HK police arrest two protesters for obstruction of police duties in illegal rally

HONG KONG -- China's Hong Kong police arrested two protesters Sunday evening for obstruction of police duties and failure to provide their personal identifications in an illegal rally against China's top legislature's interpretation of the Hong Kong Basic Law.

A senior superintendent of the Hong Kong Island Regional Headquarters told the media that the police arrested the two males outside the central government liaison office in Hong Kong.

Thousands of protesters gathered outside the liaison office Sunday evening after participation in a march in the afternoon to protest against the Basic Law interpretation.

The police officer said the rally outside the liaison office was not permitted and condemned the protesters who used bricks and bamboo sticks to attack the police.

The protesters occupied and blocked the Des Voeux Road West to the south of the liaison office, pushing the police's iron fences with umbrellas and sticks.

The police used pepper spray to disperse the protesters.

Two legislators-elect of Hong Kong's sixth Legislative Council (LegCo) deliberately used curse words insulting the Chinese nation and the country when reading the oath on Oct. 12. Their oath was not accepted by the LegCo's oath supervisor.

While whether they deserve a second chance to take oath is widely debated, Hong Kong people from all circles have criticized and condemned the two.

Senior members of China's top legislature on Friday heard a report on a draft interpretation of Article 104 of the Hong Kong Basic Law which rules that the LegCo members must swear to uphold the Basic Law and swear allegiance to the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (SAR) of the People's Republic of China.

The liaison office's director Zhang Xiaoming met with about 200 Hong Kong's delegates to the National People's Congress and members of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference on Sunday to notify them the top legislature's incoming interpretation of the Basic Law.

Zhang noted that the central government holds a clear and firm stance to contain the spread of "Hong Kong Independence" by taking effective measures in accordance with law.

The central government will not allow pro-independence advocates to become LegCo lawmakers, Zhang stressed.