- Constable was taken into custody alongside his girlfriend and her mother in early hours of Friday morning
- Force says 31-year-old anti-riot officer based at Castle Peak Police Station has been suspended from duty
An off-duty Hong Kong police officer, his girlfriend and her mother were among eight people arrested in the early hours of Friday morning as they were building a "Lennon Wall" in the city.
The 31-year-old constable from Castle Peak Police Station, who recently joined an anti-riot squad, was part of a group approached by police officers in Tuen Mun shortly before 3am.
He is the first member of the force to have been detained on suspicion of being involved in activities relating to the anti-government protests sweeping the city.
According to police, five men and three women aged 14 to 61 were arrested on suspicion of possessing anything with intent to destroy or damage property. Posters, an electric drill, a scraper and gloves were found on two of the suspects.
A police source said the officer had been suspended from duty.
"The force attaches high importance to the integrity of police officers," a spokesman said. "For any force member who commits illegal acts, the force will handle this seriously."
The group was arrested on Lung Mun Road near Tuen Tsing Lane, where they were suspected of building a "Lennon Wall" on roadside railings. The walls, which have been put up around the city over the past eight months, generally consists of Post-it notes, pictures and artwork in support of the anti-government movement.
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Newly elected Tuen Mun district councillor Nigel Lee Ka-wai said he came across the group when he was patrolling his constituency, and saw them standing in a line with a dozen officers next to them.
The group were arrested and taken to Castle Peak Police Station in two police vehicles.
Lee later helped them to liaise with two lawyers. Six were released on bail, with two, including the officer, still detained as of Friday night.
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