Hong Kong protests: three arrested over July 1 storming of Legislative Council, according to reports, in police swoop of high-profile activists ahead of National Day
- TV actor and activist among those said to be arrested in early morning police operation
- All three held on suspicion of conspiracy to commit criminal damage and entering Legco’s chamber in relation to July 1 incident, reports say
Hong Kong police targeted high-profile figures of the protest movement ahead of National Day, reportedly arresting three people on Monday in connection with the storming of the city’s legislature in July.
Television and film actor Gregory Wong Chung-yiu and pro-democracy activist Ventus Lau Wing-hong were taken to police stations after officers visited their homes in an early morning swoop, according to those close to them.
Passion Times, a news site run by the localist party Civic Passion, also said one of its reporters had been arrested.
Sixtus Baggio Leung Chung-hang, convenor of pro-independence group Hong Kong National Front, said at least 10 others were arrested on Monday.
Leung said they included two administrators of some groups on Telegram, a messaging application used by protesters.
The apparent arrests relate to a watershed episode in the anti-government protests, when demonstrators splintered off from a peaceful march on July 1 to break into the unguarded Legislative Council and vandalise the complex in Admiralty.
They were arrested after 157 people were caught at anti-government protests over the weekend – 11 were arrested on Saturday for offences including criminal damage and common assault, while 146 were arrested on Sunday for unlawful assembly, possession of offensive weapons and disorderly conduct in a public place, among other offences.
The police said 67 of the 157 arrested people were students, eight of whom were just aged between 12 and 15 years.
“We are very worried about the trend of more youngsters committing crimes. This will have a detrimental impact on their future,” Chief superintendent John Tse Chun-chung of the force’s public relations branch said.
On Monday’s arrests, pro-democracy group Demosisto said police arrived at Wong’s home at around 7am and he was taken to Wan Chai police headquarters.
The group’s former chairman, Nathan Law Kwun-chung, said Wong was arrested on suspicion of conspiracy to commit criminal damage and entering Legco’s chamber, in violation of the Legislative Council (Powers and Privileges) Ordinance.
Wong is a vocal supporter of Hong Kong’s pro-democracy movement and was seen on a number of authorised protests in the past few months, including on July 1.
He is known for roles such as a campaign officer in TV drama The Election, which aired in 2014.
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“The case is related to the July 1 Legislative Council incident,” Law said, adding that legal support had been sent.
An estimated 550,000 people marched on July 1, a date marking Hong Kong’s return to Chinese rule in 1997.
Pro-democracy activist Lau was also taken from his home to Castle Peak Police Station at around 6am on Monday.
According to activist Emilia Wong, Lau’s arrest was also related to the July 1 protest.
Lau, widely known as a localist, was held on suspicion of conspiracy to commit criminal damage and entering Legco’s chamber, Emilia Wong said.
Young protesters storm and deface Legco as anarchy engulfs Admiralty
Passion Times said its reporter Ma Kai-chung was arrested on suspicion of the same offences.
The news site, which slammed police for rousing “white terror” and accused it of damaging press freedom, said Ma was covering developments inside Legco and had his press card with him.
Lau was also arrested earlier on suspicion of illegal assembly relating to a protest he had helped to organise in Kwun Tong last month, although no charge has been laid.
The Post has approached police to confirm the arrests.
Police battle protesters as they set streets ablaze in central Hong Kong
On August 30, police arrested prominent pro-democracy activists, including Demosisto’s Joshua Wong Chi-fung and Agnes Chow Ting, as well as three lawmakers – Jeremy Tam Man-ho, Cheng Chung-tai and Au Nok-hin.
‘Three arrested’ ahead of National Day over storming of Hong Kong’s legislature
The arrests came a day before the front’s protest on August 31, but police denied they were related.
