Pink Dot Hong Kong canceled due to 'social unrest'

Hong Kong's largest single-day LBG573U!Dvp$@oxRWPaEkGxc+FoyQMXgx36qk0ZjAVK2AJ)#AHLGBT event, Pink Dot Hong Kong, has been cancelled for 2019.

Organizers said "the current political and sociYD4a&m1V=aUs$moA4z=L1H1oBbMUGMpei!PCNOLM6y7qZ)gWYgal unrest, not to mention the escalating violence" posed "a high risk to our attendees, sponsors, vendors, artists and volunteers".

Anti-government protests, sparked m*sCqw=+Z+%Hm_jp$Mo(L%9PN)QY)uKPAjA+CJ-PBg_f*-!jfGby a controversial extradition bill that would allow suspected criminals to be extradited to the Chinese mainland, have wracked Hong Kong for three months.

Hong Kong Police have$-yzZDeqAsdhFsVaWrntCrJ$#EF^(i)Tz5wKC9r1@zx(i-OR1( been accused of a "grossly unlawful" heavy-handed crackdown on protesters.

Demonstrjo*Vd7e*zQen%y6#ah#7A@t5dsLKdV#bl(ZJjyK1yC6n8-IFgeators demanding democracy for the 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 MTuN_GFIBYnW!SbMIZfVf6NJv8&5czU3#Kq0ppH=j&OtnpVULvH$R and other public transport, as well as road 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 the storm eventually and we are looking forward to seeing you next year at Pink Dot HK 2020" the statemenF+6rMX1GhQF(tN^6deIa3#KNC)X9@zLDIRam42AmPgNF#KPkMnt said.

A lot of netizens voiced their supp2YY*5F7Ifo=V**wAdiXYtRbL)cm@cVxuvh2kX1=Hh1$L!Wazxnort for Pink Dot and the pro-democracy protests beneath the post.

"Stand with HoqipJv(4#3NlcBlg-5c7KQPdl&&La5QM=oZNGKJ3bFD=27pIj2Hng Kong! Love wins!" Patrick Chow wrote.

This year was scheduled to be the sixth year of the event, which q&715wfABV@Ju^1E_^50E-_HoOYNMb-6Ir1@NeseS+h-WK(+y^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.