- Party says Department of Justice issues summons to vice-chairman Isaac Cheng and two others for ‘violating executive order’ on March 16
- Trio had stormed the desk of national anthem bill committee chairman Martin Liao during a public hearing on the proposed law
Three members of Hong Kong's localist party Demosisto were prosecuted on Thursday for their protest at a meeting of the national anthem bill committee in the legislature half a year ago, the group said.
Demosisto wrote on its Facebook page on Friday night that the Department of Justice had issued summons to party vice-chairman Isaac Cheng Ka-long and two others in accordance with the Legislative Council (Powers and Privileges) Ordinance.
"The trio violated the executive order under the ordinance in the legislature meeting room on March 16 this year," the summons posted by the party read.
The party stated the trio would appear in Eastern Court on October 14.
On March 16, the trio stormed the desk of committee chairman Martin Liao Cheung-kong during a public hearing on the proposed national anthem law.
Legislative Council president Andrew Leung Kwan-yuen said the incident had been reported to police after a security guard was injured during the scuffle and had to go on eight days' sick leave.
Demosisto slammed the department on Friday for spreading "white terror" and laying charges ahead of the National Day on October 1 for what the trio had done six months ago.
China imposes national anthem law on Hong Kong
"Suppression against opponents of the government has intensified," the Facebook post read.
"The prosecution (has) further clamped our freedom of speech and fight for democracy."
The Post has contacted the department for comment.
The proposed national anthem bill " which has drawn criticism from the pro-democracy bloc " would make it an offence and outline punishment for wilful altering or insulting of March of the Volunteers, or for singing it in "a distorted or derogatory" manner.
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