TNAG-2102-FCO40-2991-Leading-personalities-in-Hong-Kong-1990 — Page 57

CONFIDENTIAL

FM HONG KONG

TO PRIORITY FCO

TELNO 2573

CONFIDENTIAL

HKCO10/1

OF 220503Z AUGUST 90

INFO ROUTINE PEKING

- SEP 1990

TOP COPY Q DIST?

P

a.

CS

33

107236 MDLIAN 4780

23/8

132

YRTELNO 1559: (NOT TO PEKING): ZHOU NAN

1. THE PRESS REPORTS YOU HAVE SEEN REFER TO A MINOR DEMONSTRATION AT THE OPENING CEREMONY OF THE XI ASIAN GAMES CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS EXHIBITION HELD ON 20 AUGUST.

2. YANG YOUYONG OF NCNA CONTACTED DPA ON 18 AUGUST TO ASK FOR QUOTE APPROPRIATE SECURITY MEASURES UNQUOTE AT THE OPENING CEREMONY, WHICH WAS PRESIDED OVER BY ZHOU NAN AND ZHANG BAIFA, VICE-MAYOR OF PEKING. ZHANG IS ALSO EXECUTIVE VICE-PRESIDENT OF THE XI ASIAN

GAMES ORGANISING COMMITTEE. SEVERAL HUNDRED LOCAL DIGNITARIES ATTENDED THE EVENT.

3. RHKP WERE IMMEDIATELY INFORMED. IT TURNED OUT THAT ORGANISERS OF THE EXHIBITION HAD ALSO CONTACTED RHKP DIRECT, AND A MEETING TO DISCUSS SECURITY ARRANGEMENTS HAD BEEN HELD ON 16 AUGUST. THE ORGANISERS STRESSED THAT THEY DID NOT/NOT WISH STRONG CROWD

CONTROL MEASURES TO BE IMPOSED.

4. PRIOR TO AND DURING THE CEREMONY, A GROUP OF ABOUT 30 DEMONSTRATORS FROM THE QUOTE JOINT COMMITTEE FOR BOYCOTTING THE

BEIJING ASIAN GAMES UNQUOTE GATHERED OUTSIDE THE VENUE. THEY DISPLAYED POSTERS AND PHOTOGRAPHS RELATING TO THE JUNE 4 TIANANMEN MASSACRE AND APPROACHED A FEW ARRIVING DIGNITARIES TO

VOICE OPPOSITION TO THE GAMES. THERE WERE ALSO SOME 30 MEMBERS OF THE PRESS PRESENT. 12 UNIFORMED AND 5 CID POLICE OFFICERS WERE ON

THE SCENE WITH MORE IN RESERVE.

5. THE POLICE REPORT THAT THE CROWD WERE WELL BEHAVED. AT NO TIME

WERE THREATENING OR HOSTILE GESTURES MADE BY THE DEMONSTRATORS. THE ONLY MOMENT WHEN A POSSIBLE BREAKDOWN IN CROWD CONTROL AROSE WAS WHEN MEMBERS OF THE PRESS CORPS SURGED FORWARD. SUFFICIENT POLICE OFFICERS WERE AVAILABLE TO DEAL WITH THIS.

COMMENT

6. THIS WAS A PEACEFUL, SMALL SCALE DEMONSTRATION. AS IS OFTEN

1

PAGE

CONFIDENTIAL