Hundreds detained after huge pro-democracy protest in Hong Kong

Hong Kong police have arrested more than 500 people who participated at a "sit-in" in its city centre following a pro-democracy rally which reportedly drew over half a million protesters.

Police started clearing the demonstrators out of the street at 3am yesterday and continued until almost all of those gathered had been dispersed.

Most of those arrested were students but the protest attracted strong support from a broad cross-section of Hong Kong society.

There was minimal coverage in China’s state media.

Broadcaster CCTV said in a brief report that Hong Kong residents had gathered to celebrate the anniversary of 1997 handover, the year the former British colony returned to Chinese control.

Protesters claimed they would occupy the streets until the next morning despite police threats of "decisive action" against the "unlawful assembly".

Jonathan Lam, an attorney who has being giving legal counsel to the detained protesters said that 300 had already been released and that he expected the other 200 would be released soon.

He said he was worried about the remaining 200 people as police allegedly refused to provide detainees with sufficient amounts of food and water.

"I just hope the remaining 200 people will be released very soon, and that the next time the police organise such a big arrest, they'll be more prepared," he said.

No one has been formally charged over the demonstration.

Hong Kong operates under the constitutional principle of "one country, two systems", but China's leaders recently said that only "patriots" will be allowed to run for the position of Chief Executive of Hong Kong, the region's influential leadership position.

Source: The Guardian, Washington Post,

Author: Mitchell Ryan, Approving Editor: Martin Zavan