illegal shutdown of public show of sympathy and assembly
Ruptly
Police in Hong Kong used new rules (not law) aimed at limiting public gatherings to stop and break up a memorial at the Prince Edward MTR station on Tuesday night. People turned up to lay flowers at the station, the scene of a violent clash between anti-government protesters and police seven months ago. "We come out during the coronavirus, it's not a matter of virus or not. We should come out to mourn those who got hurt or died during the movement," explained Mr. Samson, a local who attended the memorial. The footage highlights people giving their flowers to local councillors after police had announced no flowers were to be left on the ground in a measure against the spread of COVID-19. Most people left after paying their tributes but some locals remained. At this point local police intervened, using social distancing rules to break up the group and eventually blocking off the station. The new rules do not allow groups of larger than four people to gather.
