Hong Kong police arrest pro-democracy activists in biggest crackdown since protests began

The novel COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic had led to relative calm when it came to Hong Kong's pro-democracy, anti-government protests in recent months, but the city's police arrested at least 15 pro-democracy activists Saturday in connection with the mass demonstrations that took place throughout last year.

Media tycoon Jimmy Lai and former legislators Martin Lee, Albert Ho, Leung Kwok-hung, and Au Nok-Hin were among those arrested. Lee is reportedly considered the founding father of Hong Kong's democratic movement and helped write the city's Basic Law when it returned to Chinese rule in 1997.

Their supporters said the arrests were meant to squash dissent since they came after Beijing authorities complained about the democratic camp disrupting legislative proceedings, but Hong Kong's police chief denied that, The South China Morning Post reports.

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After Lee was released on bail later in the afternoon, he said he has no regrets about participating in the protests.

Per Al Jazeera, the raids were the biggest crackdown on the movement since the anti-government protests began last June in light of a since-abandoned extradition bill. Read more at Al Jazeera and The South China Morning Post.