Police Issue Security Law Warning To Mall Protesters

Police have dispersed protesters at various shopping malls across the SAR and warned of breaches of the security law as people responded to calls to demonstrate over the arrest of Apple Daily founder Jimmy Lai.

People gathered at shopping centres including Langham Place in Mong Kok, Sha Tin's New Town Plaza and Times Square in Causeway Bay on Tuesday evening, with many of them displaying copies of Apple Daily and chanting slogans.

At Langham Place, some officers were armed with long guns as the mall was closed. Large numbers of young people were stopped and searched.

Outside the mall on Portland Street, police displayed the purple banner indicating that people present might be violating the new National Security Law and deployed pepper spray.

Members of the force's media liaison team checked the credentials of journalists who were kept behind a police cordon.

Lai was arrested on Monday on suspicion of breaching the security law and conspiracy to defraud. His two sons and several executives were also arrested.