- Officers from police’s organised crime and triad bureau detained four men and a woman, aged 20 to 22, for conspiracy to desecrate national flag
- Incident occurred on August 3, after tens of thousands of protesters defied a police ban and marched to Tsim Sha Tsui following anti-government rally
Five people in Hong Kong have been arrested for removing the national flag from a flagpole in Tsim Sha Tsui and throwing it into the sea earlier this month.
Officers from the police's organised crime and triad bureau detained four men and a woman, aged 20 to 22, in Mong Kok, Ma On Shan, Sham Shui Po, Ngau Tau Kok and Wong Tai Sin on Wednesday and Thursday.
Police seized computers, mobile phones and clothes from their homes.
They were detained for conspiracy to desecrate the national flag.
The flag, which was flying on one of five flagpoles outside the Harbour City shopping centre, was taken down by several black-clad protesters and thrown into Victoria Harbour on August 3, after tens of thousands of people defied a police ban and marched to the area following an anti-government rally in Tai Kok Tsui.
Police ban marches as Hong Kong readies for 11th weekend of mass protests
The flag incident drew sharp rebukes from the city's leader, mainland authorities and state media.
After the act, Chief Executive Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor, the Hong Kong and Macau Affairs Office under the State Council, China's cabinet, and the central government's liaison office strongly condemned the protesters involved.
Former chief executive Leung Chun-ying, a vice-chairman of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, a top advisory body, said on Facebook he would offer HK$1 million (US$127,600) to anyone who could provide information about the act, so the person responsible could be brought to justice.
The editor of the nationalistic state-run tabloid Global Times also lashed out at Harbour City for "kowtowing" to protesters and not doing enough to protect the national flag.
Under Hong Kong law, a person who publicly and wilfully desecrates the national flag can be fined up to HK$50,000 or jailed for three years.
Copyright (c) 2019. South China Morning Post Publishers Ltd. All rights reserved.
Stanley Kam Hong Kong is sick because thousands of 5 hair-cockroaches out there
They will not say sorry after they did bad things
They feel strong when saying patriotic
They will be weak when others they face the truth
They will beat you but they will not be mercy
They will block your speech if they want
They want marshall law but they don’t want to apply to themselves
They are stupid and disgrace all the time
Lots of reporters hate them but live with them
What are they?
They are the Hong Kong 5 hair
2019年08月16日08:08
Stephen Hong Kong is sick because thousands of Polite-cockroaches out there
They will say sorry after they did bad things
They feel strong when wearing mask
They will be weak when others take off their masks
They will not kill you but they will kick your ass
They will block your way if they want
They want freedom but they don’t care your freedom
They are clever and hide behind the compassion human
Lots of reporters like them and live with them
What are they?
They are the Hong Kong protesters!
2019年08月16日07:35
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