Police arrested two men, including one reporter, near Prince Edward MTR station on Tuesday evening, the second anniversary of a controversial incident where baton-wielding police stormed the station after hours of protest clashes during the 2019 pro-democracy demonstrations.
The two men, one 34-year-old and one 50-year-old both surnamed Leung, were arrested for separate instances of disorderly conduct.
The 34-year-old Mr Leung was a reporter for the local online news outlet Egg Egg Club, a police spokesperson told HKFP, while the other man was detained on suspicion of “verbally criticising” an officer after he was stopped and searched for not properly wearing a face mask under Covid-19 regulations.
Both men have been detained for investigation.
Tuesday night saw a heavy police presence around the station exit as officers broadcast warnings to the public not to gather, Some members of the public carried on the tradition of laying white flowers at the site to mark the incident, StandNews reported.
Others people were spotted in the area carrying yellow umbrellas and wearing yellow face masks, symbols of the now-flagging pro-democracy movement.
The force also issued at least 11 fixed penalty fines for breaches of Covid-19 mask-wearing regulations on Tuesday. Officers were also seen clearing away flowers laid in the station’s vicinity.
On August 31, 2019, baton-wielding police stormed the station and indiscriminately beat and pepper-sprayed people inside train carriages. Officers were also filmed driving away reporters and medics from the station. Discrepancies in official records of injuries, the closure of the station, and a delay in releasing station CCTV footage of the night fuelled unverified rumours of civilian deaths.
Int’l solidarity events
Hong Kong activists in self-exile abroad also held rallies to remember the incident, as the number of Hongkongers moving to the UK grows.
A crowd of over 100 black-clad people gathered at a makeshift replica of the entrance of Prince Edward station, set up at Piccadilly Circus in central London.
Activists also sang the protest anthem “Glory to Hong Kong” and flew “Hong Kong Independence” and “Liberate Hong Kong revolution of our times” flags, phrases which are now criminalised in the city under the national security law.
A crowd also gathered in solidarity in Edinburgh, according to photographer Dave Coulson.
Others gathered in Toronto, Canada.
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
