Police Can Expect More Resistance Now: Jimmy Sham

Civil Human Rights Front convenor Jimmy Sham has warned that the authorities should expect resistance from frontline and peaceful demonstrators alike in light of Saturday's mass arrests, announcing that plans are already underway for a large-scale protest on July 1.

More than a dozen high-profile figures were rounded up on Saturday morning, in connection with several anti-government protests last year, including major demonstrations on August 18 and October 1.

Sham, who is also a district councillor in Sha Tin, was among around 20 people who gathered outside Cheung Sha Wan Police Station on Saturday afternoon to protest against the arrests.

The group chanted "five demands, not one less" and "free Hong Kong".

The demonstrators said police are selectively making arrests, being as more than a million people had taken to the streets on some of these protest days, with a mass rally on Hong Kong Island on August 18 and protests across the city on October 1.

"Police no longer discriminate whether protesters are peaceful or violent, as they have arrested pro-democracy figures known to be peaceful, like Martin Lee, Yeung Sum and Sin Chung-kai. So people will continue to resist as one, no matter whether they’re peaceful or violent," Sham said.

Although the protests have died down since the coronavirus crisis erupted, Sham said the police have already been informed that plans are in place to hold the annual July 1 demonstration as usual.