Hong Kong democracy activists at court for illegal assembly

More than two dozen pro-democracy activists appeared at West Kowloon Magistrates' Courts in Hong Kong on Thursday as hearings resumed for cases of participating in unlawful assembly.

y are accused of offences related to this year's annual candlelight vigil in memory of 1989 Tiananmen crackdown in Beijing.

defendants include some of best-kwn democracy vocates in Hong Kong, including businessman Jimmy Lai and activist Joshua Wong.

annual candlelight vigil has been a local institution for deces, but this year was first time police did t give formal permission for it to proceed, citing COVID-19 concerns.

activists went ahe with vigil anyway, and police did t prevent thousands of people from attending it. event passed peacefully.

" Hong Kong Alliance will be persistent in our right to mourn June 4th and we will continue even under National Security Law next year to light a candle inside Victoria Park to condemn massacre and mourn June 4th," said activist Lee Cheuk Yan.

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