The Angels can dance again A court of appeal has backed gay rights activists’ right to dance during a gay rally in Hong Kong in 2011, after they were banned from doing so by police. The Dancing Angels were halted in their movements in the busy commercial district of Causeway Bay on the International Day Against Homophobia and Transphobia (IDAHO). Police claimed they didn’t have the required permit for the performance, despite being granted permission for the demonstration. The Court of Appeal clarified that one is required to obtain a licence only if one has control over audience admission, the South China Morning Post reports. Lawyer Michael Vidler says the court's decision will prevent the police misusing their power to stop people from demonstrating and that their victory was not only relevant to the lgbt community but to all Hong Kong citizens seeking the right to demonstrate. “The reason why the police had fought to do this is because they had been trying to use a piece of subsidiary legislation to extend their powers to control demonstrations.”
Credit: GayNZ.com Daily News staff
First published: Monday, 13th January 2014 - 9:26am