9 MORE HELD FOR RALLIES VS BEIJING

HONGKONG— Nine democracy activists were arrested in Hong Kong on Thursday over an anti-Beijing protest, according to campaign groups, in the latest swoop by police as protesters said they were being persecuted.

Concerns are growing that the semiautonomous city’s freedoms are under threat from Beijing, fueling calls from some activists for greater autonomy or even a complete split from China.

Proindependence activists Yau Wai-ching and Baggio Leung were arrested and charged on Wednesday over causing chaos in the legislature after being barred from taking up their seats as lawmakers last year.

And last month, nine prodemocracy activists—including student protesters and lawmakers—were charged with their roles in mass 2014 prodemocracy Umbrella Movement rallies.

Xi visit

The spate of arrests came ahead of an expected visit by China’s President Xi Jinping to mark the 20th anniversary of the handover of the city by Britain back to China in 1997 on July 1.

“I believe the police have set out to arrest all street activists so they won’t dare to protest when Xi Jinping visits,” prodemocracy leader Joshua Wong told Agence France-Presse.

Nine activists were arrested on Thursday over their participation in a rally in November against China’s decision to intervene in the row over whether to disqualify Yau and Baggio, according to their party offices.

That protest outside China’s liaison office in Hong Kong saw scuffles as demonstrators charged barriers and police used pepper spray to drive them back.—