Eight Hong Kong democracy activists were arrested Tuesday for taking part in a demonstration earlier this year against the national security law imposed on the city by China.
The eight activists include former pro-democracy lawmakers Leung Kwok-hung, also known as “Long Hair,” Wu Chi-wa and Eddie Chu.
Hong Kong police issued a statement saying eight men between the ages of 24 and 64 had been arrested and charged with inciting, organizing and taking part in an unauthorized assembly. The statement did not reveal the identities of the men arrested.
More than 370 people were arrested on July 1, the day after Beijing approved a sweeping national security law in response to months of huge and often violent protests that engulfed the semi-autonomous financial hub in the last half of 2019. Under the law, anyone in Hong Kong believed to be carrying out terrorism, separatism, subversion of state power or collusion with foreign forces could be tried and face life in prison if convicted.
