A former student leader has been arrested in relation to the storming of the Legislative Council building on July 1.
Althea Suen, a former president of the University of Hong Kong’s student union, was arrested on suspicion of conspiracy to destroy or damage property under the Crimes Ordinance, as well as “entering or remaining in precincts of Chamber” under the Legislative Council (Powers and Privileges) Ordinance.
According to a Facebook post – published to her account by a friend on behalf of Suen – police officers arrived at her home late Thursday with a search warrant. However, Suen was not at home at the time.
Suen, accompanied by a lawyer, went to the Wan Chai police headquarters at 2:30pm on Friday.
“Please do not worry, and give more focus to the other arrested [protesters] during the mass arrests over these few days,” the post said. “Liberate Hong Kong!”
On July 1, hundreds of masked anti-government protesters broke into and vandalised the legislature in an escalation of events earlier in the day which saw police use pepper spray against crowds occupying thoroughfares in Admiralty.
Previously, the Hong Kong police have arrested four men in relation to the storming of the legislature, including a City University student journalist.
Suen’s detention came after the arrest of several high-profile activists over the space of 24-hours, including Joshua Wong, Agnes Chow and Andy Chan.
Since June, the police have arrested more than 900 people in relation to the ongoing anti-extradition law protests.
The ill-fated extradition bill would have allowed case-by-case fugitive transfers to China. Large-scale peaceful protests have morphed into – sometimes violent – displays of dissent over Beijing’s encroachment, democracy, alleged police brutality, surveillance and other community grievances.
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