National security law: Hong Kong police arrest four activist leaders of group behind annual Tiananmen memorial vigil
DHARAMSALA, 8 Sept: Hong Kong police have arrested four pro-democracy activist leaders from a group that organises the annual June 4 rally to commemorate those who died in the bloody 1989 Tiananmen Square crackdown.
The Hong Kong Alliance in Support of Patriotic Democratic Movement group’s vice-chairman Chow Hang Tung, committee members Simon Leung Kam Wai, Tang Ngok Kwan and Chan Dor Wai were all arrested by the national security police on Wednesday, media reports said.
The activists are currently being held in police stations in Central, Tsuen Wan, Yuen Long and Mong Kok for questioning.
The arrest of the pro-democracy activist came a day after the city’s security chief warned that action will be taken against those who refuse to provide information.
Last month, the police have sent a letter to the group that accused the alliance of being “an agent of foreign forces” while it also requested information about its membership, finances and activities by 7 Sept. the Reuters reported.
The letter further warned that failure to provide the information by the deadline could entail a fine of HK$100,000 and six months in jail.
Chow went to police headquarters to tell officers she would not provide the information they had requested on Tuesday, the report said.
“I want to tell Hong Kongers that we need to continue to resist, don’t surrender to the unreasonable power quickly and easily,” Chow has said.
Chow, the group’s vice-chairman posted on social media shortly after 6.30 am that police officers were at her door.
According to a report in The Straits Times, the Security Bureau of Hong Kong Special Administrative Region stated after the arrest that the police have to take law enforcement actions.
“Ignoring warnings given, the organisation concerned resolutely insisted on refusing to comply with the police’s requirement to provide information pursuant to Schedule 5 of the Implementation Rules. Hence, the police have to take law enforcement actions,” a spokesman from the Bureau said.
The Hong Kong Alliance in Support of Patriotic Democratic Movement’s annual candlelight vigil honours the students who died when China’s military violently suppressed massive pro-democracy protests in Beijing’s Tiananmen Square on June 4, 1989.
