Hundreds of demonstrators gathered in downtown Hong Kong to commemorate the first anniversary of anti-government protests.
Police using loudspeakers warned the protesters about participation in illegal meetings, violation of social distancing measures and prevented some attempts of the protesters to reach the roadway.
By this hour no riots had been recorded, no arrests or forceful dispersal had taken place. Groups of protesters dispersed on sidewalks and in alleys and behaved calmly. They did not attempt to organize provocations, initiate clashes or break through police cordons displayed in the main streets.
Earlier in the day, some activists peacefully rallied in a number of shopping centres, displaying anti-government posters and slogans.
Exactly one year ago, unrest erupted in Hong Kong over the intention of local authorities to pass an extradition bill allowing for the extradition of offenders to mainland China. Despite the withdrawal of the legislative initiative, opposition supporters continued anti-Government demonstrations, which lasted until mid-November and were accompanied by road blockades, violence, arson and vandalism. Police detained 9,000 violators during the year.
To prevent the threat of similar disturbances in the future, Chinese authorities in late May initiated the drafting of a national security law in the special administrative region, which is scheduled to be adopted in the summer. The initiative has raised serious concerns among supporters of the Hong Kong protest movement, but no new large-scale riots like last year’s have yet been reported in the city.