The month of May in the 2019–2020 Hong Kong protests saw a resurgence of protests. This was partly due to the containment of the coronavirus pandemic, with a total of less than 50 newly reported cases, and a small uptick in cases at the end of the month. These were the first major protests erupting since early March. Tensions increased again as police employed heavy-handed tactics including towards minors and journalists.
The Hong Kong and Macao Affairs Office (HKMAO) issued aggressive statements about the protesters on 6 May. This was seen by pan-democrats and international observers as a sign that Beijing would increase its level of intervention in Hong Kong affairs; previously on 13 April, both the HKMAO and the Hong Kong Liaison Office had issued strongly worded statements regarding the stalling tactics of the democrats in the Legislative Council.
On 21 May, plans for the promulgation of a national security law for the city by the Chinese government became public. These plans were condemned by pan-democrats as hollowing out the semi-autonomous status of Hong Kong. The protest against the national security law on 24 May was one of the last street demonstrations of the 2019–2020 protests.
Events
1 May
An application by the Hong Kong Confederation of Trade Unions to hold its traditional Labour Day march was rejected by police due to the COVID-19 pandemic in the city, in spite of the HKCTU having pledged to adhere to physical distancing rules in force, such as marching in groups of four.
At least 1,500 shops and restaurants participated in an online campaign called "Hongkonger's 5.1 Golden Week", part of the yellow economic circle movement. Organizers said the campaign was intended to keep afloat businesses supportive of the pro-democracy movement, which had been hard-hit by the shortfall in the number of visitors from the mainland over the long May Day weekend due to the pandemic.
Some protesters initiated a "sing with you" event at 7:30 pm in the atrium of New Town Plaza. There were a large number of police cars and riot police on patrol outside the mall. Protesters already chanted slogans and displayed slogans on different floors at 7:30. However, several police officers of the Criminal Investigation Department entered the fourth floor and subdued nine citizens, causing dissatisfaction from bypassers. The policeman warned those present that they were insulting the police. The protesters in the atrium shouted slogans again, with the activities generally being peaceful. By 7:00 pm, nearly 500 riot police rushed into multiple floors of the mall and drove and subdued the protesters on the grounds of violating the "restriction order", causing the shops to shutter their entrances. The police's occupation of the shopping mall was criticized by the citizens and district board members as illegal and unreasonable. The police announced that 11 people had been issued a "restriction order" in the shopping centre throughout the day. Among them, a citizen known under the nickname "Domineering Brother" was twice charged by the police.
A spokesman for New Town Plaza said that the management office did not make the report to the police, emphasising that the police had full authority to enter the shopping centre to enforce the law. However, it did not respond to whether the police notified the person in charge of the mall before entering the scene.