Women's March Cancelled at Last Minute

The association had planned to hold a march on Sunday

One of the first approved protest marches in Hong Kong in three years since the pandemic was supposed to take place on Sunday at 11am but was cancelled at the last minute.

The Hong Kong Women Workers' Association was planning to hold a march to promote labour rights, women's rights and gender equality ahead of International Women's Day on March 8.

The group fights for women's rights and equality

The group was able to get approval from the police after they conducted a risk assessment, that included asking the association to comply with the national security law, and that the march "would not be contrary to the interests of national security."

However, the association decided to cancel the protest "after balancing the interests of all parties," said Cheng Wai-kin, acting senior superintendent of the police on Saturday.

He claimed the police found "many people, including violent groups" would take part in the march. 

When the media pressed Cheng for more information he replied: "We won't have any further comments on any participants or any further factors about tomorrow's event."

And so because the association had cancelled the march, then the "letter of no objection" issued by the police was voided, so that meant any gathering there today would be considered an unauthorised assembly.

Cheng claimed "violent groups" would join in

How thoughtful of the authorities to make things so clear.

Was the march cancelled because it is held during the "Two Sessions" or the meeting of the National People's Congress in Beijing right now? 

The police won't say.

Perhaps the optics of women protesting in Hong Kong when they should be holding up half the sky didn't look good...