Around 165,000 Hong Kong residents gathered Sunday afternoon at Tamar park to show their support to the police for enforcing the law, ensuring the security and stability of Hong Kong.
The assembly started ahead of 3 p.m. local time. The enthusiasm of attendees ran high against the backdrop of heavy showers. Pouring in from all over Hong Kong, placard in hand, groups and individuals chanted slogan, "Support Hong Kong police; Ensuring security and stability," and opposed protesters who earlier surrounded Hong Kong police headquarters.
During the assembly, representatives for various sectors went on stage to share their views.
Maria Tam Wai-chu, deputy director of the National People's Congress Standing Committee Basic Law Committee from Hong Kong, said the Hong Kong police maintained public security, and the social order cannot be disrupted to threaten the stability and prosperity of Hong Kong.
The Hong Kong police spared no efforts to build Hong Kong into one of the most secure cities around the world, said Tang King-shing, former Commissioner of Hong Kong Police Force of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region government.
Tang, who led the crowd to chant slogans to thank the police, said the assembly was peaceful thanks to all attendees.
Lo Chung-mau, chief of division of liver transplantation of Queen Mary Hospital, said the extreme actions taken by some protesters before undermined the rule of law, the freedom, and even the harmony of Hong Kong.
A resident at the assembly said it was the first time he attended an assembly as he paid no attention to politics before. Noting that some protesters had crossed over the line for blocking roads, he said the police protected residents and maintained social order, so HK citizens need to support the police.