### Public Order Ordinance 《公安條例》

17. Police powers over meetings, processions and gatherings
(1) Any police officer may prevent the holding of, stop or disperse—
(a) any public meeting which takes place in contravention of section 7 or in regard to which any requirement, or any condition imposed, under section 11 is being or has been contravened; 
(b) any public procession which takes place in contravention of section 13 or in regard to which any requirement, or any condition imposed, under section 15 is being or has been contravened. (Amended 77 of 1995 s. 8)
(2) Any police officer of or above the rank of inspector may—
(a) prevent the holding of, stop, disperse or vary the place or route of any public gathering, other than a public gathering exclusively for religious purposes, whether or not the public gathering is one to which section 7 or 13 applies; or
(b) stop or disperse any public gathering exclusively for religious purpose or any meeting convened or held in any premises or place which is not a public place or any gathering or procession whatsoever or wheresoever,

if he reasonably believes that the same is likely to cause or lead to a breach of the peace.
(3) For the purpose of exercising the powers conferred by subsections (1) and (2), respectively, a police officer and a police officer of or above the rank of inspector may give or issue such orders as he may consider necessary or expedient, and such police officer and any other police officer may—
(a) use such force as may be reasonably necessary to prevent the holding of, stop or disperse, as the case may be, the public meeting, public procession, public gathering or other meeting, gathering or procession; and
(b) enter any premises or place whatsoever in which any meeting is taking place or any persons are gathered.
(4) If a police officer of or above the rank of inspector has reason to believe that a public meeting or public procession is likely to take place or form in any public place in contravention of section 7 or 13, he may cause access to that public place and to any other public place adjacent thereto to be barred and to be closed to the public or to any person or class of persons for such time as may be necessary to prevent the public meeting or public procession taking place.
(5) The closure of any public place under subsection (4) shall be notified by means of notices exhibited, or physical barriers erected, at the places of access thereto, or by oral public announcement in the vicinity thereof, or in such other manner as the police officer aforesaid may think fit.
(6) Any police officer may use such force as may be reasonably necessary to prevent any person from entering or remaining in any public place to which access has been closed to him under this section.

### Public Order Ordinance 《公安條例》

17B. Disorder in public places
(1) Any person who at any public gathering acts in a disorderly manner for the purpose of preventing the transaction of the business for which the public gathering was called together or incites others so to act shall be guilty of an offence and shall be liable on conviction to a fine at level 2 and to imprisonment for 12 months.
(2) Any person who in any public place behaves in a noisy or disorderly manner, or uses, or distributes or displays any writing containing, threatening, abusive or insulting words, with intent to provoke a breach of the peace, or whereby a breach of the peace is likely to be caused, shall be guilty of an offence and shall be liable on conviction to a fine at level 2 and to imprisonment for 12 months.
(Amended E.R. 1 of 2013)

17C. Prohibition of offensive weapons at public meetings and processions
(1) Any person who, while present at any public meeting or on the occasion of any public procession, has with him any offensive weapon, without lawful authority or reasonable excuse, shall be guilty of an offence and shall be liable on conviction to a fine at level 2 and to imprisonment for 2 years.
(2) For the purposes of this section, a person shall not be deemed to be acting in pursuance of lawful authority unless he is on duty as—
(a) a police officer;
(b) a member of the Hong Kong Auxiliary Police Force when the Force or the part of the Force to which such member belongs, or such member, has been called out under section 16(1) or (2) of the Hong Kong Auxiliary Police Force Ordinance (Cap. 233); (Amended L.N. 362 of 1997; 76 of 1999 s. 3)
(c) a member of the Fire Services Department;
(d) a public officer;
(e) a member of the Chinese People’s Liberation Army; (Amended 2 of 2012 s. 3)
(f) (Repealed 20 of 1997 s. 25)
(g) a member of the Government Flying Service; or (Replaced 54 of 1992 s. 19)
(h) an officer of the Independent Commission Against Corruption established under the Independent Commission Against Corruption Ordinance (Cap. 204).
(3) Where any person is convicted of an offence under subsection (1), the court may make an order for the forfeiture of any offensive weapon in respect of which the offence was committed.
(Amended E.R. 1 of 2013)

### Public Order Ordinance 《公安條例》

17E. Power of Chief Executive in Council to prohibit public gatherings
(1) The Chief Executive in Council may, if he is satisfied that, by reason of particular circumstances existing in Hong Kong or in any part thereof, it is necessary for the prevention of serious public disorder to prohibit the holding of public gatherings in Hong Kong or any part thereof, prohibit the holding in Hong Kong or any part thereof of all public gatherings, or of any class of public gatherings, for such period not exceeding 3 months as may be specified. (Amended 13 of 1999 s. 3)
(2) Any person who—
(a) takes part in the promotion, direction, organization or management of a public gathering which is held or intended to be held in contravention of a prohibition under this section; or
(b) takes part in or attends, or incites any other person to take part in or attend, any such public gathering,

shall be guilty of an offence and shall be liable on conviction to a fine at level 2 and to imprisonment for 3 years.
(Amended E.R. 1 of 2013)

17F. Proof
A certificate purporting to be under the hand of the Commissioner of Police specifying—
(a) the terms and date of any order given under section 6 or prohibition under section 9 or an objection given under section 14; (Amended 119 of 1997 s. 11)
(b) any conditions imposed under section 11(2) or 15(2),
(c)-(e)  (Repealed 77 of 1995 s. 11)shall be prima facie evidence of such matter contained in such certificate in all legal proceedings.
(Amended 77 of 1995 s. 11; E.R. 1 of 2013)

17G. Supplemental
This Part shall be construed as being in addition to and not in derogation of the provisions of any Ordinance, and nothing in this Part relating to any matter shall affect the liability of any person to comply with any provision of any Ordinance in respect of the same matter.