Authorities reportedly deny permission for Victoria Park – a traditional protest venue – to be used by pro-democracy demonstrators

This article is more than 3 years old

This article is more than 3 years old

Pro-democracy demonstrators in Hong Kong have accused authorities of trying to smother dissent by stopping them congregating in one of the former colony’s biggest parks when Xi Jinping visits to commemorate the 20th anniversary of handover.



Since Hong Kong returned to Chinese control on 1 July 1997, demonstrators have used the date to stage sometimes massive annual parades through its streets.



Since 2004 those marches have kicked off in Victoria Park, a 19-hectare public garden that is named after the former British monarch, before heading west to Hong Kong’s financial heart.



This year, however, authorities have reportedly decided to deny protest organisers permission to begin their parade there in what critics suspect is an attempt to subdue protests during the Chinese president’s visit.

Instead a pro-Beijing group called the Hong Kong Celebrations Association has been authorised to hold a handover commemoration event in the park.



“It is clearly a political decision,” complained Claudia Mo, a pro-democracy lawmaker, condemning the move as a bid to gag the opposition and preserve Xi’s “visual comfort”.



In a statement, Hong Kong’s Civil Human Rights Front, which organises the annual march, said: “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”.

Emily Lau, a veteran democracy campaigner, said the highly symbolic move was typical of the “clumsy and unreasonable” way Hong Kong’s government treated those pushing for greater political rights. “I guess this time they just wanted to give the venue to people who want to celebrate rather than the protesters.”



Speaking to the South China Morning Post, the president of the pro-Beijing group that has secured permission to use Victoria Park showed little sympathy for the pro-democracy demonstrators. “The march can always go elsewhere,” said Tam Yiu-chung.



Beijing has yet to officially confirm Xi’s visit but reports in Hong Kong suggest he will spend three days in the semi-autonomous city between 29 June and 1 July. During that time he is expected to take part in handover celebrations and swear in Hong Kong’s incoming chief executive, Carrie Lam.



Determined to voice their anger at what many describe as Xi’s erosion of Hong Kong’s much cherished freedoms, activists said they would parade with or without access to Victoria Park.



“Rallying at the park is not an absolute must. The key thing is the parade,” said Mo, who believes refusing marchers access to Victoria Park could backfire by encouraging more protestors to join the procession.



Lau also vowed to take to the streets, wherever the march began: “I will be there.”

The former chairwoman of Hong Kong’s Democratic party said it was hard to predict how many demonstrators would show up on 1 July. Previous parades have seen hundreds of thousands defy intense heat and rainstorms to take part.



Lau said she did not currently anticipate a “huge outpouring of protest” but warned simmering discontent with Hong Kong’s government and Beijing meant that could easily change. “Things are very volatile.”

