#NOW in Yuen Long, one year on from 7.21 attack. Police is looping PA warning people not to enter the public area beneath YL station that has been cordoned off.
#NOW people in YOHO begin to chant slogans under the lead of these young men. Not a large number present. Approx 20-30.
Riot police arrived in YOHO mall and went up to the second floor where dozens were chanting slogan. The crowd quickly dispersed upon police arrival.
Riot police cordoned off parts of the YOHO mall and asked elderly people sitting on a public chair to leave.
#NOW 14 people in YOHO mall are kettled and lined up. Reporters separated from them are kept behind a cordon line and asked for badges for identity check.
Above, riot police cordoning off mall and searching people. Beneath, citizens showing protest gesture.
One of the 14 people kettled and lined up by police was dragged to the wall for a search after a commander got angry and shouted at him.
District councillor Ho Kai-ming was searched in YOHO as he insisted to stay and film the 14 people on the other side when police said no one other than reporters could stay.
A man impersonating one of the 7.21 assailants at large - a watermelon farmer - is being searched in YOHO.
Chaos erupted in YOHO after police took a man with a placard. When legislator Ted Hui told them not to push their cordon line further as there were many people at his back, police tried to snatch a man next to Hui and caused a brief round of jostling.
A man who was holding a placard with the words 光復香港時代革命 is handcuffed. He appears to be distrcit councillor Raymond Chow.
Quite a remarkable number of journalists, me included, are now kept behind cordon line in YOHO mall.
Dozens of reporters are kept in the cordon circle after police asked those with HKPPA and HKJA badges to come forward and let them go after checking identity.
#earlier in YOHO mall, this extraordinarily angry commander shouted “Nothing to see here! Leave or I will issue a summon! Nothing to see here reporters!”
When the floor is occupied by police, slogans are flown to the ceiling: “Never forget 7.21” “Police collude with triads”
This man is leading slogan chanting in YOHO, a mall largely cleared and controlled by police. At the other side of the mall, which is not accessible by reporters, an uncertain number of protesters, shoppers and reporters are kettled behind cordon lines.
#earlier Mr Lai, a Yuen Long resident and dressed like one of the 7.21 assailants at large, said he was only here to “deliver some produces”. “The police said they are trying but it seems that they are efforts are yet to meet people’s expectations...it’s frustrating.”
Ivy Leung, reporting for online platform Presence in Tsuen Wan 荃在感, is one of dozens of reporters who got kettled and fined for “violating gathering ban” in YOHO mall. Leung said she would appeal instead of paying the fine.
Democratic legislator Ted Hui is under arrest in YOHO mall. He shouts “Shame on police’s excessive arrest” as police try to take him out of the mall.
One of at least two major groups being stopped and searched on Fung Yau Street North in Yuen Long. Many of them are wearing hivis vests.
Police ordered “people on Fung Kam St and Fung Yau St North including those in yellow vests” to dismiss themselves immediately or they will issue summons under group gathering ban.
Soon after warning was shouted, a few officers ran down Fung Kam St and returned to push reporters towards their cordon line, while ordering all cameras to be switched off.
#Now being kettled and lined up along with dozens of reporters on Fung Kam St. Some reporters said they were searched multiple times today and an officer said they had to do that becos “there are so many fake reporters”. They ordered all cameras off as “investigation is going on”
Let go after showing HKJA badge. So were a few others. An uncertain number of reporters are still being kettled and searched on Fung Kam St and Fung Yau St North at the far end.
Some riot police dashed towards a side street, some reporters followed and got kettled by police turning around. One officer standing close to me said “Real reporters don’t fear police. Real reporters won’t chase police to film them.”
@hkpoliceforce : 79 got summons (HKD2000 fine) and 5 arrested in Yuen Long. One man was arrested for allegedly violating #nationalsecuritylaw and another for violating curfew order. One district councillor and one legislator (Ted Hui) are among those arrested.
A number of youngsters were stopped and lined up outside a school next to Yuen Long Ambulance Depot. Didn’t see what triggered it but saw some police suddenly charged towards the lane and when some repoters and I got there, the youngsters were stopped and asked for IDs.
The 5 youngsters were eventually let go but this is how far the police pushed some reporters trying to film the search. Police said we couldn’t obstruct the way for ambulance. We had to go to the pedestrian across the road and watch from there.
Closing the #thread for Yuen Long tonight.
Good night and dream on.
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