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Hundreds of arrests at pro-democracy rally in Hong Kong

Image credit: LingHK / Shutterstock.com

More than 500 protesters are reported to have been arrested as part of a mass pro-democracy sit-in at Hong Kong’s business district.


The demonstrators were arrested for illegal assembly and obstructing police officers, police said.


The sit-in came after tens of thousands of protesters marched on Tuesday in what was described as the city’s largest democracy rally in a decade, the BBC reported.


Organisers said turnout at the rally was 510,000, while police said about 98,600 took part during the peak of the march.


The annual rally, marking the day Hong Kong was returned to China in 1997, was to demand full electoral freedom.


After the main march had ended, hundreds of protesters staged a sit-in in the city’s Central district.


Police said the sit-in was “unauthorised” and began removing some of the participants in the early hours of today.


Some demonstrators linked arms in an attempt to stop police from moving them.


Police said a total of 511 demonstrators – 351 men and 160 women – were arrested in the operation to clear the area.

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