Hong Kong police arrest pro-democracy activists

Chow Hang-tung, a lawyer and vice chairwoman of the Hong Kong Alliance in Support of Democratic Movements of China, started a Facebook livestream early Wednesday morning to document her own arrest. The video records muffled shouting from the organization’s office as police arrested four leaders for refusing to comply with information requests under the national security law.

What does the group do? The organization, one of the last pro-democracy groups in Hong Kong, is best known for organizing the yearly vigil in Victoria Park commemorating the deadly anti-government protests in Beijing’s Tiananmen Square in 1989. For the past two years, Hong Kong authorities have banned the annual gatherings, citing pandemic restrictions. The group’s leaders have criticized the government for labeling pro-democracy groups as foreign agents. Police warned that the leaders face hefty fines and up to six months in prison. A general meeting is scheduled for Sept. 25, when members will vote on whether to disband.

Dig deeper: Read Onize Ohikere’s report in the Sift on Hong Kong journalists charged with foreign collusion.