300 protestors arrested in Hong Kong for opposing postponement of legislative elections

In Hong Kong, police arrested almost 300 persons on Sunday after demonstrators protested to oppose the postponement of legislative elections and a new national security law imposed by China.

In July this year, Hong Kong leader Carrie Lam postponed the proposed September 6 elections in the Asian financial hub’s Legislative Council for a year because of a spike in coronavirus cases.

As per local media reports, thousands of police personnel were stationed around the bustling Kowloon peninsula as hundreds of marchers waved placards and chanted popular anti-government slogans such as “liberate Hong Kong”.

 

These slogans are now banned under the new security law imposed by Beijing. Police said arrests were made, mainly for illegal gatherings.

 

Hong Kong government has said this was necessary amid the coronavirus pandemic, but



activists said the government was using the outbreak as a pretext to stop people from voting.

 

Beijing has maintained that the legislation is needed to tackle unrest and instability.

 

UN human rights experts have also told China that new security law for Hong Kong poses a serious risk to the freedom of expression of residents and expressed fear that it may crush legitimate activities of political opponents.

 

The move dealt a blow to the pro-democracy opposition which hoped to win a historic majority in the Council, where only half the seats are directly elected, and the other half are appointed members who mostly support Beijing.

 

The poll would have been the former British colony’s first official vote since China imposed new security legislation on 1st July this year.