UPDATED
Hundreds arrested as Hong Kong police swoop on protests over postponed pollIssued on: 06/09/2020
Riot police carry away a man to detain him during a demonstration opposing postponed elections, in Hong Kong, China September 6, 2020. REUTERS - TYRONE SIU
Text by:NEWS WIRES
Nearly 300 people were arrested by Hong Kong police on Sunday as riot officers swooped on democracy protesters opposed to the postponement of local elections
Sunday was meant to be voting day for the city's partially elected legislature, one of the few instances where Hong Kongers get to cast ballots.
But the city's pro-Beijing leader Carrie Lam suspended the polls for a year -- citing the coronavirus -- angering the pro-democracy opposition who had been hoping to capitalise on seething anti-government sentiment.
Hundreds of riot police flooded the district of Kowloon in a bid to thwart online calls for flash mob protests to mark the suspended vote.
Throughout the afternoon officers were heckled by people shouting slogans such as "Give me back my vote!" and "Corrupt cops!" as officers conducted multiple stop and searches and ordered crowds to disperse.
In a Facebook statement, police said at least 289 people were arrested, mostly for unlawful assembly.
One woman was detained under a new security law Beijing imposed on the city for chanting independence slogans, the force added.
Live images showed three prominent pro-democracy politicians -- Leung Kwok-hung, Figo Chan and Raphael Wong -- were among those held.
The protests came hours after the police's newly formed national security unit arrested Tam Tak-chi, another democracy activist and radio DJ, for "uttering seditious words" -- a colonial-era offence.
Tam is the latest in a long line of government critics to find themselves facing prosecution in recent months for their involvement in protests.
When they announced the arrest on Sunday morning, police did not explain what Tam may have said that was considered seditious.
Beijing's Liaison Office in Hong Kong called the protest organisers "heartless", with a spokesperson adding: "there is zero tolerance for any act that violates the national security law".
The office also vowed that "we will absolutely not allow Hong Kong to be chaotic again".
The territory's government condemned the protesters' "unlawful and selfish acts" in a statement issued on Sunday evening.
"The first priority for Hong Kong currently is to unite as one and fight the virus together with concentrated resources," a government spokesperson said.
Beijing has initiated a widespread crackdown against its critics in Hong Kong after the financial hub was rocked by seven straight months of huge and often violent pro-democracy protests last year.
Rallies have been all but outlawed this year with authorities citing both security concerns and wielding emergency anti-coronavirus laws to ban public gatherings.
In late June, Beijing also imposed its new security law, which bans anything authorities perceive to be secession, subversion, terrorism and collusion with foreign forces.
At least 22 people have been arrested under the new law since it came into effect, sending a chill through the city.
On Friday, UN rights experts warned the broadly worded provisions in the legislation posed a serious threat to political freedoms and the right to protest.
Under a deal agreed with Britain ahead of the 1997 handover, authoritarian China agreed to let Hong Kong keep certain liberties and autonomy for 50 years.
Critics say that deal has been demolished by the security law and the increasingly intense crackdown on the city's democracy supporters.
Beijing denies freedoms are being eroded and portrays the anti-government protests as a western-backed plot to destabalise the mainland.
(AFP)
Nearly 300 people were arrested by Hong Kong police on Sunday as riot officers swooped on democracy protesters opposed to the postponement of local elections
Sunday was meant to be voting day for the city's partially elected legislature, one of the few instances where Hong Kongers get to cast ballots.
But the city's pro-Beijing leader Carrie Lam suspended the polls for a year -- citing the coronavirus -- angering the pro-democracy opposition who had been hoping to capitalise on seething anti-government sentiment.
Hundreds of riot police flooded the district of Kowloon in a bid to thwart online calls for flash mob protests to mark the suspended vote.
Throughout the afternoon officers were heckled by people shouting slogans such as "Give me back my vote!" and "Corrupt cops!" as officers conducted multiple stop and searches and ordered crowds to disperse.
In a Facebook statement, police said at least 289 people were arrested, mostly for unlawful assembly.
One woman was detained under a new security law Beijing imposed on the city for chanting independence slogans, the force added.
Live images showed three prominent pro-democracy politicians -- Leung Kwok-hung, Figo Chan and Raphael Wong -- were among those held.
The protests came hours after the police's newly formed national security unit arrested Tam Tak-chi, another democracy activist and radio DJ, for "uttering seditious words" -- a colonial-era offence.
Tam is the latest in a long line of government critics to find themselves facing prosecution in recent months for their involvement in protests.
When they announced the arrest on Sunday morning, police did not explain what Tam may have said that was considered seditious.
Beijing's Liaison Office in Hong Kong called the protest organisers "heartless", with a spokesperson adding: "there is zero tolerance for any act that violates the national security law".
The office also vowed that "we will absolutely not allow Hong Kong to be chaotic again".
The territory's government condemned the protesters' "unlawful and selfish acts" in a statement issued on Sunday evening.
"The first priority for Hong Kong currently is to unite as one and fight the virus together with concentrated resources," a government spokesperson said.
Beijing has initiated a widespread crackdown against its critics in Hong Kong after the financial hub was rocked by seven straight months of huge and often violent pro-democracy protests last year.
Rallies have been all but outlawed this year with authorities citing both security concerns and wielding emergency anti-coronavirus laws to ban public gatherings.
In late June, Beijing also imposed its new security law, which bans anything authorities perceive to be secession, subversion, terrorism and collusion with foreign forces.
At least 22 people have been arrested under the new law since it came into effect, sending a chill through the city.
On Friday, UN rights experts warned the broadly worded provisions in the legislation posed a serious threat to political freedoms and the right to protest.
Under a deal agreed with Britain ahead of the 1997 handover, authoritarian China agreed to let Hong Kong keep certain liberties and autonomy for 50 years.
Critics say that deal has been demolished by the security law and the increasingly intense crackdown on the city's democracy supporters.
Beijing denies freedoms are being eroded and portrays the anti-government protests as a western-backed plot to destabalise the mainland.
(AFP)
Hong Kong police arrest 289 at protests over election delay
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People, sitting on the ground, are arrested by police officers at a downtown street in Hong Kong Sunday, Sept. 6, 2020. About 30 people were arrested Sunday at protests against the government's decision to postpone elections for Hong Kong's legislature, police and a news report said. (AP Photo/Vincent Yu)
1 of 8
People, sitting on the ground, are arrested by police officers at a downtown street in Hong Kong Sunday, Sept. 6, 2020. About 30 people were arrested Sunday at protests against the government's decision to postpone elections for Hong Kong's legislature, police and a news report said. (AP Photo/Vincent Yu)
HONG KONG (AP) — About 290 people were arrested Sunday at protests against the government’s decision to postpone elections for Hong Kong’s legislature, police said.
The elections were to have taken place Sunday but Chief Executive Carrie Lam on July 31 postponed them for one year. Lam blamed an upsurge in coronavirus cases, but critics said her government worried the opposition would gain seats if voting went ahead on schedule.
Police said that 289 people had been arrested, mostly for unlawful assembly. One woman was arrested in the Kowloon district of Yau Ma Tei on charges of assault and spreading pro-independence slogans, the police department said on its Facebook page. It said such slogans are illegal under a newly enacted national security law.
Anti-government protests erupted last year over a proposed extradition law and spread to include demands for greater democracy and criticism of Beijing’s efforts to tighten control over the former British colony. The coronavirus and the tough new security law have diminished the demonstrations this year, but smaller groups still take to the streets from time to time.
The ruling Communist Party’s decision to impose the law in May prompted complaints it was violating the autonomy promised to the territory when it was returned to China in 1997. Washington withdrew trading privileges granted to Hong Kong and other governments suspended extradition and other agreements on the grounds that the territory of 7 million people is no longer autonomous.
Also Sunday, police fired pepper balls at protesters in Kowloon’s Mongkok neighborhood, the South China Morning Post newspaper reported.
In the nearby Jordan neighborhood, protesters raised a banner criticizing the election delay, the Post said.
“I want my right to vote!” activist Leung Kwok-hung, popularly known as Long Hair, was quoted as saying. The newspaper said Leung was later arrested.
The elections were to have taken place Sunday but Chief Executive Carrie Lam on July 31 postponed them for one year. Lam blamed an upsurge in coronavirus cases, but critics said her government worried the opposition would gain seats if voting went ahead on schedule.
Police said that 289 people had been arrested, mostly for unlawful assembly. One woman was arrested in the Kowloon district of Yau Ma Tei on charges of assault and spreading pro-independence slogans, the police department said on its Facebook page. It said such slogans are illegal under a newly enacted national security law.
Anti-government protests erupted last year over a proposed extradition law and spread to include demands for greater democracy and criticism of Beijing’s efforts to tighten control over the former British colony. The coronavirus and the tough new security law have diminished the demonstrations this year, but smaller groups still take to the streets from time to time.
The ruling Communist Party’s decision to impose the law in May prompted complaints it was violating the autonomy promised to the territory when it was returned to China in 1997. Washington withdrew trading privileges granted to Hong Kong and other governments suspended extradition and other agreements on the grounds that the territory of 7 million people is no longer autonomous.
Also Sunday, police fired pepper balls at protesters in Kowloon’s Mongkok neighborhood, the South China Morning Post newspaper reported.
In the nearby Jordan neighborhood, protesters raised a banner criticizing the election delay, the Post said.
“I want my right to vote!” activist Leung Kwok-hung, popularly known as Long Hair, was quoted as saying. The newspaper said Leung was later arrested.
Hundreds arrested at protests in Hong Kong to mark postponed election
2020/9/6
©Deutsche Presse-Agentur GmbH
Anti-government protest in Hong Kong - A protester takes part in an anti government protest after the government delayed a Legislative Council election for one year citing the coronavirus (COVID-19). - Jayne Russell/ZUMA Wire/dpa
Hundreds of people were arrested in Hong Kong during a protest against the new national security law, as citizens demanded the right to vote on the day the 2020 Legislative Council elections were originally due to take place.
Police said they had made 289 arrests by 9 pm (1300 GMT), of which 270 were for illegal assembly.
At least two prominent activists, Figo Chan of the group Civil Human Rights Front and veteran legislator and democracy activist Leung Kwok-hung, known as "Long Hair," were among those arrested.
Videos posted on Twitter showed clusters of protesters being apprehended by police, with one group of young men being pepper sprayed.
Elsewhere, a riot police officer could be seen haphazardly firing pepper balls at the ground, while a colleague attempted to hold him back by the arm.
Protestors gathered, shouting, "Five demands, not one less," and called for Beijing to release 12 activists who were recently detained in China after they were caught trying to flee by boat to Taiwan.
According to local media group iCable, a bus driver was detained for "careless driving." Roads were blocked, congested and overrun with chaos from the sheer number of protesters and police on the street, which caused major traffic congestion.
Video footage posted by Hong Kong University of Science and Technology Radio on Twitter showed a 12-year-old girl trying to run away from riot police, only to be tackled to the ground by five officers.
In response to the incident, police issued a statement which said the girl was apprehended as she fled and was being treated with suspicion. The police said they used minimal force but video footage appears to show an officer charging into her, bringing her crashing to the ground.
Police then expressed concern about the participation of "underage girls in prohibited groups" and urged minors to stay away, in a post on their Facebook page.
Police said protesters chanting slogans constituted breaches of the public order ordinance and a disease control regulation.
Over the course of the day, officials raised a blue warning flag and purple national security violation flag for those chanting banned slogans and refusing to move.
They also used pepper balls which are fired by guns and break open releasing an iritant into the air, and pepper spray, which causes temporary blindness, massive irritation and makes breathing difficult.
Earlier this year, Chief Executive Carrie Lam triggered emergency powers to postpone the 2020 Legislative Council elections vote until 2021, citing a surge in Covid-19 cases.
Hong Kong has recorded 4,879 cases of the novel virus, with 94 deaths.
Ahead of the protests, officials had warned that they would deploy large numbers of riot police around the city.
Tempers have been running high since the authorities added the national security law into an annex of the city's mini-constitution, the basic law, in June.
Protests like Sunday's have not been seen since the introduction of the new law, which critics say has severely impinged on the rights and freedoms of those living in the city.
Lam has ignored requests to scrap the new law and to let the elections go ahead.
2020/9/6
©Deutsche Presse-Agentur GmbH
Anti-government protest in Hong Kong - A protester takes part in an anti government protest after the government delayed a Legislative Council election for one year citing the coronavirus (COVID-19). - Jayne Russell/ZUMA Wire/dpaHundreds of people were arrested in Hong Kong during a protest against the new national security law, as citizens demanded the right to vote on the day the 2020 Legislative Council elections were originally due to take place.
Police said they had made 289 arrests by 9 pm (1300 GMT), of which 270 were for illegal assembly.
At least two prominent activists, Figo Chan of the group Civil Human Rights Front and veteran legislator and democracy activist Leung Kwok-hung, known as "Long Hair," were among those arrested.
Videos posted on Twitter showed clusters of protesters being apprehended by police, with one group of young men being pepper sprayed.
Elsewhere, a riot police officer could be seen haphazardly firing pepper balls at the ground, while a colleague attempted to hold him back by the arm.
Protestors gathered, shouting, "Five demands, not one less," and called for Beijing to release 12 activists who were recently detained in China after they were caught trying to flee by boat to Taiwan.
According to local media group iCable, a bus driver was detained for "careless driving." Roads were blocked, congested and overrun with chaos from the sheer number of protesters and police on the street, which caused major traffic congestion.
Video footage posted by Hong Kong University of Science and Technology Radio on Twitter showed a 12-year-old girl trying to run away from riot police, only to be tackled to the ground by five officers.
In response to the incident, police issued a statement which said the girl was apprehended as she fled and was being treated with suspicion. The police said they used minimal force but video footage appears to show an officer charging into her, bringing her crashing to the ground.
Police then expressed concern about the participation of "underage girls in prohibited groups" and urged minors to stay away, in a post on their Facebook page.
Police said protesters chanting slogans constituted breaches of the public order ordinance and a disease control regulation.
Over the course of the day, officials raised a blue warning flag and purple national security violation flag for those chanting banned slogans and refusing to move.
They also used pepper balls which are fired by guns and break open releasing an iritant into the air, and pepper spray, which causes temporary blindness, massive irritation and makes breathing difficult.
Earlier this year, Chief Executive Carrie Lam triggered emergency powers to postpone the 2020 Legislative Council elections vote until 2021, citing a surge in Covid-19 cases.
Hong Kong has recorded 4,879 cases of the novel virus, with 94 deaths.
Ahead of the protests, officials had warned that they would deploy large numbers of riot police around the city.
Tempers have been running high since the authorities added the national security law into an annex of the city's mini-constitution, the basic law, in June.
Protests like Sunday's have not been seen since the introduction of the new law, which critics say has severely impinged on the rights and freedoms of those living in the city.
Lam has ignored requests to scrap the new law and to let the elections go ahead.
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