A group of pro-democracy Hong Kong activists including Max Chung have applied with the police to hold a demonstration on July 27 to ask the Hong Kong government thoroughly investigate the Yuen Long MTR attacks that left 45 people injured. However, the Hong Kong police held a press conference on July 25 to announce it was rejecting the application due the likelihood of violent outbreaks, danger and other reasons.
The Yuen Long MTR attacks in Hong Kong on the 21st left 45 people injured. Anti-extradition bill activists subsequently applied to hold a "Reclaim Yuen Long" demonstration on the 27th to ask the Hong Kong government to investigate the attacks. However, the Hong Kong police rejected the application on the 25th, citing reasons including disruption of social order.
If anyone insists on still protesting, they would be breaking the law. Will they be arrested? It would depend on the situation at that time. However, I can tell you that they would be breaking the law by protesting since we have already issued a notice prohibiting the protest.
Apart from safety considerations, the Hong Kong police said over 10,000 people would likely turn out for the demonstration compared to the organizer's estimate of 300. "Inappropriate" route and location were also given as reasons. In addition, the police issued a notice prohibiting the protest. Some analysts say this is extremely rare and unauthorized assembly could be punishable by up to five years in prison.
Demonstration organizer Max Chung says an appeal has already been sent to the police and he will hold a one-man protest on the 27th if the appeal is likewise dismissed. Other Hong Kong netizens are coming up with alternate plans to get around the law, including singing hymns along the demonstration route or changing the protest to a memorial walk for former Chinese Premier Li Peng, who died recently. Meanwhile, a Hong Kong citizen published a half-page ad in a Taiwanese newspaper calling on England to return Hong Kong to the "legal inheritor," the Republic of China. The ad also thanked Taiwan for supporting Hong Kong. In response, the PRC Ministry of National Defense said it is within its rights to intervene in Hong Kong under the Garrison Law of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region.
The Pearl of the Orient is not easily stained. With regards to your question (on the situation in Hong Kong), the answer is clearly stated in Chapter 3, Article 14 of the Garrison Law of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region.
However, Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing Ltd. CEO Charles Li says the task of resolving this issue should be left to the police because the mission of the People's Liberation Army is defending against foreign enemies and not getting involved in domestic affairs.
Meanwhile, a Hong Kong official has published an anonymous open letter and petition criticizing Hong Kong Chief Executive Carrie Lam for shirking her responsibilities and accusing the police of colluding with the Yuen Long assailants. So far, 480 executive directors have signed the petition, which is over 10 percent.
The Liaison Office of the Central People's Government in the Hong Kong SAR, meanwhile, spent the night setting up water barriers separated by gates. Police are also standing by. So far, three demonstrations originally scheduled for the 27th and 28th have been postponed.
香港源朗西鐵站，21號驚傳白衣人糾眾襲擊乘客事件，造成主張「反送中」的民眾有45人受傷；為此，有港人申請27號舉辦「光復元朗」遊行，要求港府徹查元朗暴力事件，但港警25號以預料會破壞社會安寧等五大理由，拒絕遊行申請。
香港署理新界北總區指揮官 曾正科表示：「如果還是有任何人是參加遊行的話，正確來說，其實是犯法，至於警方會否採取拘捕行動，便要視乎當時情況，但可以告訴你，我們發出反對通知之後，如果他們還是出來遊行的話，是犯法的。」
除了安全考量，港警也搬出人數恐破萬，但主辦單位只估300人差太多為由，以及路線和地點不合適等理由，拒絕遊行申請，並發出禁止公眾集會，及反對公眾遊行通知。有"民陣"和"法界人士"認為，這相當罕見，如果擅自遊行恐被控違反"未經批准集結罪"，最重可判監禁五年。
不過，遊行發起人鍾建平指出，已對警方提出"不反對通知書"上訴，即使被駁回，27號還是會堅持一個人遊行。也有香港網友提出規避法律的辦法，包括在遊行路線走動、唱聖詩，或是改個名目，變成舉辦「紀念」剛過世的前中國國務院總理李鵬的追悼會等等。還有香港人首次在台灣媒體，刊登半版廣告，以「保衛台灣、重奪香港」為標題，強調依照「南京條約」的精神，英國應該把香港歸還給合法繼承者、中華民國。並感謝台灣挺香港。只是中國國防部曾強勢指出，依駐軍法解放軍可介入，處理香港形勢。
中國國防部新聞發言人 吳謙(2019.07.24)表示：「東方之珠，不容玷汙。關於你的具體問題(香港形勢)，在駐軍法的第3章第14條，已有明確規定。」
但香港交易所行政總裁李小加表示，支持香港治安由港警解決，解放軍的任務是抵禦外敵，不應參與本地事務。現在更有香港官員匿名連署公開信，批評特首林鄭月娥毫無擔當，又指元朗襲擊事件，警察有勾結暴徒之嫌，強烈譴責警隊作為；目前至少有480人連署，佔現有行政主任超過一成。而香港中聯辦，為了防止再次受到衝擊，漏夜設置「水馬陣」，部分水馬之間，設有活動閘門以供出入，也有警員在場駐守。因為元朗地鐵白衣人事件的關係，原定在明、後兩天來舉行的"光復紅土"，和"港島西"與"將軍澳反送中"，三場活動都已經宣布改期。