Dozens Arrested In Causeway Bay, Some Under New Law

Police said they had arrested more than 70 people in Causeway Bay on Wednesday afternoon, two of them under the national security law, as protesters took to the streets in defiance of a ban on a July 1 demonstration.

The police fired a water cannon and used pepper spray as crowds moved through the district's streets chanting various slogans. Journalists were among those hit by pepper spray on at least one occasion.

Police stopped people for searches, set up cordons and blocked off some roads.

As well as a blue flag to warn people they were taking part in an illegal assembly, officers repeatedly raised a new purple one, warning protesters their flags, chants or banners were illegal and they could be prosecuted for secession or subversion under the national security law.

The force said it had arrested more than 70 people on suspicion of violating the national security law, illegal assembly, obstructing the police and possessing offensive weapons.

Democratic Party lawmaker Andrew Wan was one of those detained. TV footage showed officers firing pepper spray at him at close range. It wasn't clear why the legislator was arrested.

Legislator Ray Chan said in a Twitter post that he and fellow People Power member Tam Tak-chi had been arrested. Tam was apparently dressed as a mainland public security officer at the time.

Meanwhile a man alleged to have been caught with a Hong Kong independence flag was arrested under the national security law.

A photo of the flag released by the police appeared to show someone had added tiny Chinese characters saying "no to" in front of the much larger English words "Hong Kong independence".

Police didn't say what offence the man was suspected of but announced on social media that this was their first arrest using the legislation imposed by Beijing on Tuesday night.

A post on Twitter showed the police had also arrested a female for carrying a handwritten sign which said "Hong Kong Independence" in Chinese and English and which had two small British and US flags attached.

Hours after the protest began, chanting was still breaking out now and then in and around Times Square.

A man who gave his surname as Chan was waving a flag bearing the silhouette of jailed pro-independence activist Edward Leung.

Chan said although he fears harsh punishment under the new legislation, he feels obliged to protest.

"China is using the law to reject all our demands and it doesn't want us to express our opinions anymore. I want to show this flag to the world to say we will not give up, and we will still keep fighting the Chinese government."

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