Police officers charge at demonstrators during a protest on the first anniversary of a mass protest against the now-withdrawn extradition Bill, in Hong Kong’s Central district, on Jun 9, 2020.
HONG KONG: Hong Kong police arrested 53 people during protests on Tuesday (Jun 9) evening that saw hundreds of activists take to the streets, at times blocking roads in the heart of the global financial hub, before police fired pepper spray to disperse crowds.
The protests, called to mark a year of sometimes violent rallies in the former British colony, also came amid heightened tensions due to a proposed national security Bill backed by the central government in Beijing.
Police said on Wednesday that 36 males and 17 females were arrested for offences including unlawful assembly and participating in unauthorised assembly. Protesters had defied a ban on gatherings of more than eight people introduced by the Hong Kong government to prevent the spread of the coronavirus.
Demonstrators march during a protest on the first anniversary of a mass protest against the now-withdrawn extradition Bill, in Hong Kong’s Central district, on Jun 9, 2020.
More protests are planned in the coming days, with pro-democracy supporters fearing the proposed national security legislation will dramatically stifle freedoms in the city.
While details of the security law or how it will operate have yet to be revealed, authorities in Beijing and Hong Kong have said there is no cause for concern and the legislation will target a minority of “troublemakers”.
Police raise a banner warning demonstrators near the Court of Final Appeal during a protest on the first anniversary of a mass protest against the now-withdrawn extradition Bill, in Hong Kong’s Central district, on Jun 9, 2020.
The standing committee of the National People’s Congress, the top decision-making body of the Chinese parliament, will meet in Beijing later this month to deliberate on various draft legislation, official Chinese media reported on Wednesday.
The reports did not specify whether any laws regarding Hong Kong were included on the agenda for discussion at the Jun 18-20 meeting.
Hong Kong Security Secretary John Lee told the South China Morning Post in an interview published on Wednesday that local police were setting up a dedicated unit to enforce the law and it would have intelligence gathering, investigation and training capabilities.
Riot police stand guard outside HSBC and Bank of China (Hong Kong ) headquarters during a protest to mark the first anniversary of a mass rally against a now-withdrawn extradition Bill, in Hong Kong, on Jun 9, 2020.
Companies including HSBC and Standard Chartered have backed the security law without knowing the details of it, drawing criticism from some investors and US and British officials.
US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo singled out HSBC on Tuesday, saying such “corporate kowtows” got little in return from Beijing and criticising the Chinese Communist Party’s “coercive bullying tactics”.
