Editorial | Peaceful protest is the fabric of Hong Kong society
- Lawful demonstrations are a feature of life that should return as Hong Kong opens up and seeks to rebuild its international image
Freedom of association, assembly, procession and demonstration is protected by Hong Kong law and has been widely exercised since the city’s return to Chinese rule in 1997.
Some mass gatherings drew hundreds of thousands of people. But most demonstrations were smaller scale. They covered a wide range of causes across the political spectrum, and the overwhelming majority were peaceful, lawful and orderly.
The right to protest, however, was abused during civil unrest in 2019, when anti-government demonstrations turned violent and the city’s streets became battlegrounds. The disturbances lasted months.
They ended the following year when the passing of a national security law imposed by China’s top legislature raised concerns about legal risks.
Social-distancing rules intended to combat Covid-19 prohibited even small public gatherings and further dampened enthusiasm for protests. There have been hardly any demonstrations since.
But now that the ban on gatherings has been lifted and Hong Kong seeks to get back to normal, legitimate, peaceful protests should be allowed.
