Police arrested a 22-year-old male on Monday for allegedly assaulting pro-democracy activist “Grandma Wong” during a rare protest in Central.
Over two dozen people had gathered on Theatre Lane during evening rush hour in solidarity with protests in mainland China against Covid-19 regulations.
66-year-old Alexandra Wong – who was often seen at the 2019 pro-democracy protests – was taken to Queen Mary Hospital.
Video footage appears to show Wong falling backwards to the ground and hitting her head on a ledge after the man flung a yellow umbrella out of her hands. The umbrella is a symbol of the 2019 protests.
The suspect may also face a charge of criminal damage, police told HKFP on Monday night.
Protests escalated across China in recent days, after at least 10 were killed when a fire ripped through a locked down building in Xinjiang’s capital, Urumqi. Frustration with ongoing restrictions boiled over into mass gatherings around the country, police-protester clashes, disobedience of Covid rules, and anti-government chants.
On Monday, police erected a cordon and took down the personal details of those gathered.
Demonstrations have been a rare sight in Hong Kong following the onset of the national security law in 2020. There is also a Covid-19 ban on group gatherings exceeding 12 people, whilst unauthorised assemblies can attract jail time.
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