Unionists scrap rally as cops keep them waiting

The pro-Beijing Federation of Hong Kong and Kowloon Labour Unions has withdrawn a request for police approval for a May Day countdown rally on April 29 after it was left waiting longer than usual for permission.

The federation wanted to stage a tally for 100 to 200 participants in Prince Edward and Mong Kok.

Federation president Lam Chun-sing said they had been liaising with police since last week, hoping to get a no-objection letter.

But by yesterday there was still no word from the police, so Lam said there was no alternative but to withdraw the application.

Lam added that another reason for the withdrawal was that only about 40 members had said they were willing to join the rally -- a lot less than expected.

He said many workers were worried about being recognized by their employers if they joined the rally, and some were concerned the march would be "hijacked. That could result in a police investigation that would affect their daily lives and jobs.

Lam said he was unhappy about having to cancel the event and hopes police will ease limits on rallies to allow workers to express demands through demonstrations.

He added that there was an idea to deliver a petition on April 29 as the rally would not be held that day, but nothing had been decided.

And Wong Kwok, chairman of the Hong Kong Federation of Trade Unions, said members were not inclined to hold a May Day rally as they could not ensure a march would remain orderly. So the federation would express demands in other forms.

"We have been paying close attention to the water festival held recently when some people took the opportunity to make trouble by deliberately shooting at police officers with their water guns," he said.

So they would not stage any rally "unless we are confident the event will be safe and orderly," Wong said.

And HKFTU president Stanley Ng Chau-pei said a rally was just one form of action that can be employed by a labor movement, so the situations and risks needed to be assessed.

"In the 100-year history of the Hong Kong labor movement there have been many cases of people causing trouble during rallies," he said, "so we need to be vigilant."