Hong Kong democracy campaigners claim they have been denied permission to protest at their usual location on the anniversary of the handover as authorities seek to “silence dissenting voices” for an expected visit of Xi Jinping.

The Chinese president is rumoured to be attending events to mark 20 years since Britain transferred sovereignty to China on July 1, a date when pro-democracy groups regularly take to the streets.

However, concerns have been raised over interference in the annual rally this year after Victoria Park, one of Hong Kong’s biggest parks, rejected an application for organisers to use the site as the starting point for the protests.

The park has instead been handed to a pro-Beijing group, campaigners told local media.

The Hong Kong Free Press media outlet published a statement from The Civil Human Rights Front, the rally organisers, claiming the Hong Kong Celebrations Association has been given “priority consideration”.

“The Front believes this was done to welcome the visit of Chinese Communist Party leaders, and is a move to silence dissenting voices made out of political considerations,” the statement added.