Periscope

Same street, different campaigns

by Zip Cheung

Street interest and cultural groups, which also occupy pedestrian walkways to advertise their activities, are free of hassle.

Those organisations say they can use public areas for performances, exhibitions or gatherings and will not be prosecuted for causing an obstruction if they have sought approval from the authorities.

Some other groups have reached an understanding with police that their events staged on the streets will not be interrupted.

League of Social Democrats, a local group of 30 which often holds talks in
public areas in Mong Kok, said it would apply for a temporary hawker licence from the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department (FEHD) for its events.

The group’s organiser Damon Wong Chun-pong said the FEHD would allocate a spot and a time slot to his organisation’s activity after receiving an application.

“It’ll be okay after we show our permit to the hawker control officers when they patrol along the street,” Mr Wong said. “And we will not be asked to leave.”

The group, which aims at fighting for democracy in Hong Kong , invites speakers such as lawmakers Leung Kwok-hung and Albert Chan Wai-yip to address pedestrians in Sai Yeung Choi Street South and MacPherson Playground.

Meanwhile, some other groups will just tell the police about their activities in the streets.

Ken Fung Sai-kuen, assistant art director of the FM Theatre Power, said
his organisation had put on regular performances in the pedestrian zone of
Sai Yeung Choi Street South for two years. “We once talked to the Police Public
Relations Branch and came to a consensus that we could use a public area for drama performances,” Mr Fung said. His group will also not be warned or driven away by the FEHD officers.

Falun Gong-linked Epoch Times, another group that has set up campaign booths in public areas, said it would inform the police about its display in advance.

“We are not under the control of the FEHD. We will tell the police about our events. And it’ll be okay then,” said Lau Wai-hing, a person-in-charge of the group’s stalls in Mong Kok. Ms Lau said her group could continue with its promotion as long as it did not block the streets or cause any nuisance. She also cited that under the Public Order Ordinance, any public meeting of no more than 50 people do not require any authorisation.

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The League of Social Democrats holds a talk in a pedestrian zone to fight for democracy.

Falun Gong-linked Epoch Times sets up a campaign booth in Mong Kok.