HONG KONG-PROTEST/STUDENT LEADER Hong Kong student leader reports to the police

Record ID: 146710

  • Title: HONG KONG-PROTEST/STUDENT LEADER Hong Kong student leader reports to the police
  • Date: 14th July 2015
  • Summary: HONG KONG, CHINA (JULY 14, 2015) (REUTERS) STUDENT LEADERS, CONVENER OF STUDENT GROUP SCHOLARISM JOSHUA WONG (RIGHT) AND SECRETARY GENERAL OF HONG KONG FEDERATION OF STUDENTS, NATHAN LAW (SECOND TO RIGHT) CHANTING SLOGANS WONG CHANTING SLOGANS WONG HOLDING PLACARD READING (Chinese): "SHAME. POLITICAL PERSECUTION" WORDS ON YELLOW UMBRELLA READING (English): "UMBRELLA REVOLU
  • Embargoed: 29th July 2015 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: China
  • Country: China
  • Topics: General
  • Reuters ID: LVA1ZRGXE9PO9BGFPEBWXW3FL6IY
  • Aspect Ratio: 16:9
  • Story Text: Two student leaders, including 18-year-old Joshua Wong, reported to a police station on Tuesday (July 14) and were told they would formally face charges.
    Wong, the student leader and convener of Student Group Scholarism, and Nathan Law, the secretary general of the Hong Kong Federation of Students, are under investigation for allegedly obstructing the police during a small protest last June, months before the Occupy movement kicked off.
    Dozens rallied last June outside of the Liaison Office, a symbol of Beijing in Hong Kong, against the Chinese State Council's "white paper" document which warned Hong Kong there were limits to Hong Kong's freedom.
    Wong said the protest, where people burned copies of the document, had been peaceful and he did not understand why he was to face arrest for it.
    "I am quite disappointed and shocked with the arrangement of the policemen. Actually, if we are involved in civil disobedience and the police try to arrest us, it is in our expectation. But while we just organize a peaceful rally, do not violate any law and principle, I don't know why they still arrest us," Wong said.
    He also added that he believed he was being politically persecuted.
    "I believe there must be some political motivation behind this. But whether it is the Hong Kong government or the Central Government, well, I think there's no need to make this speculation, because in this regard the Central Government and the Hong Kong government are basically the same," he said.
    Wong had previously reported to another police station in January for his role in the months-long pro-democracy protests that paralyzed parts of the former British colony. He was released without charge.
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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