Protests Against 'General Election Postponement' in Hong Kong... Over 90 Opposition Figures Arrested

Some Charged with Violating Hong Kong National Security Law

Hong Kong police are dispersing protesters who are opposing the one-year postponement of the Legislative Council (LegCo) election on the 6th, citing the COVID-19 pandemic as the reason.
[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Seongpil Cho] On the 6th, citizens in Hong Kong held protests against the postponement of the Legislative Council election. This protest is regarded as the strongest resistance organized by the Hong Kong pro-democracy camp since the Hong Kong National Security Law (Hong Kong Security Law), which allows harsh punishment for government critics, came into effect in June.

According to local media, protests against the postponement of the Legislative Council election and the introduction of the Hong Kong Security Law took place in downtown areas such as Kowloon in the afternoon. Protesters gathered around Jordan Station in the Kowloon area, Mong Kok, and Yau Ma Tei, shouting slogans such as "Liberate Hong Kong, Revolution of Our Times," a representative chant of the anti-government protesters. Dozens of citizens also gathered at Langham Place, a shopping mall in Mong Kok, to shout slogans.

As of 5 p.m., Hong Kong police arrested at least 90 people, including a woman charged with violating the Hong Kong Security Law for shouting slogans advocating Hong Kong independence. Most of those arrested were charged with participating in an illegal assembly. Since the introduction of the Hong Kong Security Law, even shouting slogans that imply Hong Kong independence can result in severe punishment.

Hong Kong police are checking and searching protesters who are opposing the postponement of the Legislative Council (LegCo) election on the 6th, citing the COVID-19 pandemic as the reason.
[Image source=Reuters Yonhap News]

Several prominent figures from Hong Kong's opposition and pro-democracy camp were also arrested that day. The Hong Kong police's unit dedicated to the Hong Kong Security Law arrested Tam Tak-chi, a member of the opposition party People Power, in the morning. He was reportedly charged with illegal incitement. Three others, including Leung Kwok-hung, a politician from the radical opposition Social Democratic Front, were also arrested on the streets for criticizing the government's election postponement.

Originally, the election to select the next Legislative Council members was scheduled to take place that day in Hong Kong. Chief Executive Carrie Lam (Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor) announced on July 31 that the Legislative Council election, originally set for September 6, would be postponed by one year, citing the spread of the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) as the reason. The Hong Kong pro-democracy camp, which aimed to secure a majority of seats in the September Legislative Council election following their overwhelming victory in the district council elections last November, suspects that the Hong Kong government's decision has strong political motives.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.