The Government has seriously condemned an incident where some participants of a New Year's Day public meeting carried a placard with slogans advocating Hong Kong independence and forced their way into the East Wing Forecourt of the Central Government Offices.

At the public meeting organised by the Civil Human Rights Front at the CGO Forecourt, some participants ignored the advice of the security guards, causing confusion and two guards to fall on the ground.

​So far, 31 public meetings have been approved to be held at the Forecourt since it was reopened on December 28, 2017 in line with the current-term Government's governance philosophy. The overall arrangements have been smooth.

Although people are permitted to conduct public meetings, processions or express views at the Forecourt, the Government shall not allow any activities advocating or promoting Hong Kong independence to take place therein.

In handling the application for conducting the public meeting at the Forecourt on January 1, the Administration Wing reminded the organiser to abide by the laws in force in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, and to appeal to the participants not to conduct any activity that contravenes the laws in force in the HKSAR, including the Basic Law.

The Government expressed deep regret that the organiser had not made the appeal.

After entering the Forecourt, the person carrying the placard, with the public meeting organiser's consent, made some remarks advocating Hong Kong independence on the stage. 

The Government reiterated that advocating Hong Kong independence is inconsistent with “one country, two systems”, the Basic Law and the community’s long-term and overall interests, undermining the HKSAR’s constitutional order.

It noted that it has the duty to abide by the law and uphold the constitutional order in accordance with the Basic Law, safeguarding the long-term and overall interests of Hong Kong, and reiterated its zero tolerance on Hong Kong independence.