On 31 December 2019, the U.S. Consulate General Hong Kong and Macau issued a Demonstration Alert that reads in part as follows:

“Locations:

  • Hong Kong Island
  • Kowloon
  • New Territories
  • Hong Kong International Airport
  • Hong Kong Transit Systems
  • Hong Kong Shopping Malls
  • Hong Kong Higher Education Facilities

“Events:

“On Tuesday, December 31 at 5:00 p.m., media report a gathering to build a Lennon Wall in Tsuen Wan. At 6:00 p.m., media report various protests at shopping malls in Causeway Bay, Kowloon Station, and Tsim Sha Tsui. At 7:00 p.m., media report protesters plan to form human chains near different MTR lines. At 8:00 p.m., protesters plan to rally at the Prince Edward Station to commemorate four months since the “831 Prince Edward Station Terror Attack”. Media report at 10:00 p.m. protesters plan to gather at Victoria Harbour, Lan Kwai Fong, the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre, and the West Kowloon Cultural Centre.

“On Wednesday, January 1 at 2:00 p.m. the Civil Human Rights Front March “Remember Our Promises, We Stand as One” will take place from Victoria Park in Causeway Bay to Chater Garden in Central.

“This list is not necessarily exhaustive; protests at other times and locations may also occur. Any protests that take place without a permit are considered illegal.

“Protests are likely to disrupt transportation across Hong Kong. MTR stations can be closed and other transportation options can be cancelled on short notice. Over the past few months, some MTR stations have been closed for extended periods of time and the MTR network has closed earlier than usual.

“Since June 2019, large scale and smaller political demonstrations have taken place in various areas of Hong Kong, including MTR stations, shopping malls, universities, and at Hong Kong International Airport. While many demonstrations have been peaceful, some have resulted in violent confrontations between protesters and police – or between protesters and people who oppose the demonstrations – leading to serious injuries. Police have used a variety of crowd control measures, including tear gas, pepper spray, rubber bullets, and water cannons. Some protesters have lit fires, built barricades, and thrown Molotov cocktails (petrol bombs). Police have identified and seized weapons and explosive materials linked to ongoing protest activity. On October 4, the government invoked the Emergency Regulations Ordinance to ban face masks at public gatherings. Any protests that take place without a permit are considered illegal.

“Protests, which can take place with little or no notice at any time of the week, are likely to continue and are often accompanied by vandalism and/or violence.”