Arrest of three HK lawmakers heightens tension

A protester kicks away a police teargas shell as they clash outside a shopping mall in Hong Kong, on Sunday. Pic/AP/PTI

Hong Kong: The city police on Saturday arrested three pro-democracy lawmakers and filed charges against an equal number as protesters mourned the death of Chow Tsz-Lok, a 22-year-old who a day before had succumbed to injuries sustained after he fell from a parking garage during the ongoing clashes last week. The arrests of the lawmakers, who were detained and charged with obstructing the local assembly during a rowdy meeting on May 11 over the extradition bill, could further stoke the protest movement, now in its 24th week, Al Jazeera reported.

Pro-democracy legislators said the clampdown was a calculated move after Chow's death to provoke more violence, which would then be used as an excuse to postpone or cancel the November 24 district elections, which will be viewed as a barometer of public sentiments amid the unrest. "We'll say no to their plans," legislator Tanya Chan was quoted as saying at a press conference. Agencies

'Police watchdog unequipped'

HK's police watchdog is unequipped to investigate the force's handling of months of pro-democracy protests, a panel of international experts appointed by the city's own government has found.

600
No. of people who have been charged since protests started

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