Hong Kong police have arrested three members of pro-democracy party the League of Social Democrats (LSD), who were on their way to protest the city’s “patriots-only” District Council election.
The group’s chairperson Chan Po-ying and vice-chairs Dickson Chow and Yu Wai-pan were apprehended in Central on Sunday morning and taken to Central Police District Headquarters, LSD member Raphael Wong told HKFP. The reason for the arrests was unclear, Wong said, adding he was still waiting to hear from their lawyers.
The three activists were heading to protest outside a polling station in the affluent neighbourhood of Mid-Levels, where Chief Executive John Lee was slated to cast his vote. The party had informed reporters that they would hold a demonstration at 8.45 am.
In response to HKFP, police said they had arrested three people aged 31 to 67 on suspicion of inciting others to intervene in the District Council elections. The trio, who were apprehended on Queen’s Road Central near Pedder Street, were being held for investigation.
Polls opened on Sunday for Hong Kong’s first District Council election since the government overhauled the electoral system, introducing changes that effectively made it impossible for the opposition to run. There are no opposition candidates contending in the elections, as they failed to obtain the required nominations from government-appointed committees.
Speaking to HKFP on the phone, Wong called it a “natural thing” to protest on an election day. “Supposedly, this election is for Hong Kong people to express their views. Yet, [the authorities] won’t allow a protest in which people express their views,” he said in Cantonese.
Wong added that Sunday was Human Rights Day, an occasion observed by members of the United Nations.
He also said the three LSD members had thought arrest a possibility, after veteran activist Koo Sze-yiu was apprehended under the sedition law on Friday on suspicion of attempting or preparing to do an act with seditious intention. Before his arrest, Koo had told reporters that he planned to protest outside the Registration and Electoral Office, the government department that oversees elections.
The LSD is one of the last remaining voices in Hong Kong’s political opposition sphere, occasionally holding street booths and small-scale protests outside the government headquarters. Dozens of pro-democracy groups have disbanded in the wake of the national security law, which Beijing imposed following months of protests and unrest in 2019.
Chief Executive John Lee casts vote
A number of police officers were stationed outside a polling station at Raimondi College in Mid-Levels after it opened at 8.30 am, where the LSD had planned to protest and where Lee, the city’s leader, would later cast his vote.
Speaking to reporters after submitting his ballot paper, Lee said the voting process was “smooth, fast and orderly.”
“Following the reform, those selected [for the District Council] will work towards Hong Kong’s interests and will not go against Hong Kong and the country’s interests,” he said in Cantonese.
During the question and answer session with reporters, Lee said that district councillors in the past advocated Hong Kong independence and endangered national security, without citing evidence.
Pro-democracy candidates swept the District Council elections in 2019, which were held during the height of the anti-extradition protests and unrest.
“We hope everybody treasures the vote in their hands and vote enthusiastically,” Lee said.
A retired civil servant with the surname Ma was among the first to cast his vote in Mid-Levels. Speaking to reporters outside the polling station, he held up a thank you card that the government was giving out to voters, part of the authorities’ drive to boost the election atmosphere.
The cards read: “thank you for casting your valuable vote. Let’s work together to build a beautiful and harmonious district.”
Ma said there was less “rah rah rah” in candidates’ campaigns this election, and that things were calmer. Still, the retired civil servant said the public remained interested in voting.
“I think the election atmosphere this year is even better. I think more people are eager to vote than before,” Mr Ma said.
As a Mid-Levels resident, he said he hoped incoming district councillors could work on improving public transportation during the morning rush hour, particularly the frequency of minibuses.
There were no queues outside the polling station when HKFP was there in the morning, with reporters and police officers far outnumbering voters.
See also: Official efforts to encourage Hongkongers to cast their ballots in ‘patriots’ District Council race
After casting their ballot, some voters posed with a prop outside the school featuring the government’s “election mascots.” Authorities said earlier that they would set up photo spots at polling stations so voters can be left with “fond memories.”
Across the city, elderly community centres received subsidies to provide additional services to help seniors vote, including providing buses to take them to and from polling stations.
In previous elections, local media have reported on controversial efforts to bus elderly residents to polling stations, alleging that they were instructed who to vote for.
First ‘patriots-only’ poll
Plans to overhaul the District Council elections were unveiled in May 2023 to ensure only “patriots” were elected, following a pro-democracy landslide at the last polls in 2019.
The number of seats chosen democratically by the public were slashed from 452 to 88 – reducing the power of public votes to a fifth. The rest are to be chosen by the city’s leader and government-appointed committees.
Constituency boundaries were redrawn, the opposition were shut out, voting hours were slashed by an hour, and each local council is to be chaired by a government official, similar to colonial-era arrangements. All candidates undergo national security vetting to ensure patriotism.
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
LATEST FROM HKFP
HKFP has an impartial stance, transparent funding, and balanced coverage guided by an Ethics Code and Corrections Policy.
Support press freedom & help us surpass 1,000 monthly Patrons: 100% independent, governed by an ethics code & not-for-profit.
