Police arrest hundreds in Hong Kong protests over security laws

Police fired pepper pellets and arrested at least 300 people in Hong Kong on Wednesday as thousands took to the streets protesting China’s proposed national security law.

Protesters were also demonstrating against legislation introduced by Hong Kong lawmakers that would criminalize acts of disrespect toward the Chinese national anthem, Reuters reported. Both measures are expected to become law.

Critics have assailed the two pieces of legislation, saying they will restrict independence in the semi-autonomous territory that enjoys more freedom than mainland China under the “one country, two systems” agreement established with the transfer of power to Beijing from British rule in 1997.

Wednesday’s arrests and the use of riot dispersal underscore the increasing tension between protesters and authorities. Police said demonstrators were arrested for illegal assembly in three districts, Reuters reported.

Hong Kong residents have been pushing back since last year on Beijing’s efforts to impose more control over the territory. The most recent protests included people of all ages, Reuters reported, with many wearing masks and others carrying open umbrellas to hide their faces.

The national security law proposed in Beijing’s parliament is described at countering “secession, supervision and terrorism,” according to Reuters. The measure has sparked harsh criticism from Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, who called it a “death knell” for Hong Kong’s autonomy.

President Trump on Tuesday said he will likely announce at the end of the week how the U.S. plans to respond.

Two days earlier, White House national security adviser Robert O’Brien said on NBC’s “Meet the Press” that the Trump administration might impose economic sanctions on China and Hong Kong in response to passage of the security law.

The United Kingdom, Australia, Canada and the European Union have also opposed Beijing moving forward on the national security law, prompting Chinese officials to threaten retaliation for what they say is foreign interference.

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Zhao Lijian said Monday that the security law is necessary to counter subversion of state power and what Beijing views as “terrorist activities” and interference from “foreign and external forces.”