HK politicians arrested over LegCo meeting mayhem

Seven Hong Kong opposition political figures, including incumbent and former legislators, were arrested on Sunday in connection with havoc that broke out during a Legislative Council meeting on May 8.

The arrestees have been granted bail and their cases will be taken up at Eastern Magistrates' Courts in the special administrative region on Thursday.

Democratic Party lawmakers Wu Chi-wai, Andrew Wan Siu-kin, Helena Wong Pik-wan, the Labour Party's Fernando Cheung Chiu-hung and Steven Kwok Wing-kin, and former lawmakers Eddie Chu Hoi-dick and Raymond Chan Chi-chuen confirmed their arrests on their social media accounts.

In a statement, the police said six men and one woman, aged 33 to 63, were arrested on suspicion of contempt and interference with officers under the Legislative Council (Powers and Privileges) Ordinance. If convicted, they could face up to 12 months in prison and fines of HK$10,000(US$1,290).

At a media briefing Sunday afternoon, Superintendent Chan Wing-yu of the Hong Kong Island Regional Crime Headquarters said an in-depth investigation was carried out after the force received a report from the LegCo Secretariat on May 8, and the arrests were made after consultation with the Department of Justice.

Chan stressed that the arrests had nothing to do with the individuals' social status or political background, but were made in accordance with law and evidence gathered during the investigation. All CCTV footage recorded of the event is being examined and the context of the entire incident taken into account.

The police added that the investigation is still underway, and they did not rule out the possibility that more arrests could follow.

On May 8, 2020, a special afternoon meeting of the Legislative Council's House Committee descended into mayhem after the opposition lawmakers arrested allegedly engaged in shouting and scuffles and the chairwoman Starry Lee Wai-king ordered them to be thrown out.

The meeting was held to end the delay of the committee's chairperson election, which opposition lawmakers had dragged out for seven months, also having put on hold at least 14 bills, including the extension of maternity leave from 10 weeks to 14 weeks.

At the meeting, former opposition lawmaker Eddie Chu Hoidick climbed onto the wall behind the podium trying to break through a security cordon, while other opposition lawmakers shouted slogans in the meeting hall and repeatedly stormed a defensive line formed by security guards in front of the chairperson's desk, where Lee was seated.

Steven Kwok Wing-kin was seen tossing paper across the chamber from the public galleries.

Lee's repeated calls to order went unheeded and the opposition lawmakers did not comply and insisted on disrupting the meeting. One lawmaker and a security guard were injured in the incident. The pandemonium forced Lee to adjourn the meeting.