MOSCOW, September 2 (RIA Novosti) - Police officers in Hong Kong have arrested 19 individuals who were taking part in a series of protests sparked by Beijing’s decision to vet and select candidates for the upcoming elections, Reuters reports.
Protesters were detained for “forcibly [pushing] the mills barriers, [charging] the police cordon line and [dashing] onto the carriageway,” police said in a statement on Tuesday, according to AFP.
Activists gathered in front of the Grand Hyatt Hotel where Li Fei, vice secretary-general of the National People's Congress (NPC) Standing Committee, was staying. The senior official was sent to the former British colony to explain Beijing’s decision to prescreen candidates.
On August 31, China announced that it would be vetting those who want run for the position of Hong Kong’s chief executive, with the next election slated for 2017. The poll will mark the first time the head of the local government will be chosen directly by the people and not appointed by the 1,200-strong election committee.
Chan Kin-man, the co-founder of the Occupy Central protest group, branded Beijing’s actions as “handpicked politics in the disguise of universal suffrage”, in a statement published on the group’s website. He added that “it is quite unrealistic to think that our action will change the decision made by Beijing,” as quoted by AFP. Nevertheless, the activist has vowed to continue protests.
Hong Kong, which became part of China on July 1, 1997, is governed according to a “one country, two systems” principle. The 7-million region enjoys wide autonomy in all areas except foreign relations and defense.
The incumbent chief executive of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government, Leung Chun-Ying, was elected in 2012. Leung has stated that Hong Kong’s government support Beijing’s decision.
