Police officers stand guard outside the police headquarters in Wan Chai on June 21, 2019. (ROY LIU / CHINA DAILY)

HONG KONG — The Appeal Board on Public Meetings and Processions on Wednesday upheld the police ban of a rally that had been planned for Friday, rejecting an appeal by the rally organizer.

Hong Kong police rejected the rally application on Friday, citing public health concerns in light of the coronavirus pandemic. The rally organizer, Hong Kong Confederation of Trade Unions, then filed an appeal against the ban.

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Cheung Chi-wai, superintendent of Hong Kong Island Regional Headquarters (Operations Wing), welcomed the Appeal Board’s decision.

Cheung said the rally would have been a high-risk event that would have increased participants’ risk of infection of COVID-19, and also would have been a serious threat to all residents’ lives and health.

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According to the event application, the organizer estimated that more than 3,000 demonstrators would have attended the rally.