Police appeal to the public to express views peacefully and rationally
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Police received a notification from an organisation of its intention to hold a public order event in Kowloon today (July 7). After processing in accordance with the established mechanism, Police issued the Letter of No Objection to the organiser on July 5. The public meeting will be held at Salisbury Garden in Tsim Sha Tsui at around 3.30pm while the public procession will start by 4.00pm towards West Kowloon Station (WKS). Police anticipate that the traffic in the vicinity of Tsim Sha Tsui will be very congested during the event. Members of the public are advised to avoid driving to the above area and make use of public transport services as far as possible.
Police respect the public’s freedoms of expression, speech and assembly. It is the policy of Police to facilitate all peaceful public events while at the same time ensuring public safety and public order. Members of the public should express their views in a peaceful and orderly manner. They should also follow the instructions of Police officers at scene or the marshals of the organiser.
Police also noticed that some people on the Internet and social media had called on members of the public to take part in non-cooperation movements which involve various illegal acts such as provoking Police officers or storming buildings. Members of the public should comply with the laws of Hong Kong and maintain social order when expressing their views. Should there be any confrontation, they should protect their own safety, maintain a safe distance from the violent protestors or leave the scene immediately so as to give Police enough space to deal with any violent and unlawful acts. If the public spot any suspicious persons or objects, they should inform Police under safety circumstances.
In order to facilitate the public order event in Kowloon today, the Transport Department will implement a series of special traffic arrangements in the afternoon where some roads in Tsim Sha Tsui will be temporarily closed and public transport will also be correspondingly diverted. Police officers will be on-site to guide motorists. Motorists should exercise tolerance and patience in case of traffic congestion, and observe the instructions given by the Police.
In addition, the MTR Corporation has announced that some special logistics arrangement will be in place at WKS today. Members of the public and tourists are advised to plan their journey in advance and pay attention to the latest traffic announcements to avoid any delay caused by road closure and traffic diversions.
Ends/Sunday, July 7, 2019
Issued at HKT 11:41
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