Participants asked to display number ID ahead of demonstration in Tseung Kwan O
A group of Tseung Kwan O residents have been asked by police to display a number card around their neck and to comply with the anti-mask law for Sunday’s demonstration against the government’s plan for land reclamation and building obnoxious facilities in the area.
The demonstration was organized by a homeowner committee of Metro Town, and it received a letter of no objection from the police on Friday night, in which police also reminded participants to comply with the Hong Kong National Security Law.
The organizer is also requested by the police to arrange labor for crowd management to ensure no one can join the demonstration halfway.
Police also defended their decision to ask participants to hang a number card around their necks.
They further explained that the move can ensure the demonstration will proceed peacefully and orderly, citing past experiences that out-laws may take this opportunity to infiltrate the demonstration, disrupt public order or even engage in violent activities.
Chan Chin-chun, the convener of the concern group that filed for police approval, said they wanted the demonstration to fit some 300 participants and mulled putting stickers on participants’ clothing for identification.
Yet, police finally lowered the cap to 100 and requested participants to hang a number card around their necks.
Chan recalled the organizer would typically meet with the police two to three times before the demonstration in the past, but the organizer met with the police up to seven times for Sunday’s protest.
Meanwhile, lawmaker Tik Chi-yuen from Third Side believed police overreacted, and the number card move was strange.
Tik also worried the nature of the requirement would change into real-name registration and feared police would “square the accounts after the autumn harvests.”
The participants will assemble outside the Tiu Keng Leng Sports Centre around 11 am and march towards the south landing of the Tseung Kwan O Waterfront Park, where they will stage an assembly. The event is expected to end around 1 pm.