Activists Dismiss March Ban, Call For Large Crowd

Pro-democracy figures have shrugged off the police's move to ban a protest march through Kowloon on Sunday, saying they will personally lead the procession, despite the risk to themselves and the participants.

The Civil Human Rights Front had earlier failed to overturn the ban on the march it was planning from Tsim Sha Tsui to the express rail terminus in West Kowloon, to oppose the emergency anti-mask law introduced earlier this month and to call for the police force to be reformed.

But the front's vice-convenor, Figo Chan, said that in spite of the ban, he will lead a march along the same route in a personal capacity, along with fellow pro-democracy activists Leung Kwok-hung, Albert Ho and Cyd Ho.

The four said that people should still gather at Salisbury Garden at 1.30pm as planned.

Chan admitted that participants would run the risk of arrest and prosecution, but said all of the city's anti-government protests come with risks, whether they receive police permission or not.

Leung, meanwhile, said the Hong Kong people have a right to protest and do not require the approval of the authorities to do so.

"We urge the Hong Kong people to enjoy the right which was guaranteed by the Basic Law and assemble peacefully, march peacefully, in order to show the whole world we are still eager for the five demands," Leung said.

"We urge the police not to arrest any person at the scene and not to do anything to provoke the peaceful crowd," he added.

Leung is a candidate in next month's district council elections, and will be up against the DAB's Starry Lee in To Kwa Wan North.