Two pro-democracy District Council election candidates – Osman Cheng and Man Nim-chi – have been charged following their arrests at a peaceful protest on Saturday.
Cheng and Man were charged with unlawful assembly and obstruction of police. Richard Chan was also arrested for unlawful assembly, but remains in hospital after he was tackled and pepper-sprayed by police.
The candidates said they were conducting an election meeting ahead of the District Council election on November 24. However, all three were arrested in Causeway Bay’s Victoria Park as demonstrators gathered.
Election meetings under 50 people do not require candidates to seek police permission. Over 100 pro-democracy candidates gathered at the park to hold a rally.
The election meeting came after police banned a pro-democracy protest rally at the same location. Officers used tear gas to clear the venue – a traditional site of peaceful demonstration in Hong Kong.
During the clearance, Chan was pepper-sprayed in his face after he was subdued by officers.
Their cases were mentioned at the Eastern Magistrates’ Courts on Monday afternoon.
11.2 防暴警驅散維園舉行「選民聚會」的民主派區議會參選人，部份候選人與警方理論，期間三人被捕，包括出選大埔頌汀的文念志、大埔林村谷的陳振哲、沙田鞍泰的鄭仲恒。三人今午於東區裁判法院提堂，警方使用藍色小巴載上庭，車身落簾。報道全文：https://bit.ly/2PMCVCu
Posted by Stand News 立場新聞 on Sunday, 3 November 2019
Osman Cheng is running in the On Tai constituency in Sha Tin. Chiu Man-leong and Leroy Tong are also running. Man Nim-chi is running in Chung Ting constituency in Tai Po where Eric Tam is also a contender. And Richard Chan is running in Lam Tsuen Valley constituency in Tai Po against Chan Cho-leung.
Hong Kong has now entered into its 22nd weekend of protest and unrest, which was sparked by a now-withdrawn extradition bill that would have enabled fugitive transfers to mainland China.
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