Pink Dot Hong Kong canceled due to 'social unrest'

Hong Kong's largest single-day LGBT event, Pink Dot Hong Kong9&yCja$RJNhZi#Wi^#jMFi=xX1mS21w4PSxrZV_gqPm(8b*hk=, has been cancelled for 2019.

Organizers said "the current political nFxJ2yzfJtm=Sfpd)F$pq6AbCU-4IK=4F#K8TI@3+$E7A3+LMnand social unrest, not to mention the escalating violence" posed "a high risk to our attendees, sponsors, vendors, artists and volunteers".

Anti-government protests, sparked by a controversial extradiphzvF-)h@3H4I8=mm)Mw05_n(z+1dcMHmiSwXN!M564+9O0&6ztion bill that would allow suspected criminals to be extradited to the Chinese mainland, have wracked Hong Kong for three months.

Hong Kong Police have been accused of a "groLPeZmn0-3&dcg*+wZcWzHK=B$mxASZ8=rHNff5spxA0W%aOka9ssly unlawful" heavy-handed crackdown on protesters.

Demonstrators demanding democracy for tK3^&fkPg^t*-vIDwe%I)!yqXCR7q^F5UZR#hE-6Wm6zKQGv2Gohe city, meanwhile, have increasingly resorted to violence, including vandalising the city's metro system.

Pink Dot on Wednesday said in a Facebook statement frequent suspensions of the MTR and other public transport, as well as roaFsy4CTDN1=%7ct8S0hajfvZUufa(-KrNcKbfCRa4tg@+BCc-Hzd blockages, would make it difficult for the 10,000 people expected to attend the event to arrive and leave.

"We hope Hong Kong will ride through t6y0zH4oOJrKsPUg7P7Xuru6Hz*Cy6qSywxEsnYAGtq)lR==odlhe storm eventually and we are looking forward to seeing you next year at Pink Dot HK 2020" the statement said.

A lot of netizens voiced their support for Pink Dot and the pro-democracy protests beneath the po^&sed#y^1XDnylr)-cY3peOi%W=s2X52r&xitM-kD4Rbl8^GRBst.

"Stand wY!ngIYorZP)gn3df_#ke(l$N)kJtf805MwQx@SHMuDS%nSU2gZith Hong Kong! Love wins!" Patrick Chow wrote.

This year was scheduled to be the sixth year of the event, wzjR^G=CuJ=)7bA2VNfQSDtI2U70+*Fo2+d7n&w@M)RZ(k4R12fhich is inspired by Singapore's family-friendly picnic Pink Dot.

Last year it attracted 12,000 attendees and played host to stars including On Chan, Andy Leung, Subyub Lee, Sophy Wong, Vincy Chan (the prototyke lab) and JoAn.