Police officers patrol the city’s main square, Largo do Senado, last night to ensure that this year’s ban on the annual June 4 vigil in the area will be obeyed. The police said recently they disallowed the vigil because of the government’s COVID-19 prevention measures which urges members of the public to stay away from crowds and gatherings. In the past 30 years, most of the annual June 4 vigils were held in Largo do Senado or the nearby Largo de S. Domingos. Usually, several hundred people attended the vigils each time. According to local Chinese-language media reports and the Portuguese-language radio station of public broadcaster TDM, non-establishment lawmakers Ng Kuok Cheong and Au Kam San held an indoor vigil at the office of their Democracy Development Union in Calçada de Santo Agostinho in the city centre last night. The vigil was reportedly attended by several people. Rádio Macau-TDM reported last night that Au’s two adult daughters were taken in for questioning by the police because they allegedly violated police orders by participating in an illegal assembly near Largo do Senado. A Public Security Police (PSP) spokesperson was quoted by Rádio Macau as saying that the two women were taken to a police station to be questioned about their alleged participation in an illegal gathering. Meanwhile, Macau’s Court of Final Appeal announced yesterday afternoon that for procedural reasons it would not rule on an appeal by New Macau Association (NMA) representatives Sulu Sou Ka Hou and Chan Lok Kei against a recent decision by the police to ban June 4 “meetings” the group had planned in four locations last night. Sou is a directly-elected lawmaker. Photo: Maria Cheang Ut Meng
