Assistant to Commissioner General of the Unitary Police Ma Io Kun has confirmed that a number of associations have verbally notified the police that they intend to stage protests this weekend while Premier Wen Jiabao is in Macau to attend the 3rd Ministerial Conference between China and Portuguese-speaking Countries.
Ma said that during the Premier’s stay, all police officers will have to cancel their holidays, reinforce street patrols and ensure smooth traffic on the streets.
When asked whether the Public Security Police will bar any non-local residents from entering Macau, Ma reiterated that “police welcome all persons who meet Macau’s immigration regulations to come to Macau”.
Aside from local protesters, one of the main concerns is whether Hong Kong activists will seek to use this occasion as another opportunity to try to rally in Macau.
For years the immigration officers have denied entry to several people, especially from Hong Kong – a list that includes pan-democrats, scholars, journalists and even social workers.
They are denied entry under the internal security law, which bars travellers deemed a threat to its internal security, or those with perceived links to international terrorism or organised crime.
Last week, newspaper South China Morning Post quoted a mainland person familiar with the situation as saying “it was almost certain that Macau’s police will deny entry to any Hong Kong people who may plan to petition the premier on issues such as jailed Nobel Peace dissident Liu Xiaobo”.
Macau Daily Times
