Hong Kong police arrest over a dozen pro-democracy lawmakers, activists

Authorities in Hong Kong on Saturday arrested over a dozen pro-democracy lawmakers and activists, who were charged with participation in illegal demonstrations.

Martin Lee, an 81-year-old activist and antecedent lawmaker, and democratic proponents Albert Ho, Lee Cheuk-yan and Au Nok-hin were among those arrested, according to the AP.

Hong Kong police also arrested prominent media mogul Jimmy Lai, founder of a local news outlet Apple Daily.

Yeung Sum, a former lawmaker from the Democratic Party, was charged along with Lai and Lee Cheuk-yan over their participation in an anti-government protest in August of last year.

The League of Social Democrats penned in a social media post Saturday that leaders of the group had been arrested and accused of participating in unlawful protests on Aug. 18 and Oct. 1 of 2019.

The primary root of the demonstrations was brought on to condemn proposed extradition legislation that would have allowed Hong Kong residents to be sent to mainland China to face legal trials.

The bill has since been withdrawn but was protested for over half a year as democracy-centered Hong Kong residents battled against the Communist Party’s central government based in Beijing.

Demonstrations over the bill began peacefully at first but divulged into violence after protesters began to think Hong Kong Chief Executive Carrie Lam was using police to suppress their rights.