Hong Kong police arrest 14 pro-democracy activists for organising protests

Hong Kong police arrested 14 people Saturday on suspicion of organizing and participating in an unauthorized assembly in 2019, when months of pro-democracy protests upended life in the city.
 

The police action was connected to unauthorized assemblies on Aug. 18, Oct. 1 and 20 in Hong Kong Island and Kowloon last year, Superintendent Lam Wing-ho said at a briefing on Saturday. The operation is ongoing and police do not rule further arrests, Lam said.
 

The arrested group comprises 12 men and two women aged between 24 and 81, according to the superintendent. Five are alleged to also have been involved in unauthorized marches on Sept. 30 and Oct. 19.
 

Hong Kong media tycoon and prominent democracy advocate Jimmy Lai, and former lawmakers Martin Lee, Albert Ho and Leung Kwok-hung, were among those held, the South China Morning Post reported earlier, citing unidentified legal sources. Lai was charged for unlawful assembly in February.

The city is experiencing a lull in protest activity as it battles the coronavirus outbreak. Chief Executive Carrie Lam and other pro-establishment figures have recently accused the opposition of endangering Hong Kong’s autonomy and livelihoods, echoing criticism from China.
 

The mainland’s Hong Kong and Macau Affairs Office, the top agency overseeing the financial hub, accused lawmakers of potentially violating their oaths by blocking action by the local legislature. Opposition lawmakers have prevented the body’s agenda-setting House Committee from electing a chairman since October, barring the panel from conducting business, it said.

“Some opposition lawmakers have resorted to sleazy tactics to paralyze the legislature for political gain at the expense of the public, which is tantamount to ‘political mutual destruction,’” the Hong Kong and Macau Affairs Office said.

“They could have violated their oath, which could mean misconduct in public office.