Three leading separatists arrested, Hong Kong police confirm

(People's Daily Online/Photo)

Three of Hong Kong's leading separatists – including leader of the illegal Occupy movement Joshua Wong Chi-fung and founder of a banned separatist party Andy Chan Ho-tin - have been arrested.

Co-founder of Wong's separatist party Demosisto, Agnes Chow Ting, was also arrested on Friday morning at home.

Hong Kong police confirmed the arrest of the three, but did not provide any further details.

Wong was arrested on Friday morning, and both Wong and Ting are said to have been taken to the Wan Chai police headquarters on Hong Kong Island.

Chan, founder of the Hong Kong National Party, a party banned in 2018 under allegations of "Hong Kong independence" advocation, was arrested late Thursday night under suspicion of rioting and assaulting a police officer at the Hong Kong International Airport when he was about to leave for Japan.

On Aug 1, Chan, together with another 10 people in two separate crackdowns, were arrested in Fo Tan, New Territories of Hong Kong, for possessing offensive weapons and explosives without a license. The case is believed to be connected to the violent protests that have gripped the city since June 9. He was later released on bail and is due to report to the police in relation to the events in September.

Demosisto, of which Wong is a leader and Chow a co-founder, said in a social media post that Wong was arrested under three charges around 7:30 am this morning on his way to the South Horizon metro station, in a southern part of Hong Kong. It later stated Chow was also arrested.

In January 2018, Chow was disqualified by the Electoral Affairs Commission of Hong Kong from standing in an election for a seat in the city's legislature, as she was found to have violated the Basic Law.