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Former leader of defunct Confederation of Trade Unions in Hong Kong withdraws Labour Day rally application after ‘being taken away’

  • Joe Wong and Denny To had applied to stage 500-strong rally on Hong Kong Island on Labour Day and were waiting for police approval
  • Wong was not arrested but had suffered emotional breakdown, To writes on social media

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Workers marching for their rights in Hong Kong on May 1 was a common sight before 2020. Photo: Dickson Lee
A former chairman of the defunct Confederation of Trade Unions in Hong Kong has withdrawn an application to hold a rally on Labour Day, his co-applicant has revealed, saying the ex-leader had suffered “tremendous pressure” but could not offer further details because of the national security law.

Without naming ex-chairman Joe Wong Nai-yuen, the city’s security chief and a police spokesman both said it was a “responsible act” if an organiser had decided to cancel a public event after evaluating that he was unable to comply with the law and ensure participants’ safety.

Two weeks ago Wong and Denny To Chun-ho, an ex-committee member, applied to stage a 500-strong rally on Hong Kong Island on May 1.

To on Wednesday morning posted a message on the Facebook page of the rally, which was still pending police approval, saying: “Wong went missing and is unreachable”.

Former Confederation of Trade Unions in Hong Kong Chairman Joe Wong. Photo: Jonathan Wong
Former Confederation of Trade Unions in Hong Kong Chairman Joe Wong. Photo: Jonathan Wong

He put up another post at around 1.30pm, saying Wong had been “taken away” in the morning and had decided to withdraw the application after being released.

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