Hundreds in Rare Hong Kong Protest as Opposition Figures ...

The police in Hong Kong have arrested more than 10,000 people over the protests that began in June 2019. Of those, more than 2,400 have faced ... AsiaPacific|HundredsinRareHongKongProtestasOppositionFiguresAreChargedhttps://www.nytimes.com/2021/03/01/world/asia/hong-kong-protest.htmlGivethisarticleShareAdvertisementContinuereadingthemainstoryHONGKONG—Holdingbannersandshoutingslogans,hundredsofpeopleassembledoutsideacourtinHongKongonMondayinarareactofdefianceafter47ofthecity’smostprominentpro-democracypoliticiansandactivistswerearrested.Thebriefgatheringofsupporters,whoheldbrightyellowsignsreading“Releaseallpoliticalprisoners,”wasanechoofthehugepro-democracydemonstrationsthatregularlyfilledthestreetsofHongKongin2019.TheylineduparoundtheWestKowlooncourtcomplex,wherethe47oppositionfigureswerebeingarraignedonchargesofconspiracytocommitsubversion.SuchdemonstrationshavebecomeanunusualsightinHongKonginthepastyearorso,afterthecityenactedrestrictionstofightthepandemicandBeijingimposedaharshnationalsecuritylawinJune.Thepolicewarnedthecrowdtheycouldbeinviolationofthesecuritylaworillegal-assemblyrules.Intheafternoon,thepolicesetupsecuritylinesaroundthecourt,forcingdemonstratorstodisperse.“Weknowwecannotenter,butstillwewanttoshowoursupport,”saidWongTin-yan,adistrictcouncilmemberwhowaitedhoursbutwasunabletoattendthehearing.“HongKongpeoplearesoangry.Nootherprotestscanhappen,sowecomehere.Thenewlawforbidseverythingelse.”UnderstandtheHongKongElectionsHongKong’slegislativeelectiononDec.19willbethefirstsinceBeijingimposedadrasticoverhauloftheisland’spoliticalsystem.WhattoKnow:Newelectoralrules andthecrackdownontheoppositionhaveeliminatedeventheslightestuncertainty ofpreviouselections.AnUnpopularLeader: CarrieLam,HongKong’schiefexecutive,appearstorelishthenewstateofaffairs.SeekingLegitimacy:Theoutcomeisalreadydetermined,butthegovernmentispressuringoppositionparties toparticipate. AWaningOpposition:Fearingretaliation,pro-democracypoliticianswhohadtriumphed inthe2019localelectionshavequitindroves.The47oppositionfigureshadbeenchargedonSundaybythepolice,themostforcefuluseofthenationalsecuritylawsofarandamovethatcouldeffectivelydecimatethepoliticaloppositioninHongKong.ImageHongKongprotestersmarchedinlargenumbersonAug.18,2019,despiteapoliceban.Credit...LamYikFeiforTheNewYorkTimesTheauthoritiessaythegroupviolatedthesecuritylawbyparticipatinginaprimaryelectionheldbyHongKong’spro-democracycampinJuly.Thegrouphadhopedtowinamajorityofseatsintheterritory’slegislativecouncil,thenblocklegislationandforcethecity’schiefexecutivetostepdown.Whilesuchmovesmightseemcommonplaceindemocracies,prosecutorsinHongKonghavesaidthestrategyviolatedthesecuritylaw’sbanoninterferencewithgovernmentfunctions.ThelatestwaveofprosecutionsraisesquestionsaboutwhetherthecourtsinHongKongwillretaintheirindependence.Beijinghasincreasedpressureonthejudiciary,stirringfearsthatjudgeswillbeincreasinglyinclinedtoconvictoppositionleaders.ImageOneofthedefendants,thedistrictcouncilmemberClarisseYeung,faintedandwassenttoahospitalbyambulancearound1:45a.m.Credit...LamYikFeiforTheNewYorkTimesLastweek,XiaBaolong,thedirectorofChina’sHongKongandMacauAffairsOffice,demandedcheckstoensurethatmembersofthejudiciaryinHongKongwere“truepatriots.”Mr.Xiasingledoutforcriticismthreepro-democracyactivistswhohavebeenchargedwithbreakingthesecuritylaw.JoshuaWong,aprotestleader,JimmyLai,anewspaperpublisher,andBennyTai,alawscholar,are“extremelywicked”and“mustbeseverelypunishedfortheirillegalactions,”Mr.XiasaidinaspeechthatalsosignaledplanstorevampelectionstobarcandidatesdeemeddisloyaltotheCommunistParty.Theactivistsaccusedofsubversionarelikelytobeheldformonthsbeforetheirtrialsbegin,becausethesecuritylawsetsahigherstandardforbail.ImageThepro-democracyactivistJoshuaWongwasescortedbyofficerstojailonTuesdayafterthehearingfor47peoplechargedwithviolatingHongKong’snationalsecuritylaw.Credit...LamYikFeiforTheNewYorkTimesSeveraldefenselawyerstoldthecourttheyobjectedtotheprosecutors’requestforathree-monthdelayinproceedings.Havingmovedquicklytopresscharges,prosecutorsshouldalsoensureaspeedytrial,saidPaulHarris,oneofthedefenselawyers.Thehearing,whichbeganaround4p.m.,stretchedintotheearlyhoursofTuesday.Oneofthedefendants,thedistrictcouncilmemberClarisseYeung,faintedandwassenttoahospitalbyambulancearound1:45a.m.,thepublicbroadcasterRTHKreported.ThehearingwasadjournedaboutanhourlaterandscheduledtoresumeonTuesdaymorning.ThepoliceinHongKonghavearrestedmorethan10,000peopleovertheproteststhatbeganinJune2019.Ofthose,morethan2,400havefacedcharges.Inaddition,about100havebeenarrestedunderthenationalsecuritylaw.AdvertisementContinuereadingthemainstory