M (91) 43
CONFIDENTIAL
601
A529
Public Order Ordinance (Chapter 245) PUBLIC ORDER (AMENDMENT) BILL 1991 PUBLIC MEETINGS AND PROCESSIONS: XCC (91) 172
COMMENTARY
(a) The Administration pointed
laws
out that present
were abused but if they were enforced,
there was a strong possibility that they
would be challenged in the courts as being in
contravention of the Bill of Rights. In
essence, changes were needed for Police
operational reasons.
represented
a
The proposals
fundamental
change
in
philosophy in that the public would in future
enjoy the right to hold a procession or
public meeting subject to the requirements to
notify the Commissioner of Police 7 days in
advance and to abide by any
imposed
the
the
conditions
conditions strictly following
International Covenant on Civil and
Political Rights.
The Administration said
that whilst the likely Chinese reaction was
predictable, it
the
remained of the opinion that
Bill represented the correct way to
proceed.
(b)
The Political Adviser said that the Chinese