CONFIDENTIAL
O
011715
MDHIAN 5985
HKB 01213
ECEIVED IN GEGISTRY
CONFIDENTIAL
FM HONG KONG
3 OMAY 1991
TO IMMEDIATE FCO
{
TELNO 1457
*NO
HECISTRY
TOP COPY Q DIST?
OF 101001Z MAY 91
INFO IMMEDIATE PEKING, UKREP JLG HONG KONG
MS.
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A
PUBLIC ORDER ORDINANCE (POO)
1. WE INTEND TO SEEK EXCO'S ADVICE AS SOON AS POSSIBLE ON PROPOSALS TO AMEND THE POO IN RESPECT OF PUBLIC MEETINGS AND PROCESSIONS. THE CHINESE WILL LIKELY OBJECT TO OUR PROPOSALS.
2.
EXPERIENCE GAINED SINCE 1989 OF LARGE SCALE DEMONSTRATIONS AND PROCESSIONS SHOW THAT PROVISIONS UNDER THE POO WHICH REGULATE SUCH ACTIVITIES ARE NOT APPROPRIATE. THEY HAVE BEEN CRITICISED AS CUMBERSOME AND INFLEXIBLE. POLITICAL GROUPS DELIBERATELY DISREGARD THEM AND, IN MANY CASES, THE POLICE CANNOT ENFORCE THE LAW OTHER THAN IN A CONFRONTATIONAL MANNER WHICH WOULD IMPAIR GENERAL PUBLIC SAFETY. TO AVOID THE LIKELIHOOD OF CONFLICT, THE POLICE HAD NOT ENFORCED THE LAW STRICTLY IN SUCH CASES, BUT RATHER MANAGED THE SITUATION ON THE GROUND IN A FLEXIBLE MANNER.
3. THE PROPOSED AMENDMENTS AND THE EXISTING PROVISIONS WHICH THEY
SEEK TO AMEND ARE -
PRESENT PROVISION
A. A MEETING OF MORE THAN 30
PERSONS HAS TO BE NOTIFIED TO THE COMMISSIONER OF POLICE (CP)
in private premises.
B A MEETING/OF MORE THAN 200 PERSONS, OR EXCEEDING THE
CAPACITY OF THE PREMISES, HAS TO BE NOTIFIED TO THE CP.
PROPOSED AMENDMENT
THE THRESHOLD TO BE RAISED
TO 50 PERSONS
MEETINGS OF MORE THAN 500 PERSONS NEED TO BE NOTIFIED
TO THE CP.
C. PROCESSIONS OF MORE THAN 20 PERSONS HAVE TO BE LICENSED.
PAGE
A NOTIFICATION SYSTEM TO
REPLACE THE LICENSING SYSTEM:
PROCESSIONS OF NOT MORE THAN 30 PERSONS NEED NOT BE
NOTIFIED.
1
CONFIDENTIAL