Hong Kong riot police (L) issue a warning as they plan to clear away people gathered in the Central district of downtown Hong Kong on May 27, 2020, as the city鈥檚 legislature debates over a law that bans insulting China鈥檚 national anthem. 鈥� A few hundred protesters chanted slogans during a lunchtime rally in the city鈥檚 Central district but dispersed when officers fired multiple rounds of irritant-filled pellets, AFP reporters on the scene said. (Photo by Anthony WALLACE / AFP)
HONG KONG, China 鈥� Hong Kong police cast a dragnet around the financial hub鈥檚 legislature on Wednesday and fired pepper-ball rounds in the commercial district as they stamped down on protests against a bill banning insults to China鈥檚 national anthem.
The latest unrest comes days after China announced separate plans to impose a sweeping national security law on Hong Kong following last year鈥檚 huge and often violent pro-democracy rallies.
That move has prompted US President Donald Trump to warn that Hong Kong might lose its status as a global financial centre if the city鈥檚 freedoms and vaunted judicial independence are swept aside.
Wednesday鈥檚 protests were sparked by a debate over a new law that will criminalise insults to the national anthem with up to three years in jail, the latest measure activists say is eroding freedoms in the city.
Police surrounded the city鈥檚 legislature with water-filled barriers and conducted widespread stop-and-search operations in a bid to deter mass gatherings.
Small flashmob rallies in the districts of Causeway Bay, Mongkok and Central, the latter broken up by officers firing crowd-control rounds filled with a pepper-based irritant.
Police said 240 people were arrested on suspicion of holding an unlawful assembly. Live images showed many of those being led away were teenagers.
鈥楳artial law鈥�
鈥淚t鈥檚 like a de facto curfew now,鈥� Nathan Law, a prominent pro-democracy advocate told AFP. 鈥淚 think the government has to understand why people are really angry.鈥�
鈥淵ou can see there are police every corner, it鈥檚 like martial law in force,鈥� added a woman, who gave her nickname Bean, after she was searched.
In a statement police said they 鈥渞espect the right of residents to express their views peacefully, but it must be carried out legally鈥�, adding crowds were blocking roads.
Public gatherings of more than eight people are currently banned under emergency anti-coronavirus measures, although the city has halted its outbreak.
Requests by civil society groups to hold protests have been denied for months by authorities citing both the pandemic and last year鈥檚 unrest.
Under the 鈥渙ne country, two systems鈥� model agreed before the city鈥檚 return from Britain to China, Hong Kong is supposed to be guaranteed certain liberties until 2047 that are denied to those on the mainland.
The deal fuelled the city鈥檚 rise as a world-class financial centre and gave Chinese companies a crucial channel to raise capital.
But in recent years political unrest has swept through the city, something Beijing鈥檚 communist rulers are determined to end.
The legislature was blockaded and later trashed by demonstrators during last year鈥檚 protests as officials tried to fast-track an eventually scrapped bill allowing extraditions to the authoritarian mainland.
Police said officers uncovered some Molotov cocktails as well as other 鈥渋llegal鈥� items such as gas masks, hammers and pliers during stop-and-search operations Wednesday.
Anthem booed
Hong Kong鈥檚 pro-Beijing government has vowed to pass the national anthem law as soon as possible.
鈥淎s Hong Kongers, we have a moral responsibility to respect the national anthem,鈥� Matthew Cheung, Hong Kong鈥檚 de facto deputy leader, told reporters before the debate began.
Beijing has been infuriated by Hong Kongers 鈥� especially football fans 鈥� booing the national anthem to signal dissatisfaction with China.
The city鈥檚 pro-democracy opposition say the bill is a fresh attempt to criminalise dissent.
Fights have broken out between rival lawmakers over the legislation.
Pro-democracy politicians are prevented from holding a majority in the legislature, only some of whose members are elected by popular vote.
Wednesday marked the bill鈥檚 second reading and the debate is set to continue into next week when it will likely be approved and become law.
Security law
Beijing portrays Hong Kong鈥檚 democracy protests as a foreign-backed plot to destabilise the motherland.
Activists say their rallies, which have been attended by millions, are the only way to voice opposition in a city without fully free elections.
Last week Beijing announced plans to enact legislation banning secession, subversion, terrorism and foreign interference.
That law, which has yet to be published in full, will bypass the legislature and be drawn up directly by Beijing.
One measure announced includes plans to allow China鈥檚 security agencies and secret police to openly set up shop in Hong Kong for the first time.
The move has alarmed investors and some western governments, with the stock market suffering its biggest drop in five years last week.