Police To Deploy Thousands Of Officers On July 1

Police plan to deploy between 3,000 and 4,000 officers on July 1 to handle "potential conflicts", sources told RTHK on Monday.

The force has denied permission for the pro-democracy march that usually takes place on the public holiday which is to mark the establishment of the Hong Kong SAR, but there have been calls online for anti-government protesters to turn out anyway.

Wednesday is also tipped by many as the day Beijing will enact its new national security legislation for the territory.

Various roads on Hong Kong Island were closed from just after midnight on Sunday night, ahead of the July 1 flag raising ceremony in Bauhinia Square.

An exit of the Central - Wan Chai Bypass was among the routes closed to traffic, with taxi stands moved and changes made to a small number of bus services.

Transport officials warned that they expected significant traffic congestion in the Wan Chai North area.

Last year, officials and other guests watched the flag raising event on screens indoors instead of the square, amid the threat of protests.

Demonstrators did block roads leading to the convention centre in Wan Chai, forcing many guests to travel to the venue by ferry.

A march by hundreds of thousands of people on July 1 last year passed off peacefully. Shortly after it came to an end, protesters stormed the Legislative Council, with the police apparently retreating after guarding the besieged building for several hours.