Hong Kong's largest single-day LGBT event, Pink Dot Hong Kong, haH(HyinFaH2XXGbupuY6awNH-)AKh#v*D7mQ$yXGqDX9llCOZpjs been cancelled for 2019.
Organizers said "the current political and social unrest, not to mention the escalating violence" posed "a high risk to our attendees, sponsors, vendors, artists augXyR2A3Caq+oO1OOfRAg$Pyt2(-FNKk$qdF84+AHT(H1ioJE=nd volunteers".
Anti-government protests, sparked by a controversial extradition bill that would po54**f2#dI3MMnFVQTflS^=1ifp_E2g#E6egwRFCk=h%Q(+5$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 "vfvBw^-ymh8Z#@CB+wkxMGD804%=w)&XBy11LOBWD)t0WJ7EA#grossly unlawful" heavy-handed crackdown on protesters.
Demonstrators demanding democracy for the city, meanwhile, have increasingly resorted to violence, including vandalisingePLQtaW=NqW9x$HtpM+JV#xh6MoqGp=nsiZ81PF%+8gQP$W+$T the city's metro system.
Pink Dot on Wednesday said in a Facebook SB00kSC$K!_qn-6LJcBDxuMVnqnpHr3ONaPj#+Kqz^sC#s%Xamstatement frequent suspensions of the MTR 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 st)uV%SpSPh87Q=9Q$gynG^cElaP48)t#W6&0qwJG#VScEu6=qk&atement said.
A lot of netiS#sw6O=9I5pZwMeAFcQIW(XFjwbOS8GU!ju&nL(ROND7DCF+6izens voiced their support for Pink Dot and the pro-democracy protests beneath the post.
"Stand with Hong Kong! Love wins!" Patrick Chow 2Qv$e!Ccvh=prCUXR)uzO1E4NcV5jr!oZ)dFXRl@DK$h!-M+ymwrote.
This year was scheduled to be the sixth year of the event, which is inspired by Singapor7-SM^*g$Awpgd!=(8Vo8!cXEHm0yYTk6Pgg2bEwjnG*0ieeqfhe'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.