Hong Kong police have arrested eight people – including two district councillors – in connection with a peaceful pro-democracy demonstration last month on the Chinese University campus, according to local media citing anonymous sources.
Among those arrested was graduate and community organiser Arthur Yeung. Yeung was taken into custody by police at 7 am, according to a post on his Facebook page.
TVB cited an anonymous source saying that pro-democracy district councillor for Kwun Tong Eason Chan – another graduate – was also among those detained. Sai Kung District Councillor and CUHK alumnus Isaac Lee was also arrested, HK01 reported.
Around 100 students held a protest march during their graduation day on November 19 after their ceremony was cancelled owing to Covid-19 social distancing rules.
They displayed flags that read “Hong Kong, the only way out” and “Liberate Hong Kong, the revolution of our times,” sprayed graffiti of the slogans and sang the protest anthem Glory to Hong Kong. They marched peacefully from the local train station to the “Million Boulevard” walkway.
Around 40 officers from Hong Kong’s national security police department entered the campus to investigate after some of the slogans were deemed to be pro-independence.
The government, at the time, said that police “severely condemn the blatant violation of the National Security Law and criminal damage at the campus. Meanwhile, Beijing’s Liaison Office also condemned graduates who participated in the rally for “promoting” independence and blatantly “tearing society apart.” The spokesperson also slammed the graduates as being brutal and tainting the campus with their graffiti: “We firmly support the special administrative region’s national security bodies to enforce the law resolutely and speedily handle the case in accordance with law.”
Yeung is a graduate from a master’s programme in urban planning. He ran in the district council elections last November for a seat in the Wan Chai district, but but ultimately lost the race to an establishment candidate.
HKFP has reached out to the police for comment.
Support HKFP | Policies & Ethics | Error/typo? | Contact Us | Newsletter | Transparency & Annual Report | Apps
Help safeguard press freedom & keep HKFP free for all readers by supporting our team
