A rioter starts a fire on a Hong Kong street corner. Photo: Cui Meng/ GT

Under the National Security Law, the reckless moves of rioters in Hong Kong won't be tolerated, the Liaison Office of the Central People's Government in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) said in an official statement on Tuesday, serving as a warning to some rioters who had been planning for massive illegal protests and subsequent rampage throughout the city on China's National Day on Thursday. 

By spreading destructive rumors, some ill-intentioned people had been actively planning illegal protests to resume their "black terror" during the upcoming Mid-Autumn Festival and National Day holiday period. A spokesperson of the office offered a stern warning to the rioters: under the recently enacted national security law for Hong Kong region, any reckless moves by rioters in Hong Kong won't be tolerated. "We will firmly support the HKSAR government and Hong Kong police to enforce the law," the spokesperson said. 

The rumors seem to have been spread following the arrest of 12 Hong Kong residents who had been put into criminal detention for illegally entering the mainland waters. The spokesperson also noted that after a thorough investigation, the criminal facts of those people involved have been ascertained and the judicial authorities in the Chinese mainland are approving their arrest in line with the law. "It is common knowledge that those who violate the law must be punished by law," the spokesperson said. 

However, some ill-intentioned people in Hong Kong hyped up the situation by spreading rumors about Hong Kong's so-called "collusion with the mainland" with the aim of justifying the group's criminal behavior. They also foolishly requested that those 12 suspects who illegally crossed the border area should be released despite their disregard for the law. 

"A small number of radical protesters even planned rampage and violent attacks on police officers, instigating the purchase of firearms, bows and arrows, and other lethal weapons to attack law enforcement and police officers while publicly instigating subversion, which are all blatant provocations under the national security law as well as local law," the spokesperson said. 

The anti-government group Civil Human Rights Front had applied for permission to hold a protest; however, their request was later rejected as COVID-19 has not been fully controlled in Hong Kong. Upon assessing the risks of possible illegal gatherings this Thursday, the Hong Kong Police Force confirmed with the Global Times that it would deploy at least 6,000 officers to handle the potential chaos.