A man was pinned down and arrested by police on a busy Mong Kok street Sunday as officers patrolled street booths set up by two pro-democracy activist groups
At around 5pm, police blocked off a section of Soy Street, where student group Student Localism and the Hospital Authority Employees Alliance were calling for the boycott of the government’s COVID-19 tracking app and voicing support for the dozens of opposition lawmakers charged with violating the national security law.
Officers ordered the crowds of onlookers to disperse, warning that they could be breaching virus restrictions banning gatherings larger than four people, Stand News reported.
Police said in an emailed statement that a 29-year-old man refused to leave, and continued yelling and chanting protest slogans. He allegedly also struck a male officer with his wrist watch, causing injuries to his hand and chest.
The man was arrested on suspected charges of disorderly conduct in a public place, resisting arrest and attacking an officer. He was detained overnight and was yet to be released as of Monday morning.
The convener of Student Politicism, Wong Yat-chin, said he does not know the man and that he is not a member of the two activist groups.
Sunday afternoon’s arrest came a day before dozens of pro-democracy leaders were due in court to be formally charged with conspiring to subvert state power under the national security law, marking the latest development in Beijing’s crackdown on the city’s opposition movement.
Reader Interactions