A subdued July 1 handover anniversary as heavy police presence seen on the streets

The streets of Hong Kong were subdued on July 1, 2021, as the former British colony marked the anniversary of its handover to Chinese sovereignty 24 years ago. The date, which this year coincided with celebrations on the mainland for the 100th anniversary of China’s ruling Communist Party, is usually a time of protest in Hong Kong. But this year, police cited pandemic concerns as they denied applications to hold a proposed march against “political suppression,” and some 10,000 officers were deployed across Hong Kong to prevent unauthorised protests.