'National Security Integral Part Of Rally Vetting'

The Police Commissioner Chris Tang on Saturday said the introduction of the national security law won't change the way his force vets public gathering applications such as the June Fourth candlelight vigil - but he noted that national security has always been part of the consideration under local laws.

His comments on Saturday came after organisers of the vigil commemorating the Tiananmen Square Massacre in 1989 were banned from hosting their annual Lunar New Year flower stall for the first time in more than three decades.

The authorities said they were displaying items unrelated to selling flowers.

Tang said under the Public Order Ordinance, the police have always needed to consider national security when vetting rally applications.

"Under the ordinance, it is very clear that we have to consider [things] like public order, public safety, national security, and to respect the right of other people," he told reporters after attending a radio programme.

"With or without the enactment of the national security law, the consideration will be the same."

Tang also said the force didn't have to ask the government to work on criminalising the act of doxxing - or the unauthorised sharing of personal data - days after the Chief Executive said the government will work to bring in new laws to tackle the issue.

He said the force very much supports criminalising such acts.

But Tang said the government should be aware that the problem is very serious - and besides police officers being heavily doxxed, he said victims also include judges, prosecutors, and people having different political views.

The police chief described doxxings as "evil" acts that seek to blackmail people into doing or not doing something, and they have far-reaching consequences for society.