Hong Kong protests: police arrest student leaders over promotion of unauthorised gatherings for June 12 anniversary

Police have arrested two student leaders on suspicion of promoting and inciting others to take part in unauthorised events marking Hong Kong’s second anniversary of the 2019 anti-government protests.

Opposition activists Wong Yat-chin, 20, and Wong Yuen-lam, 19, the convenor and spokeswoman respectively for Student Politicism, were detained on Friday and accused of inciting others to join unlawful assemblies, as well as advertising or publicising illegal gatherings, according to a police source.

Superintendent Wilson Tam Wai-shun, of the Cyber Security and Technology Crime Bureau, said on Friday evening that the pair, who were arrested in Tung Chung and Lai Chi Kok, had allegedly posted messages on various platforms to invite other people to go to gatherings at Mong Kok and Causeway Bay on Saturday to mark the second anniversary of the protests.

Tam said the duo had also incited others to use violence in their protests, including throwing petrol bombs. He added that officers were investigating and further arrests were possible.

“Police so far have not received any applications for assemblies or processions for Saturday, but it was very irresponsible that the arrested had advertised or publicised an unauthorised event, or made participants criminally liable,” Tam said.

Covid-19 rules outlaw the gathering in public of groups of more than four people.

Student Politicism on Wednesday posted a message on its social media account urging people to “please let us gather ‘like water’ again in Mong Kok, a place that is filled with blood, sweat and courage”.

The group said while its street booths would operate from 7pm that night, full details of their arrangements would not be announced.