Democracy protesters arrested at Chater Road sit-in will refuse to renew their bail

Eighteen people arrested during a sit-in on Chater Road on July 2 - including a lawmaker - will refuse to renew their bail today and tomorrow.

They are calling on police to prosecute them or let them go.

"We will refuse to renew bail as we believe our act on July 2 was civil disobedience," Federation of Students secretary general Alex Chow Yong-kang said at a press conference yesterday. "If police have enough evidence, either they should prosecute us now or release us unconditionally. We are ready to admit our guilt and accept the relevant penalty."

Others refusing bail include Labour Party lawmaker Lee Cheuk-yan and two Democratic Party district councillors.

The overnight protest, billed as a "rehearsal" for Occupy Central's planned blocking of the business district, followed the July 1 pro-democracy march.

Chow was one of 511 people arrested for taking part and organising an unlawful assembly, at which they called for genuine universal suffrage for the 2017 chief executive election.

Of those arrested, 25 were released on bail - with 18 now refusing to renew it. They are due to report to police today and tomorrow. The rest received warnings.