HONG KONG: Over 50 pro-democratic activists in Hong Kong were arrested on Wednesday for breaking the city’s contentious national security law, local media reported, in the biggest crackdown yet against the democratic opposition under the new law.
The arrests in the Asian financial hub included well known democratic figures and former lawmakers James To, Lam Cheuk Ting and Lester Shum, according to the Democratic Party’s Facebook page and public broadcaster RTHK.
Police did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
The Democratic Party’s Facebook page said police arrested the activists for participating in an independently organised ballot last year to select democractic candidates for an upcoming legislature election, which the Hong Kong government and Beijing warned at the time may violate the new law.
The attempt to win a majority in the 70-seat city legislature, which some candidates said could be used to block government proposals and increase pressure for…