Police arrest nine pro-democracy activists in Hong Kong
NAN-F-23
Arrest
Hong Kong, April 27, 2017 (dpa/NAN) The Police on Thursday arrested nine members of Hong Kong’s pro-democracy movement, including two activists, Derek Lam and Ivan Lam, members of the political party Demosisto, a leading activist, Joshua Wong, said.
Wong said the two were charged with illegal assembly and causing disorder in public spaces.
“We believe the arrest was made regarding their participation in the demonstration against the interpretation of the Basic Law near Central Liaison Office on Nov. 6, 2016.
“Seven others were also arrested, details were not immediately available,” he said.
In November, hundreds of people took part in a pre-emptive protest opposing Beijing’s re-interpretation of the city’s mini-constitution.
The episode later saw two young elected lawmakers barred from joining the city’s legislature for refusing to swear allegiance to China in their oaths.
The two previously disqualified lawmakers, Sixtus Chung-hang and Yau Wai-ching, were arrested on Wednesday, according to Demosisto.
The two advocates of Hong Kong’s independence from China were charged with unlawful assembly.
They were charged with attempted forceful entry by trying to attend a legislative council meeting from which they had been barred in 2016.
Three of the lawmakers’ assistants also were arrested, according to the South China Morning Post.
Nine pro-democracy activists were arrested last month in connection with their roles in the 2014 Umbrella Revolution protests in Hong Kong. (dpa/NAN)
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Edited by Celine-Damilola Oyewole/Abdullahi Yusuf