Police Ban Yuen Long March, But Organiser Defiant

The police on Thursday cited a risk of violence as they denied permission for a weekend protest over mob attacks in Yuen Long, although one defiant organiser immediately insisted he would be marching regardless.

A “letter of objection” issued by the police noted that the suggested finishing point for the protest on Saturday afternoon was Yuen Long MTR Station, which is close to several indigenous villages.

The letter said based on recent events, including “villagers’ reactions” and radical and violent speeches being circulated on the internet, the force “has reason to believe that there would be violent physical clashes between protesters and indigenous villagers” if the march went ahead.

It said the organisers would not be able to control how participants behaved, given the violent clashes that followed recent demonstrations and “the recent social atmosphere”.

Yuen Long is a densely populated area, so the protest will very likely seriously undermine residents’ rights and freedoms, the letter said.

Calls for the demonstration were made online following Sunday night's attacks at the West Rail Line station in Yuen Long that left dozens of people in hospital.

Max Chung, who had applied for permission for the march, said he would be filing an appeal against the police's decision, with a hearing expected to be held on Friday.

Chung said he was not optimistic the appeal would go his way and whatever the result, he for one will be marching as planned.

Other people also encouraged protesters to turn out regardless, with some taking to the internet to call for a rally to be held in Yuen Long on Saturday to remember former premier Li Peng who died this week. Li had been dubbed "the butcher of Beijing" for his role in the 1989 Tiananmen massacre.

Earlier, the chairman of the Heung Yee Kuk, Kenneth Lau, urged protesters to express their views peacefully, as he called on villagers to be restrained and remain calm.

He said the Kuk had asked rural leaders to persuade villagers not to go out and argue with protesters.