This is the 41st arrest of 33 #HK pro-democracy leaders, including Legco members, District Councillors, party leaders & protest organizers, since protests started in June 2019. @loktinau is so far the only 1 to be convicted; 16 others on trial. Full list: medium.com/@KongTsungGan/…
Other confirmed arrests this morning are of Figo Chan, Raphael Wong, Long Hair (who was stabbed by a pro-CCPer this week) & Avery Ng. Police have visited Jimmy Lai’s home & have reportedly ‘interrogated’ Martin Lee & Lee Cheuk-yan, so this looks like a major crackdown.
.@StandNewsHK now reports at least 13 pro-democracy leaders arrested this morning, apparently in relation to both an August & October 1 protests. On Oct 1, police banned a CHRF march but several prominent pro-democrats lead the march anyway.
The 13 arrested include Margaret Ng, Martin Lee, @loktinau, Lee Cheuk-yan, Albert Ho, Raphael Wong, Long Hair, Figo Chan & Cyd Ho- pretty much a cross-section of the core traditional pro-democracy leadership, incl Democratic Party, Labour Party & League of Social Democrats. 
Of those arrested, only @loktinau & Lee Cheuk-yan’ve been arrested related to the #HK protests b4. Besides Oct 1, Aug 18 is the other protest they’re arrested for. 1.8 million protested that day. A CHRF march was banned but a rally in Victoria Park allowed news.rthk.hk/rthk/en/compon…
I suspect the timing of these arrests has to do w the #CCP’s recent threatening rhetoric. Their message is, ‘We can do what we want to you whenever we want.’ Also, these aren’t ‘rioters’ by any stretch of the imagination but entirely nonviolent protesters.
I also suspect the #CCP is coordinating these arrests to give it as many options as possible come Legco elections: barring candidates from running on political grounds, or ejecting elected candidates on grounds of criminal convictions, anything to prevent a pro-democracy majority
#HK people see these arrests for what they are: pure political persecution. But this is a moment when the international community must step up & condemn such a brazen use of the police & judicial system to crack down on political opposition.
Still confirming all the arrests, but it appears that the arrests today will bring the total number of pro-democracy leaders arrested since June 9 last year to at least 36. They’ve been arrested 48 times. This number is coming to rival the post-Umbrella number from 2014 to 2018.
At 2:57pm, it was confirmed that police have arrested Apple Daily owner Jimmy Lai at his home. This is the 2nd time he’s been arrested since protests started last June. Police apparently spent several hours searching his mansion in Ho Man Tin.
This is the 3rd & largest round of mass arrests of pro-democracy leaders since protests started last June. On Aug 29&30, 9 were arrested, incl @joshuawongcf @chowtingagnes & @loktinau (also arrested today). On Nov 8, the day Chow Tsz-lok died, 7 Legco members were arrested.
.@chrf_hk convenor Jimmy Sham says all will be united in opposing the crackdown on pro-democracy leaders. The greater the oppression, the greater the resistance. Plans are already underway & police have been informed of a mass march on July 1. news.rthk.hk/rthk/en/compon…
Dozens are protesting outside Cheung Sha Wan police station, where some arrestees are being held. Police've threatened them w arrest for breaking coronavirus ban on gatherings of more than 4. We've feared the police would use that public health measure for political repression
Police say the 14 were arrested for 'organizing & participating in unlawful assemblies' on Oct 1 & 20, 2019. 5 are also suspected of unlawful assembly on Sep 30 & Oct 19. All will be prosecuted- 1st hearing on May 18. thestandnews.com/politics/4-18-…
Martin Lee, the 81yo godfather of the #HK pro-democracy movement, has just been released from jail. He's charged w organizing & participating in the Aug 18 protest. I think it's his 1st arrest ever. He says, 'I am finally a defendant. I am proud.' inmediahk.net/node/1072578
Legco member Leung Yiu-chung was also reportedly arrested after attending a Legco Finance Committee meeting. He’s the 15th pro-democracy leader arrested today. It’s his 2nd arrest since protests began in June. Previously he’d never been arrested.
Margaret Ng’s just been released following her arrest. Like Martin Lee, she’s a lawyer & this is her 1st arrest ever. She used to represent the Legco legal functional constituency. She says the arrest made her see 1st-hand the heroic work of volunteer lawyers defending protesters
2 of today’s arrestees, Margaret Ng & Cyd Ho, are trustees of the 612 Humanitarian Relief Fund which has raised over HK$100 million to help arrested protesters. Ironic they too have now joined that group. The fund released a statement saying its work is unaffected by the arrests.
