TWENTY-TWO people appeared in Western Court yesterday hours after they were arrested during a protest in Central.
The prosecution alleged the defendants, including social workers, blocked traffic for half an hour yesterday by lying or sitting in the road outside the United States Consulate in Garden Road.
The defendants, whose ages range from 19 to 71, are each charged with one count of causing obstruction to traffic in Garden Road.
No pleas were taken. Magistrate Mary Yuen adjourned the case until December 29 for legal advice and to consider additional charges.
Defence solicitor Daniel Wong Kwok-tung said the defendants had planned to hold a peaceful assembly outside the Buildings Department against the Government's decision to demolish roof-top settlements at the Cheuk Ming Building, Tsuen Wan Market Street.
The lawyer said the police arrested them without warning, otherwise they would have dispersed.