Pro-Beijing groups protest outside press club against talk by pro-independence activist Andy Chan

Pro-Beijing groups protested on Tuesday outside the Foreign Correspondents’ Club against pro-independence activist Andy Chan’s luncheon talk.

At least four groups of around 50 people appeared outside the Club at around 11am. One group marched from Pedder Street in Central to the Club on Lower Albert Road.

See also: Video: In full – Activist Andy Chan says Hong Kong independence is the only path to democracy at press club talk

Patrick Ko, the leader of Voice of Loving Hong Kong, said Hong Kong independence advocates must be stopped.

“[Those who commit] treason have no freedom of speech,” he said. “Independence advocates get out of Hong Kong!”

Jimmy Tso, the leader of another group, said the FCC should be kicked out of Hong Kong, denouncing it as a “base of anti-China sentiments.”

“It is the government’s responsibility to fight against secession and enact Article 23,” he said, referring to the national security law legislation stipulated by the Basic Law.

Another pro-Beijing group said they will arrive at the FCC around 11:30, after a short march to the Government Headquarters in Admiralty to demand the enactment of the national security law.

A pro-democracy group said it will arrive by noon to support the FCC, while a pro-independence group said it will arrive by noon to “protect” Chan.

Chan posted on Facebook around 10:30am saying he was already safely inside the FCC, and thanked everyone for their concern.

Full coverage:

• Hong Kong ‘being annexed & destroyed by China’, says independence activist
• Beijing says press club hurt the feelings of 1.4bn Chinese people by hosting activist
• In full – Andy Chan says independence is the only path to democracy
• CY Leung equates independence activist’s talk with Nazism, racism
• Journalists Assoc. expresses ‘extreme regret’ over RTHK ban on live-streaming talk
• RTHK bans staff from live-streaming pro-independence activist’s press club speech
• CY Leung raised issue of Correspondents’ Club lease before,  ex-board member says
• CY Leung says he is not threatening press club over pro-independence speaker
• Head of press club refutes claim it pays gov’t ‘token rent’
• Ex-governor Chris Patten hits back at Beijing over press club row
• Ex-leader CY Leung hits out at correspondents’ club over activist talk
• Pro-independence activist Andy Chan condemns move to censor talk
• Beijing tries to block pro-independence activist Andy Chan talk at press club