Police detain protesters at busy Hong Kong mall during Dragon Boat Festival
Jun 25, 2020
Hong Kong, June 25 : The Hong Kong police on Thursday dispersed dozens of protesters who gathered at the Yuen Long shopping centre to mark the Chinese Dragon Boat Festival holiday.
"On #DragonBoatFestival, dozens of protestors are staging a protest inside a shopping mall in #YuenLong, disrupting families and shoppers. Police dispersal and arrest operations are underway. Disperse peacefully. #HKProtest," the city police wrote on Twitter.
City-wide protests have been taking place sporadically in Hong Kong since June 2019, with protesters claiming to oppose China's increasing influence on the special administrative region. The latest wave of protests was caused by a security bill specially tailored by Beijing for Hong Kong.
"#HKPolice strongly condemn the groundless and malicious accusations by #appledaily claiming that some arrested persons had been sexually abused by officers. We welcome them to come forward and make a report to serve the justice right," the police further said.
The security legislation, which bans secessionist activities, among other things, is seen by Hong Kong residents as undermining their liberties. However, both Hong Kong's leadership and the central government say the bill would not affect the legitimate rights of the residents. Beijing maintains that the unrest in Hong Kong is a result of international interference and vows to respect the "one country, two systems" principle.
