Shock Arrests in Hong Kong

Martin Lee says he is proud to walk the path of democracy with young people

Today was a very warm day, and after breakfast I went out for a walk along Victoria Road which has few people, perfect for social distancing on a weekend.

But when I came back home I was in shock seeing the news that 15 lawyers and pro-democracy activists had been arrested for their part in organizing and taking part in protest marches on August 18, October 1 and October 20.

The names include former lawmakers, Martin Lee Chu-ming, Albert Ho Chun-yan, Lee Cheuk-yan, "Long Hair" Leung Kwok-hung, and Au Nok-hin, Yeung Sum, Sin Chung-kai, Cyd Ho Sau-lan, and activists Wong Ho-ming, Avery Ng Man-yuen, and tycoon Jimmy Lai Chee-ying. 

What is going on?

Margaret Ng carries a book about Chinese national security

Probably with a sense of irony, one of the arrested, Margaret Ng Ngoi-yee walked into the police station with a copy of China's National Security: Endangering Hong Kong's Rule of Law?

But she later claimed she just happened to be reading up on national security legislation when the police came to her flat to arrest her...

Nevertheless Superintendent Lam Wing-ho of the Hong Kong Island regional crime squad said five of the 15 were also separately involved in unauthorized marches on September 30 and October 19. They will be brought to Eastern Magistrates' Courts on May 18.

"Police operations are still ongoing, and we do not rule out more arrests," Lam said without commenting on why the group was singled out.

Reporters asked why only high profile people were arrested within a single day over protests that had attracted hundreds of thousands.

Lam replied: "Police act in accordance with Hong Kong's laws. We will investigate anyone who allegedly violates the laws. We will make arrests and prosecute when there's adequate evidence."

Meanwhile opposition lawmakers like Democratic Party chairman Wu Chi-wai said the arrests were intended to silence dissent, but vowed the pan-democrats would resist and fight back.

The August 18 protest march last year was a wet one

"The timing is too much of a coincidence. In the past week, the liaison office, the Hong Kong and Macau Affairs Office, officials and political veterans have criticized us and warned us about national security issues," he said.

Council Front lawmaker Claudia Mo Man-ching accused the government and police of "playing along with a script written by Beijing".
 After several hours all 14 were released on bail. Martin Lee, 81 years old and someone who was deeply involved in writing the Basic Law told reporters that he has no regrets.

"Over the months and years, I've felt bad to see so many outstanding youngsters being arrested and prosecuted, but I was not charged. Now I've finally become a defendant. I feel proud that I have a chance to walk this path of democracy together with them," said the veteran and democrat and barrister after his first time ever being arrested.

After Lee made this comment, police chief Chris Tang Ping-keung later remarked: "I notice one arrestee who enjoys rather high status in the legal sector and he was proud to join the league of the youth. I was very surprised and worried... he should not be proud, but instead ashamed."

Protesters set fires, damaged Chinese businesses on October 1

Surely Tang should leave the judgment before the courts?

This is what happens when the government uses the law as a weapon, which is called lawfare. In his latest book, City on Fire: The Fight for Hong Kong, lawyer and author Antony Dapiran describes this disturbing trend the government and police are using the law to prosecute in the last few years, but he is optimistic the legal sector will uphold the rule of law.

Will it now after this white terror that has happened today?

We would also like to ask why the police still hasn't arrested anyone for the July 21 attacks in the Yuen Long MTR station? How is that investigation going? There's lots of media footage from that incident...

With the Legislative Council elections that are planned this September, it is believed the pro-establishment side doesn't have much of a chance, and perhaps this is Beijing's way of trying to change the outcome.

Jerome Cohen declares today's arrests an "astonishing attack"

Esteemed China legal expert Jerome Cohen gave a statement on his blog about today's arrests.

"The PRC is desperate to quell Hong Kong's opposition and therefore willing to boldly gamble on this astonishing attack. I think today's attack will reignite civil war in Hong Kong, despite Covid-19 restrictions, enhance opposition to the forthcoming PRC renewed effort to enact Article 23 repressive "national security" legislation in Hong Kong, and lead to the cancellation of the September Legco election unless the democratic forces see the trap that has been set for them and act in ways that cannot be seen to justify cancellation of the election. A tall order in the face of the current provocation, which is only the most recent of many ones.

"If the election is held, the opposition should win."

Tonight we are all still processing what happened today, April 18, 2020. How do we continue to defend Hong Kong without getting arrested? 

The next battle for the city is about to begin. Again.