Activists Defy Police In Gathering Ban Standoff

Pro-democracy unionists and police were locked in a standoff outside the government's headquarters in Admiralty on Wednesday, with the activists refusing to follow officers' orders to disperse.

Around 10 members of the Construction Site Workers General Union were giving out face masks and hand sanitisers, while also promoting their anti-government stance to passersby, when police arrived at the scene.

Officers told the group to end the assembly, citing a four-person limit on public gatherings, which is to be raised to eight people from Friday.

But the group’s Daphne Ho said activities related to epidemic prevention are exempt from the public gathering ban.

She said they would not follow the police's order to leave and neither would they stop promoting their political beliefs.

"Why are pro-government parties allowed to have booths or marches with more than four people? Why don't they [the police] go to warn them? We don't understand," Ho said.

"We cannot understand why we are not sticking to the law so we are carrying on as before."

Members of the group held up banners showing recent public gatherings involving pro-establishment outfits.

Police officers remained at the scene, looking on and filming the activists, but not attempting to forcibly remove them.