Police brace for violence in Hong Kong ahead of New Year’s Day

The city is now bracing for violence as posts on social media posts are calling on people to take part in demonstrations and wear masks under the banner “Don’t forget 2019! Persist in 2020.”

Police said more than 6,000 officers would be deployed to deal with potential unrest over the New Year period, according to the South China Morning Post newspaper.

Protest organizers have called for a major rally for Wednesday, which they say will draw tens of thousands of people. The rally has received police approval to proceed.

The previous such rally was held in early December, with an estimated 800,000 people participating.

In a Facebook post, police commissioner Chris Tang issued a warning, saying, “If you use violence, you will not get public support. We, police, will do all we can to arrest you.”

On Monday night, hundreds of people gathered in the Central District for a protest rally.

The city has been rocked by protests since June over a proposed bill that would have allowed extradition to mainland China. The bill was later withdrawn, but the protests continued and took on an increasingly violent form.

China has condemned violence in the semi-autonomous region, blaming foreign powers, including the United States and Britain — the former colonial power in the city — for stirring anti-establishment sentiment and interfering in the country’s internal affairs.