Hong Kong police fired pepper spray, tear gas, water cannons, and made about 370 arrests as protesters defied a police ban to march against Beijing’s new national security law on July 1.
Hours after the law came into effect in Hong Kong, local police arrested ten on suspected crimes under its provisions.
Large crowds swarmed the area of Causeway Bay where the march was due to start. But for the first time since mass protests began in June last year, protesters were being targeted for chanting slogans such as “Hong Kong Independence, the Only Way Out.” Hong Kong police warned that such slogans could “incite or abet” others to commit “secession” and thus violate the national security law, in a Facebook post at around 2:20 p.m. local time.
In defiance, some protesters unfurled flags with the words “Hong Kong Independence” and chanted related slogans as they waited to march onto the streets.
Arrests
The police initially announced over 70 arrests, with 2 on suspicion of violating the new law.A man was arrested in Causeway Bay at around 1:30 p.m. local time for possessing a banner with the words “Hong Kong Independence.” Then, a woman was arrested at around 3 p.m. local time for holding up a placard with the words “Hong Kong Independence,” with a British national flag and a U.S. flag attached to it, according to police.
In the evening, police updated its arrest figures and announced details about three more of those arrested for violating the national security law: two 36-year-old women and a 15-year-old girl were detained at around 3 p.m. local time in Causeway Bay.
The two women had in their possession different flyers, including those with the words, “Resist Beijing, Liberate Hong Kong,” according to police. The girl was arrested for waving a flag with the words, “I Stand for Hong Kong’s Independence.”
Other arrestees were detained on charges such as “illegal assembly” and “interfering with police work,” according to police.
As night fell, some protesters tried to set up roadblocks with random objects including rails and bricks in Causeway Bay, and police countered by firing tear gas to disperse crowds and clear debris off the roads.
March
For years, people in Hong Kong have held a march on July 1, which marks the day of Hong Kong’s return to Chinese sovereignty in 1997, to voice opposition to Beijing’s encroachment over the city’s affairs.While protesters did start their march on Wednesday afternoon from Causeway Bay while being led by local activists including lawmaker Eddie Chu and CHRF’s deputy convenor Figo Chan, the march was short-lived as local police officers moved in to disperse protesters by spraying pepper spray and firing water-cannon.
At around 4 p.m. local time, Hong Kong media reported that their journalists were hit with police’s water cannon in Causeway Bay as police tried to clear protesters off the streets.
City Leader Comments
As Hongkongers were out on the streets, Hong Kong leader Carrie Lam held a press conference at about 2 p.m., arguing that the law “has perfected” the framework of “one country, two systems.” Lam was flanked by Security Secretary John Lee and Secretary Justice Teresa Cheng.Lam announced that a national security department has been established within the Hong Kong police, as mandated by the national security law. She declined to reveal who will head the department.
Article 48 also stipulates that Beijing establish a security bureau to collect intelligence, coordinate with local authorities, and handle national security cases.
Lam added that Hong Kong still has the responsibility to enact an anti-subversion legislation, known as Article 23.
It was first proposed in the Hong Kong legislative council in 2003. But it was scrapped that year after half a million Hongkongers took to the streets in protest.