Hong Kong activists released ahead of new democracy march
Three protesters tell police to charge them or let them go, as a new rally takes shape next month
Three activists, including a student representative arrested during the Occupy protests, were released yesterday after they refused to renew their bail when reporting to police.
Their release came as another pro-democracy march is set to take place on February 1.
Federation of Students organiser Nathan Law Kwun-chung, Civic Party lawmaker Dr Kenneth Chan Ka-lok and former Democratic Party lawmaker Lee Wing-tat - all arrested during the protest - said the police should either prosecute them if they had enough evidence to do so, or else let them go.
More than 30 people, including Chan's wife and three daughters, turned up outside the Wan Chai police station with yellow umbrellas to support the trio.
Organisers have already met police over the large-scale protest slated for next month.
Daisy Chan Sin-ying, convenor of the Civil Human Rights Front - organiser of the annual July 1 march and the upcoming one - said she expected a "letter of no objection" from police by next week. "We have no plan to stay behind after the rally," Chan said, addressing concerns that it would turn into a second occupation. "So far, no other political group has told us about any plans to stay behind."