HONG KONG (AP) — The Latest on the protests in Hong Kong (all times local):
1:35 p.m.
Demosisto’s vice-chairperson says the arrests of two prominent members of the pro-democracy group are an attempt to spread fear and “white terror” among Hong Kong residents.
Isaac Cheng spoke to reporters Friday about the arrests of activists Joshua Wong and Agnes Chow before Saturday’s banned rally. Cheng accused authorities of trying to identify leaders in a “leaderless” movement that has rocked Hong Kong for nearly three months.
Cheng says the Communist Party-ruled government in Beijing is pulling the strings and has “misjudged” the situation. He is urging residents to continue protesting despite a high risk of arrest.
Wong and Chow were arrested Friday on suspicion of participating in an unauthorized June protest and inciting others to join it.
___
12:40 p.m.
The organizers of a major pro-democracy march planned for Saturday in Hong Kong have called it off after an appeals board denied permission to hold it.
It’s unclear if protesters would still gather for any unauthorized demonstration.
Bonnie Leung of the Civil Human Rights Front said Friday that the group had no choice but to cancel the march because of concern for the physical and legal safety of participants.
Her organization had applied for permission to march to the Chinese government’s liaison office in Hong Kong. The march was planned to mark the fifth anniversary of China’s decision against allowing fully democratic elections for the leader of Hong Kong.
___
12:30 p.m.
Hong Kong police have confirmed the arrest of activist Joshua Wong and another member of the pro-democracy group Demosisto.
Police said Friday that Wong and Agnes Chow were being investigated for their role in a June 21 unauthorized protest outside a police station.
Both face potential charges of participating in the demonstration and inciting others to join it. Wong also is being investigated on suspicion of organizing it.
Demosisto said earlier that both had been taken to police headquarters in the morning.
___
10:30 a.m.
A pro-democracy group in Hong Kong says well-known activist Joshua Wong has been arrested.
Demosisto posted on its social media accounts that Wong had been pushed into a private car around 7:30 a.m. Friday and was taken to police headquarters. It later said another member, Agnes Chow, had been arrested as well.
Police did not immediately confirm either arrest.
Wong is secretary-general of the group and was one of the student leaders of major pro-democracy demonstrations in 2014.
He was released from prison in June after serving a two-month sentence related to that protest. He has been speaking out regularly in support of the pro-democracy protests that have racked Hong Kong this summer.
