Hundreds arrested as Hong Kong police swoop on election protests

Almost 300 people were arrested by Hong Kong police on Sunday as riot officers swooped on democracy protesters.

Riot police charge on a Hong Kong street during an anti-government protest on Sunday. Picture: Getty Images

Almost 300 people were arrested by Hong Kong police on Sunday as riot officers swooped on democracy protesters opposed to the postponement of local elections.

Sunday was meant to be voting day for the city’s partially elected legislature, one of the few instances where Hongkongers get to cast ballots.

But the city’s pro-Beijing leader, Carrie Lam, suspended the polls for a year — citing the coronavirus — angering the pro-democracy opposition who had been hoping to capitalise on seething anti-government sentiment.

Hundreds of riot police flooded the district of Kowloon in a bid to thwart online calls for flash mob protests to mark the suspended vote.

Riot police put up a warning flag during an anti-government protest on Sunday in Hong Kong. Picture: Getty Images

Throughout the afternoon officers were heckled by people shouting slogans such as “Give me back my vote” and “Corrupt cops” as officers conducted many searches and ordered crowds to disperse.

Police said at least 289 people were arrested, mostly for unlawful assembly. One woman was ­detained under a new security law Beijing imposed on the city for chanting independence slogans.

Live images showed three prominent pro-democracy politicians — Leung Kwok-hung, Figo Chan and Raphael Wong — were among those held.

The protests came hours after the police’s newly formed national security unit arrested Tam Tak-chi, another democracy activist and radio DJ, for “uttering ­seditious words”, a colonial-era offence.

Tam is the latest in a long line of government critics facing prosecution in recent months for their involvement in protests.

Beijing’s Liaison Office in Hong Kong called the protest organisers “heartless”, with a spokesman adding: “There is zero tolerance for any act that violates the national security law.”

The office also vowed that “we will absolutely not allow Hong Kong to be chaotic again”.

Beijing has initiated a widespread crackdown against its critics in Hong Kong after the financial hub was rocked by seven straight months of huge and often violent pro-democracy protests last year.

Rallies have been all but outlawed this year with authorities citing security concerns and wielding emergency anti-coronavirus laws to ban public gatherings.

In late June, Beijing also imposed its new security law, which bans anything authorities perceive to be secession, subversion, terrorism and collusion with foreign forces.

At least 22 people have been arrested under the new law since it came into effect, sending a chill through the city.

AFP