Organisers Meet Cops To Push For National Day Rally

The Civil Human Rights Front met police on Thursday to seek permission and discuss arrangements and plans for a rally to take place on National Day on October 1.

Speaking to reporters on Thursday, the group's convenor Jimmy Sham their meeting with the police lasted 15-minutes, which he described as the shortest in their record, and that they expect to receive notice of objection from the police to its plan to hold the rally.

He said he expected the authorities to cite the fight against the epidemic as a reason for not allowing the march.

The Front plans to hold a rally next Thursday from Causeway Bay to Central in the afternoon to call for the release of the 12 Hong Kongers detained on the mainland.

Sham stressed that the people in Hong Kong have not had a legal protest for eight months, and believes the people will still think of different ways to protest even if the force eventually turns down the front's plan to hold a rally.

When asked if CHRF would still call on the public to take part in the rally if a notice of objection is issued, the Front's deputy convenor Figo Chan said many still took the risk even when police reminded people that some rallies were unauthorised.

The duo said that they understood if some choose not to march for their own safety, and urged people to wear black on the day.