BEIJING (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 29th June, 2020) Police in Hong Kong intend to deploy up to 4,000 officers to the streets on July 1 in anticipation of possible protests over banned pro-democracy march, local media reported on Monday.
This past Saturday, police denied permission to the annual July 1 march that marks the handover Hong Kong's sovereignty to China under special administrative status. In response, calls emerged on the internet upon people to take to the streets anyways. The atmosphere is further strained by the fact that China is anticipated to enact the massively confronted Hong Kong security law any day now.
According to the RTHK broadcaster, citing own sources, police will deploy from 3,000 to 4,000 officers to handle "potential conflicts."
Multiple roads in the peninsula have been reportedly closed to traffic since Sunday midnight ahead of the traditional flag raising ceremony on Hong Kong's Bauhinia Square.
Last year, Hong Kong officials had to hold the ceremony indoors for the first time ever amid mass protests triggered by another controversial legislation � on extradition of suspects to jurisdictions with which Hong Kong did not previously have such agreements, including mainland China.
New waves of protests engulfed Hong Kong over the past month in response to a bill that, if passed into law, is expected to make security policies in Hong Kong adjusted to Beijing's perception of crime and punishment with regard to separatism, subversion, terrorism and collusion with foreign agents. Hong Kongers fear their basic freedoms and rights, enjoyed under the autonomous region's special status, might get painfully limited by Beijing.
