Hong Kong Police Detain 14 Organizers Of 2019 Opposition Protests - Reports

Hong Kong Police Detain 14 Organizers of 2019 Opposition Protests - Reports

Hong Kong police on Saturday detained 14 prominent opposition supporters who are suspected of organizing and participating in last year's unauthorized protests, the South China Morning Post newspaper reported

BEIJING (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 18th April, 2020) Hong Kong police on Saturday detained 14 prominent opposition supporters who are suspected of organizing and participating in last year's unauthorized protests, the South China Morning Post newspaper reported.

Among the detainees are 81-year-old former lawmaker and veteran democrat Martin Lee Chu-ming; 68-year-old political activist and supporter of the Hong Kong's Pro-Democracy Forces Albert Ho; and social activists Lee Cheuk-yan, Leung Kwok-hung, Au Nok-hin and Raphael Wong Ho-ming.

The police are also looking for the opposition supporter, media mogul and founder of the Apple Daily, Jimmy Lai Chee-ying, who was not found at home at the time of the search.

According to the media outlet's sources, detainees are suspected of organizing and participating in unsanctioned marches on August 18, October 1 and 20 of last year.

Hong Kong was gripped by violent protests since June of 2019. Numerous demonstrators initially took to the streets to protest a proposed extradition bill, but protests continued and turned violent even after the unpopular measure was withdrawn in October.

Beijing has said that the situation in Hong Kong was the result of foreign interference in China's domestic affairs and expressed full support for the local authorities to prevent violence and restore order.