Drag Chan Ho-tin Before The Courts: Protesters

Thirty pro-Beijing activists staged a demonstration at Justice Place in Central on Wednesday, calling for the convenor of the now-banned Hong Kong National Party, Chan Ho-tin, to be prosecuted for sedition.

The Defend Hong Kong Campaign said it would be a dereliction of duty if Justice Secretary Teresa Cheng didn't press charges against Chan over his calls for Hong Kong independence.

The protesters said Cheng has been blind to the spread of separatist ideas and anti-China messages in schools.

They accused the minister of allowing "the cancer of independence" to grow by not prosecuting Chan, who they claimed was behind the appearance of other "separatist" groups in the city.

They also said that Article 23 national security laws must be introduced as soon as possible.

Chan's party was banned in September, with Security Secretary John Lee saying the group posed a "severe threat to public safety and national security."

Last month, the central government said it backed the move, but also ordered Chief Executive Carrie Lam to submit a report on the affair.