U.S. lawyer among 53 arrested in huge crackdown on Hong Kong pro-democracy figures – By CBS/AP (CBS News) / January 6 2021
Hong Kong — Hong Kong police arrested 53 former lawmakers and democracy proponents on Wednesday, including an American human rights lawyer, for allegedly violating a new national security law by participating in unofficial election primaries for the territory’s legislature last year. The mass arrests were the biggest action against Hong Kong’s democracy movement since the law was imposed by Beijing last June to quell dissent in the semi-autonomous territory.
“The operation today targets the active elements who are suspected to be involved in the crime of overthrowing, or interfering (and) seriously destroy the Hong Kong government’s legal execution of duties,” said John Lee, Hong Kong’s security minister, in a news conference.
American human rights lawyer John Clancey, center, is arrested by police in Hong Kong, January 6, 2021.
He said those arrested were suspected of trying to paralyze the government through by gaining a majority of seats in the legislature and thus creating a situation in which the chief executive had to resign and the government would stop functioning.
In a video posted to the Facebook page of former lawmaker Lam Cheuk-ting, police are seen turning up at his house and telling him he’s “suspected of violating the national security law, subverting state power.” Police told those recording the video to stop or risk arrest.
