Don't Allow Protests For Some Weeks: Lawmaker

Pro-government lawmaker Yan Chan has called on the police to stop approving demonstrations “for some weeks”, to prevent more clashes.

Violent clashes between anti-extradition bill protesters and police officers has broken out after peaceful rallies every week recently, and Chan said it is irresponsible for march organisers to say incidents that happen after their rallies are beyond their control.

The independent lawmaker, who was backed by the pro-government camp when she took up her Legco seat last year, said on Thursday that she’s “very upset about this situation” because she doesn’t want to see any officers or protesters getting hurt.

Chan, who had previously worked as a journalist, warned that the problem will become more serious if nothing is done to “stop this kind of protest”.

She told RTHK’s Candice Wong that as long as the police explain clearly why they make a decision to stop approving public demonstrations, it would not undermine people’s freedom of speech or freedom to hold peaceful assemblies.

Another pro-government legislator, the DAB’s Ann Chiang, has already written to the police commissioner, urging him to suspend issuing letters of no objection to rallies.