Gay Harmony cancels Pride Month bazaar due to lack of government license

LGBTQ group Gay Harmony (大同) has cancelled a Pride Month bazaar after the authorities said the group lacked the license to host the event.

Originally scheduled for tomorrow (29 June), the bazaar was set to take place at iSQUARE, a shopping mall in Tsim Sha Tsui. 

According to its statement on Instagram and Facebook, Gay Harmony said it was notified by the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department (FEHD) that the bazaar could not be held as it did not possess related licenses.

“The event will be cancelled. And we cannot tell if we are looking for new venues or rearranging the event,” the statement reads. 

The group said it had not applied for a license for similar events held in the past 15 years. “While we have planned to apply for the license after FEHD informed us, the department contacted the venue operator directly and told them not to lease the venue to us.”

Gay Harmony has apologised for the inconvenience caused and it will inform participants and organisations of any updates.

Gay Harmony’s Instagram post has received over 430 likes and 30 comments, a check by MARKETING-INTERACTIVE saw. While some netizens expressed empathy, others voiced sadness over the bazaar's cancellation.

In its previous Instagram post, Gay Harmony said the bazaar would feature various booths, including vendors selling new and vintage luxury goods, undergarments, and socks. It has also planned to present an exhibition showcasing milestones in the protection of same-sex marriage rights in different countries and regions.

The FEHD told local media outlets such as HK01 and Channel C that it had not received any application for a temporary place of public entertainment license for the relevant event. Therefore, it contacted the organiser to inquire about the nature of the activity and reminded them of the related legal requirements.

The FEHD added that operating or using any premises as a place of public entertainment without a license is illegal, and the maximum penalty is a fine of HK$25,000 and imprisonment for six months. There will also be a daily fine of HK$2,000.

According to HK01, the director of Gay Harmony said in a media interview that the organisation had been in communication with the police, and the police did not express any concerns about its Pride Month bazaar event.

Gay Harmony has been holding the annual LGBTQ+ Pride Month bazaar since 2021. The event was previously held at iSQUARE in the past two years.

MARKETING-INTERACTIVE has reached out to FEHD for a statement. 

Photo courtesy: Gay Harmony's official Facebook page

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