Calling on people to carry lanterns and form a human chain across Hong Kong, protesters are preparing for the second “Hong Kong Way” on Friday night, the Mid-Autumn Festival.
“Be Water – Mid-Autumn Lanterns Appreciation Gala” is being held in parks in various districts to celebrate the full moon with “entertainments” including chanting slogans, singing songs and forming a human chain.
So far, people have responded positively to the call in Tsing Yi, Tsuen Wan in the New Territories as well as Quarry Bay and Sai Wan Ho on Hong Kong Island.
Some people plan to stage sit-ins at shopping malls and form human chains at Victoria Peak and Lion Rock.
However, the city’s rail operator, the MTR Corp. said it won’t be running overnight services after assessing public security risks in conjunction with government officials.
The decision was made in response to radical protesters targeting MTR stations in recent weeks, vandalizing ticket machines and turnstiles. Their anger was sparked by a decision to close stations near planned protest sites over the past few weeks.
Meanwhile, the police on Friday rejected a permission request from the Civil Human Rights Front for a march on Sunday on Hong Kong Island, citing safety concerns.
The Civil Human Rights Front, which organized two massive marches in June that attracted three million peaceful people, originally planned a march starting in Causeway Bay and ending in Central. However, the police said they believed the participants would deviate from the planned route, threatening public safety.
They said violence, road blockages and destruction resulted from previous marches organized by the group.
Police have banned a number of protests in recent weeks, but most protesters have demonstrated regardless.
Jimmy Sham, the convenor, said they are disappointed with the police decision, saying it’s unreasonable for the police to suppress freedom of assembly.