June 4 Vigil Group Again Calls Police's Bluff

The Hong Kong Alliance in Support of Patriotic Democratic Movements of China on Tuesday doubled down on its insistence that it will not hand over information for a national security probe into its activities, submitting a letter to the police outlining its reasons.

The group, which for years organised annual June 4 vigils at Victoria Park, said the police have failed to support their claim that it could be a "foreign agent", and the alliance will not be handing over details of its finances and operations.

A member of the alliance's committee, Tsui Hon-kwong, said he was filing for a judicial review over the police's demand, arguing that they have overstepped their power.

The alliance also hit back at Chief Executive Carrie Lam who earlier in the day said no group could claim to be part of civil society if it refuses to obey the law.

Alliance vice-chairwoman Chow Hang-tung said the government should stop its "senseless labelling" and it's not up to Lam to decide which organisations make up Hong Kong's civil society.

“It’s not for her to decide, right? Does the government own the power to decide on the definition of civil society organisations like how they label us as foreign agent?” Chow questioned.

“It’s a senseless, arbitrary labelling going on right now by the government. That’s just wrong.”

Meanwhile, Security Secretary Chris Tang warned that the police will take swift action against anyone refusing to hand over information as instructed.