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The following is issued on behalf of the Legislative Council Secretariat:

In response to media enquiries, Mr Ricky C C Fung, Secretary General of the Legislative Council, reiterated today (July 3) that all demonstrations staged at the designated areas in the carpark of the Legislative Council Building must be conducted peacefully and in an orderly manner.

Under the Legislative Council (Powers and Privileges) Ordinance, Mr Fung said, any person who assaults, obstructs or molests any Member of the Legislative Council, when the Member is going to or from the Legislative Council Building, commits an offence. It is also an offence to assault, interfere with, molest, resist or obstruct any officer of the Council while in the execution of his duty.

It is an offence under the Ordinance for any person to contravene any direction given by any officer of the Council regarding the regulation of the admittance of persons to the Legislative Council Building, or the conduct of persons within the Building and places adjoining it, Mr Fung said.

"In order to have a clear passageway for easy access by Members, Government officials, staff and visitors to the Building, the four entrances and the carpark of the Legislative Council Building must be kept unobstructed," he added.

Mr Fung appeals to members of the public participating in demonstrations outside the Legislative Council Building to exercise restraint when expressing their views.

End/Thursday, July 3, 2003

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