Hong Kong police defend arrest of lawmakers

Police in Hong Kong on Sunday defended ir decision to arrest seven members of pro-democracy movement, including a number of current and former lawmakers. Superintendent Chan Wing-yu of Hong Kong Island regional crime squ said arrests h been me on basis of evidence alone.

"It's t about social status or political background," he told reporters. arrests were in relation to scuffles that broke out in city's legislature during a faceoff between pro-democracy and pro-Beijing lawmakers earlier this year.A police statement said that six men and one woman h been detained on suspicion of contempt and interfering with legislative members. It did t name m. statement said arrests are part of an investigation into a May 8 committee meeting in which pro-democracy lawmakers rushed toward chairperson's seat and security guards shoved back.

guards carried out several pro-democracy lawmakers, including Eddie Chu and Ray Chan, after y h been ordered to leave for disorderly conduct. Both stepped down on Sept. 30. Chan said on Twitter that he was arrested at 7 a.m. Sunday, and Hong Kong media said that Chu h also been arrested. Democratic Party said on its Facebook p that three of its legislative members h been arrested, including party chairman Wu Chi-wai. May 8 incident was first in a series of scuffles over a bill approved in June that me it illegal to insult Chinese national anm.

(Im Credit: AP) 

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