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 Executives announced on Thursday.

A command centre would be set up at the police headquarters in Wan Chai, and officers would be stationed at “every road junction and on every flyover” on the route taking the hearse carrying Tung’s body from the Hong Kong Funeral Home in North Point to the Cape Collinson Crematorium in Chai Wan, sources said.

A vigil will be held from 3pm to 10pm on Saturday at the funeral home and a memorial service will start at 9am on Sunday.