Authorities said the Hong Kong National Party (HKNP), a well-known but small group with a core membership of around a dozen, is a potential threat to national security and public safety. Lam accused the government of using "national security" as an excuse to target pro-independence parties, and warned it other pro-democracy parties could be targeted too. The protest came after John Lee, Hong Kong's secretary for security, said he was considering a police request to ban the HKNP. Lee did not elaborate how the party was damaging national security, but said under the city's laws, national security includes safeguarding the "territorial integrity and the independence of the People's Republic of China". Semi-autonomous Hong Kong enjoys freedoms unseen on the mainland, which are protected by the 50-year handover agreement between Britain and China.

Source: The Nation Bangkok July 21, 2018 11:26 UTC