Hong Kongers stage first authorized protest in years under strict police rules.

Hong Kong police have allowed a small protest march against a proposed land reclamation and rubbish processing project, under tight restrictions, including a limit of 100 participants and a ban on masks. The police granted organisers a “no objection” letter on the condition that the protest would not violate national security laws. Since the enactment of the national security law in 2020, authorities have clamped down on freedoms and arrested scores of opposition politicians and activists. Some Western governments have criticised the law as a tool of repression, but Chinese authorities say it has restored stability to the financial hub.