Hong Kong Police arrests seven Pro-democracy politicians over scuffle

In Hong Kong, seven pro-democracy opposition politicians, including four sitting lawmakers, were arrested today over charges related to a scuffle that broke out in its legislative council between pro-democracy and pro-Beijing legislatures in May this year.

Hong Kong Police has confirmed the arrests at a press briefing and said they were arrested on charges of “contempt” and “interfering” with members of the city’s Legislative Council on 8th May.

According to local media reports, Authorities made a series of early morning arrests of politicians from the Democratic Party, the Labour Party, and the pan-democratic camp.

Police said the seven were charged under a law governing conduct in the chamber, an offense that carries up to 12 months in prison.

The seven were later released on bail and are expected to be produced in court on Thursday.

Those arrested were among a group of pro-democracy legislators who tried to storm the chairperson’s seat in the Legislative Council after pro-Beijing councillors forcibly installed one of their politicians as the committee leader following months of deadlock.

The Democratic Party described the arrests as ‘arbitrary’. The bloc of pan-democratic lawmakers condemned the actions in a statement, saying the arrests suppress the rights of legislators to dissent.