Hong Kong Yuen Long protest is banned, but protesters still plan gathering

Whoever organized the triad gang attacks in Yuen Long in Hong Kong on Sunday is probably pleased with this effect of their intimidation:

• “The heads of 11 universities in Hong Kong have urged their students to refrain from attending a rally in Yuen Long on Saturday citing concerns for their personal safety,” the Hong Kong Free Press reported.
• Then, the protest was banned: “On Thursday, the police issued a letter prohibiting the protest, after considering public safety, public order, other people’s rights and freedom,” also per HKFP.
• However, protesters have found a workaround: BBC correspondent Stephen McDonnel tweeted: “So this is a bit cheeky: Hong Kong protestors denied permission to march on Saturday to the site of last weekend’s triad gang attacks on pro-democracy activists are now saying that they want to gather to commemorate the death of former Premier Lǐ Péng 李鹏.” Hong Kong law does not allow the police to deny permission for religious gatherings, which include mourning ceremonies.

So this is a bit cheeky: #HongKong protestors denied permission to march on Saturday to the site of last weekend’s triad gang attacks on pro-democracy activists are now saying that they want to gather to commemorate the death of former Premier Li Peng. 😉 pic.twitter.com/uLsyRDgmdE

— Stephen McDonell (@StephenMcDonell) July 25, 2019

Other developments related to the volatile situation in Hong Kong:

• Hong Kong: Chairs urge administration to “strongly condemn” threat to deploy PLA / Congressional-Executive Commission on China
  “U.S. Representative James McGovern (D-MA) and U.S. Senator Marco Rubio (R-FL), the Chair and Cochair respectively of the bipartisan and bicameral Congressional-Executive Commission on China (CECC) today issued a joint statement urging the Administration to condemn the threat to deploy the People’s Liberation Army in Hong Kong.”
• ‘Let the police do their job’: Hong Kong stock exchange chief cautions against military intervention / SCMP

The head of the Hong Kong stock exchange has cautioned against Chinese military intervention in Hong Kong, saying it is not up to the People’s Liberation Army to do the police’s job.

Addressing a group of business and professional executives on Thursday, HKEX chief executive Charles Li Xiaojia said the PLA was “supposed to be here to…point [at] outside enemies. It’s not supposed to help Hong Kong to deal with our own problems.”

• Should Beijing intervene forcefully in Hong Kong? / Hu Xijin in Global Times
  The editor of the nationalistic tabloid writes, “Would you like Beijing to be forceful, such as ordering the Hong Kong Garrison of the Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) to take to the streets to maintain order? Personally, I am against this idea.” But he goes on to list three scenarios where he could find “a need” for strong intervention.
• 社评：香港出了一批有迷惑性的现代汉奸 / Global Times
  The Global Times separately says that protestors in Hong Kong are “confused traitors.”

Links to understand Hong Kong and what is happening now

• ‘I love HK but hate it at the same time’ / ChinaFile
  A photo documentary project of Hong Kong identity by Todd R. Darling.
• Six films that explain what’s happening in Hong Kong / Quartz
• What you need to know about Hong Kong’s triads / Inkstone
• What are the triads, and what is their history of violence? / NYT (porous paywall)

Hong Kong-related protest in Australia

• Chinese consulate in Australia praises patriotic students for counter-protest against separatists / Global Times
  “China’s Consulate-General in Brisbane, Australia, on Thursday issued a statement praising Chinese students, including those from the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, at the Australian University of Queensland (UQ) who staged a voluntary patriotic rally in response to two consecutive anti-China and secessionist protests held at the university campus on Wednesday afternoon.”
• UQ students ‘shocked’ by intimidation tactics in China-Hong Kong protest clash / Australian ABC
  “Chinese students from both the pro-democracy and pro-Beijing camps at the University of Queensland (UQ) say they were subjected to intimidation tactics after what started as a peaceful pro-democracy protest escalated into a violent scuffle.”