Hong Kong police keep tight tabs on first authorised protest in years

Hong Kong police on March 26 permitted a small protest march under tight restrictions in one of the first demonstrations to be approved since the enactment of a sweeping national security law in 2020

Hong Kong police on March 26 permitted a small protest march under tight restrictions in one of the first demonstrations to be approved since the enactment of a sweeping national security law in 2020.

Several dozen demonstrators were required to wear numbered lanyards and were barred from wearing masks, as police monitored their march against a proposed land reclamation and rubbish processing project.

Participants chanted slogans against the reclamation project as they marched in the rain with banners in the eastern district of Tseung Kwan O, where the project is slated to be built.

Some also criticised the restrictions on their protest, which included a maximum of 100 participants, according to a seven-page letter from police to organisers, seen by Reuters.

"We need to have a more free-spirited protest culture," said James Ockenden (49) who was marching with his three children.

"But this is all pre-arranged and numbered and it just destroys the culture and will put people off from coming for sure."

Police granted the organisers a "no objection" letter for the protest on the condition they ensure it would not violate national security laws, including seditious displays or speech.