Hong Kong: at least 60 people arrested on China's national day

More than 60 people have been arrested in Hong Kong after small crowds attending protests on China’s national day were met by thousands of police.

Across central business and shopping districts police cordoned off and searched members of the public and the press – separated from the civilian crowds under widely criticised new police powers determining who is considered authorised media.

At least 60 people were arrested in Causeway Bay, accused of participating in an unauthorised assembly, the police force said.

A 23-year-old man was also arrested for possessing an offensive weapon, and a 35-year-old was arrested for vehicle registration offences and for possessing masks and stickers with pro-independence slogans.

The large-scale protests of 2019 have not returned to Hong Kong, owing to the pandemic and the national security law imposed on the region by Beijing three months ago.

At a national day breakfast on Thursday, Hong Kong’s chief executive, Carrie Lam, said her government would not be deterred by the sanctions imposed on it by the international community in response to the national security law and related wholesale crackdown on dissent.

“Over the past three months, the plain truth is – and it is obvious to see – that stability has been restored to society while national security has been safeguarded, and our people can continue to enjoy their basic rights and freedoms in accordance with the law,” she said.

“So, no matter how severe some foreign governments, holding double-standards, are going to level unjustified accusations against the authorities in charge of implementing the national security law, or aggressively imposing further sanctions against HKSAR [Hong Kong special administrative region] officials responsible for safeguarding national security, I and my relevant colleagues will continue to discharge our duty to safeguard national security in accordance with the law without fear or anxiety.”

However, there remains strong resistance in Hong Kong, and crowds and activists gathered on Thursday. Some risked breaching the national security law by chanting “five demands, not one less” or independence slogans, while others held aloft copies of the pro-democracy tabloid Apple Daily. Some jeered police, and one man unfurled the flag of East Turkistan, named Xinjiang autonomous region in China.

Many called for the release of 12 Hongkongers detained in mainland China after they were arrested by Chinese coastguards allegedly attempting to flee by boat to Taiwan.

The Hong Kong government has refused to intervene in the case, saying the group – including a 16-year-old child, all of them previously arrested in relation to protests or the national security law – should face mainland justice before they answer local accusations over protest-related activities.

According to reports on the ground, police were swift to respond to any pro-democracy activity on Thursday, handing out fines for gathering in breach of pandemic restrictions, but they did not appear to take action against people celebrating the national day against the restrictions.