Police chief says no assembly approval red line
SCMP · 1 SOURCES1 day ago2 MIN
Summary
Hong Kong police commissioner Joe Chow Yat-ming said on Saturday that there is no preset “red line” for approving public assemblies, while stressing that national security risks remain despite the conclusion of a major case involving the disbanded Hong Kong Alliance in Support of Patriotic Democratic Movements of China. His remarks came a day after sentencing in the alliance trial and alongside a government statement condemning criticism from Western countries, overseas organisations, politicians and what it called anti-China media
Key Points
- Speaking after a police passing-out parade on Saturday, Commissioner Joe Chow Yat-ming said public assembly applications are not judged against any fixed “red line”
- Chow said society might appear calm after a major national security case, but “undercurrents” and “soft resistance” still exist and other risks cannot be ruled out
- The Hong Kong government on Saturday condemned Western countries, overseas organisations, politicians and anti-China media over criticism of the Hong Kong Alliance trial
- Former alliance chairman Lee Cheuk-yan was jailed for seven years, while former vice-chairwoman Chow Hang-tung received seven years and three months
- Former vice-chairman Albert Ho Chun-yan, who pleaded guilty before trial, was sentenced to five years and two months after the case concluded on Friday
Why It Matters
The comments indicate that future public assembly decisions will continue to be handled case by case, even as the authorities maintain that national security concerns remain active. For Hong Kong residents and organisers, the message is that the end of one landmark prosecution does not mean official scrutiny of commemorative or protest-related gatherings will ease