Hong Kong: seven pro-democracy legislators arrested

Hong Kong police have arrested seven pro-democracy legislators over a parliamentary meeting which descended into violence in May, the legislators said on social media.

The arrests on Sunday of lawmakers Wu Chi Wai, Andrew Wan, Helena Wong, Kwok Wing Kin, Eddie Chu, Raymond Chan and Fernando Cheung were announced on individual and party Facebook pages.

Hong Kong police told local media they had received a report from the Legislative Council secretariat on 8 May, the day of the meeting, and investigations led to the arrest of the seven people by the crime squad on suspicion of contempt and interference with LegCo officers.

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At the chaotic May meeting, opposing lawmakers threw placards and scrambled over each other to take control of an important house committee that had been unable to elect a new chairperson.

Pro-Beijing legislator Starry Lee took control of the committee, which had been in deadlock for weeks. The opposing camps each presented conflicting legal advice over the legality of Lee taking control and pushing through matters including controversial pieces of legislation.

In the chaos, Chu attempted to climb a wall to get past the pro-Beijing crowd surrounding Lee and reach the chair, before he and others were physically carried or dragged out by security. Chan was dragged to the ground by pro-Beijing legislator Kwok Wai Kweung.

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#HongKong’s furious pan-dems blast pro-Beijing legislator Kwok Wai-keung after he did this to People Power lawmaker Ray Chan: pic.twitter.com/fkQxkG9Qtu

May 8, 2020

Others were shown to be dragged or knocked down, and pro-democracy legislator, Claudia Mo, who was standing away from the melee, appeared to be hit in the head by a flying placard.

The arrests come amid a widespread crackdown on opposition and dissent in Hong Kong that has intensified since the introduction of the national security law in June, which outlawed acts considered to be secession, subversion, foreign collusion and terrorism. It has been widely criticised as overly broad and ill-defined, and in breach of international human rights laws.

At least 27 people have been arrested under the law, including three people arrested twice.

Hong Kong police have been contacted for comment.