Police officers detained and searched 15 people on the anniversary of Hong Kong’s handover, citing national security and public order.
The 15, who included five men and 10 women aged between 25 and 73, were detained in Wan Chai and eastern Hong Kong Island on Wednesday, police said in a response to HKFP.
Among them, a 32-year-old man was taken by the police for further investigation after he was stopped and searched. He was then released.
“Based on past experience and risk assessments, and in response to the situation and operational needs, the police deployed appropriate manpower on the afternoon of July 1 to protect national security, public safety and public order,” the Chinese-language response said.
The collective reported that activist Lee Ying-chi, who was arrested for alleged sedition under Hong Kong’s security law two years ago, was chased by the police in Causeway Bay.
Lee wore a T-shirt with Mao Zedong’s slogan “serve the people”.
She told a reporter from The Collective that she was stopped and searched in the morning when she went swimming in Wan Chai, and that the police sent her to the MTR station after she finished swimming. Cops were also waiting for her outside a church at noon when she arrived to attend a church function.
Lee said she didn’t necessarily feel scared, but she thought the police chasing her was absurd.
“I am small and old. What can I do?” Lee told The Collective in Cantonese.
The traditional day of protest
July 1 marked the 29th anniversary of Hong Kong’s return to Chinese rule in 1997.
Prior to the passage of the Beijing-imposed national security law, the day usually saw tens of thousands of Hongkongers taking part in pro-democracy marches. The procession usually started from Victoria Park in Causeway Bay and ended at the seat of government at Admiralty.
Hong Kong police banned the traditional march in 2020, citing pandemic-related restrictions at the time. However, thousands of protesters still showed up in Causeway Bay that day amid heavy police deployment. Seventy people were arrested.
In full: Timeline: Hong Kong’s July 1 Dissent Carnival – How 17 Years of Protest Demands Were Silenced
In 2021, police banned the large-scale march, again citing pandemic restrictions.
That night, a man stabbed a police officer outside the Sogo store before killing himself.
In August of that year, the pro-democracy group Civil Front of Human Rightswhich organized some of the largest pro-democracy demonstrations including the July 1 marches, disbanded.
