Hong Kong police fired volleys of tear gas during a popular shopping district as hundreds took to the streets Sunday to march against China’s proposed tough national security legislation for the town.
Pro-democracy supporters in Hong Kong has sharply criticized China’s proposal to enact a national security law that might ban secessionist and subversion, also as foreign interference and terrorism within the semi-autonomous territory.
Critics say it goes against the one country, two systems framework that promises the town freedoms not found on the mainland.
On Sunday afternoon, crowds of protesters wearing black gathered in Causeway Bay, a well-liked shopping district, to protest the proposed legislation.
Protesters chanted slogans Stand with Hong Kong,” Liberate Hong Kong and Revolution of our times.
Prominent activist Tam Tak-chi was arrested during the protests for what police said was an unauthorized assembly. Tam said he was giving a health talk and was exempt from social-distancing measures that prohibit gatherings of quite eight people.
The protests come two days after the proposed bill was submitted on Friday, the opening day of China’s national legislative session.
Sunday’s rallies are a continuation of a month-long pro-democracy movement that began last year and has sometimes descended into violence between police and protesters.
The new law, expected to be passed on May 28, would bypass the city’s legislature and permit the Hong Kong government to line up mainland agencies within the city, sparking fears that this is able to allow Chinese agents to arbitrarily arrest people for activities deemed to be pro-democracy.
