BREAKING: National security police arrest 6 linked to 2019 protester relief fund – reports
Hong Kong Free Press
Six people linked to a defunct fund set up to help protesters during the 2019 anti-extradition bill unrest have been arrested by national security police, local media have reported citing sources.
A person with knowledge of the matter confirmed that pro-democracy activist Bobo Yip was among those arrested early on Thursday morning. The source told HKFP the activist was arrested at 6 am in Tai Wai.
HKFP has reached out to those associated with the defunct 612 Humanitarian Relief Fund for comment.
HKFP has also reached out to the police for comment.
Five former trustees of the fund – Cardinal Joseph Zen, barrister Margaret Ng, ex-lawmaker Cyd Ho, scholar Hui Po-keung, and singer-activist Denise Ho – were found guilty last November over failing to register the fund as a society and fined up to HK$4,000 each.
The fund’s secretary, Sze Ching-wee, was also found guilty of the same charge.
The five trustees were arrested last May by national security police on suspicion of conspiring to collude with foreign powers, an offence under the Beijing-imposed national security law. The five were released on bail and no charges have so far been laid.
Sze was arrested last November over the same charge. He was also granted bail.
Ho told HKFP that her four fellow former trustees were not among those arrested on Thursday morning.
Protests erupted in June 2019 over a since-axed extradition bill. They escalated into sometimes violent displays of dissent against police behaviour, amid calls for democracy and anger over Beijing’s encroachment. Demonstrators demanded an independent probe into police conduct, amnesty for those arrested and a halt to the characterisation of protests as “riots.”
In June 2020, Beijing inserted national security legislation directly into Hong Kong’s mini-constitution – bypassing the local legislature – following a year of pro-democracy protests and unrest. It criminalised subversion, secession, collusion with foreign forces and terrorist acts, which were broadly defined to include disruption to transport and other infrastructure. The move gave police sweeping new powers, alarming democrats, civil society groups and trade partners, as such laws have been used broadly to silence and punish dissidents in China. However, the authorities say it has restored stability and peace to the city.
This is a developing story – please refresh for updates…
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