Mass Gathering Planned Near Govt Headquarters

The Civil Human Rights Front, which has organised three huge marches against the extradition bill since June, said on Friday that it is planning a mass gathering at Tamar on July 21.

It plans to apply soon for police approval for a rally outside the government's headquarters.

The front's online appeal for a demonstration says protesters "reserve the night for continued assembly”, but its convenor, Jimmy Sham, said they have no plans to occupy roads or cause any trouble.

He said the rally may last longer than the time period originally planned, but the front is confident that protesters won’t storm government buildings.

The front has five demands, including an independent inquiry into police action during clashes on June 12. The other demands are for the government to withdraw the now-suspended extradition bill, rescind the "riot" label for the clashes, stop prosecuting protesters and introduce universal suffrage.

Sham also said the front plans to file a court challenge against the police’s “suppression” of their peaceful protest outside Citic Tower on June 12.

He said the rally was approved by police, but then officers fired several rounds of tear gas at them without warning. Sham accused the police of violating their own guidelines on the use of force.

He said they had no chance to tell the crowd to leave peacefully, and the police sent him a letter that night, categorising the protests around the area as a "riot".

Front member and former lawmaker Leung Kwok-hung alleged that chief superintendent Rupert Dover snatched their microphone when they were outside the Citic Tower and had not returned it. He said they had only wanted to call on demonstrators to disperse in an orderly manner.