police to postpone further demonstrations until tensions subside.



However, the original plan for a rally near the government's headquarters on Sunday evening is now morphing into a full on march instead.



The Civil Human Rights Front, which was behind the recent mass marches over the extradition bill, said the police had asked it to delay further action until next month, when the force hopes the social atmosphere will be a lot less heated.



But the front's convenor, Jimmy Sham, said they rejected this request at a meeting with officers.



"Even if our event is pushed back to August, the public anger won't cool down as long as the government refuses to answer our demands," Sham said.



The plan for a rally on Sunday is being amended, however, and the group said it is now weighing up its options.



"We decided to change from a rally to a march because some groups planned a march before, but they have been cancelled. So now we think a march is better."



Sham said their march will be held this Saturday or Sunday, from Causeway Bay to either Central or Admiralty, depending on what the police agree to.



Further negotiations with the police on the protest action were expected to take place on Wednesday.



The front has so far organised several marches over the now-suspended extradition bill, claiming that the biggest one, on June 16, had some two million participants.