Hundreds Arrested On New Year's Day In Hong Kong

Around 400 people were arrested during a pro-democracy rally in Hong Kong on New Year's Day, according to Reuters.

What Happened

Thousands of people gathered for a pro-democracy rally in Hong Kong on New Year, but the peaceful event soon turned into chaotic scenes.

Police fired tear gas to disperse the crowds and arrested around 400 protesters on Wednesday.

Clashes erupted within a few hours, mainly after police arrested some protesters in the Wan Chai bar district near a branch of global banking group HSBC Holdings plc HSBC.

The HSBC bank was targeted by the protesters several times in the past few months after they closed an account of a fund-raising platform for the anti-extradition movement in November 2019. 

Why It Matters

With Wednesday’s 400 arrests, a total of 7,000 people were arrested in Hong Kong since June 2019.

Protests sparked in June over a proposed bill that would allow extraditions to mainland China.

Hong Kong's legislature formally scrapped the controversial extradition bill in October 2019.

The arrests on Wednesday were made for unlawful assembly and possession of offensive weapons, said Senior Superintendent Ng Lok-Chun to reporters.

Photo Credit: Studio Incendo via Wikimedia