The Strange Case of Mysterious Cancellations

A restaurant at Kai Tak cancelled Democratic Party's dinner

Hong Kong's largest democratic party has had to cancel its major fundraising dinner for 200 people again this year after two venues suddenly cancelled.

One was the Marco Polo Hongkong Hotel in Tsim Sha Tsui, the other, Federal Cruise Banquet Centre in the Kai Tak Cruise Terminal. While the former did not cite a reason, the latter claimed its windows were damaged by Typhoon Saola and would have to undergo maintenance work.

"We did not try to find another venue," said Lo Kin-hei, chairperson of the Democratic Party. We're already very tired."

Lo says cancellations are no coincidence

This is not the first time the political party has faced restaurants cancelling on them at the last minute, with very sketchy reasons. What restaurant would want to refuse business these days?

In February the party had to postpone its spring dinner after three venues cancelled on them. The third one pulled out just two hours before the scheduled dinner, citing "urgent gas meter maintenance."

Or how about this excuse -- last year the party was going to hold the party in a restaurant in a Tsim Sha Tsui shopping mall, but was suddenly cancelled, claiming there were Covid-19 clusters nearby.

But when a reporter checked with neighbouring tenants, they had not heard of any Covid-19 clusters in the vicinity and that they were operating normally.

The last time the Democratic Party held its annual fundraising dinner was in March 2019 before the protests. Lo believes the cancellations are not a coincidence, and that the restaurants are facing "external pressure."

"One after another, the same thing has happened to us," he said. "Plus, now the economy is so bad. The restaurants probably don't have good business at night. We're trying to invigorate the economy here.

"There must be some people behind the scenes giving [the restaurants] pressure," Lo said, but added he had no idea who they might be.

Marco Polo hotel also suddenly pulled out

The two cancellations for Monday's dinner came after pro-Beijing newspaper Wen Wei Po published an editorial last Tuesday accusing the Democratic Party's fundraising dinner of "likely being a platform for the party to continue covertly promoting... illegal protest-related information."

The newspaper went on to say that on the surface, the party was fundraising to continue operations and the upcoming District Council elections, but that in reality the money was being used to pay for legal fees for the 47 pro-democracy activists charged with violating the national security law.

Someone or some group is out to strangle the Democratic Party financially and prevent it from carrying out its mandate. So much for rights and freedoms in tact in Hong Kong these days. Is it no wonder why so many people are leaving to exercise their rights and freedoms elsewhere?

While it is brave for Lo and the party to soldier on, one can't help but wonder how much longer the Democratic Party can last given the current political climate that is not only polarised but also significantly skewed to one side...