Blanket of security planned for state funeral of Tung Chee-hwa in Hong Kong
Hong Kong police will establish a high level of security for this weekend’s state funeral of the city’s first chief executive, Tung Chee-hwa, including guarding the three top Beijing officials attending the event, the South China Morning Post has learned. However, the original public memorial service will instead be limited to invitation-only due to venue constraints, the Office of Former Chief…
Hong Kong police are planning a high level of security for the state funeral of the city's first chief executive, Tung Chee-hwa, this weekend. The security measures will include guarding the three top Beijing officials attending the event, with a command center set up at the police headquarters in Wan Chai. Officers will be stationed at every road junction and on every flyover on the route from the Hong Kong Funeral Home to the Cape Collinson Crematorium.
A vigil will be held at the funeral home and a memorial service will start the following day. Tung, who passed away at age 89, was accorded a state funeral due to his service as a deputy national-level leader and contributions to the "one country, two systems" governing framework. The three Beijing officials attending are Shi Taifeng, Wang Dongfeng, and Xia Baolong.
The VIP Protection Unit will assist in guarding the visiting officials, while the Airport Security Unit will ensure safety. The security measures are described as unprecedented, with no previous funeral for a former chief executive held in Hong Kong. Checks for suspicious items and bombs will be conducted at the funeral home, and special traffic arrangements are expected.
This weekend's event is the third state funeral since Hong Kong's handover from British rule in 1997, following industrialist Ann Tse-kai and tycoon Henry Fok Ying-tung.
Written by urgent.news from South China Morning Post - Hong Kong's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.