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Hong Kong police arrest activist Joshua Wong

Hong Kong police have arrested prominent democracy activist Joshua Wong for his involvement in last year’s protests.

He said authorities claimed he was arrested was for participating in an unauthorized assembly in October 2019 and for violating the city's anti-mask law.

The law, which is no longer in place, prevented people from wearing masks in public in order to help police identify protesters.

23-year-old Wong is the latest in a string of activists being charged after last year’s pro-democracy protests.

The unrest prompted Beijing to impose a sweeping national security law on June 30.

It punishes anything China considers as subversion, secession, terrorism, and collusion with foreign forces, with up to life in prison.

Speaking to the media after being released on bail - Wong had this to say:

"I urge the international community, instead of only focusing on prominent activists just like me, I wish more people can pay attention to how twelve detainees are still being detained in Shenzhen, with the secret detention, which is (a) total (violation of) human rights, and it is time to urge the government to stop the political prosecution. The chilling effect is not the way out, and it will not cause us to surrender."

His long-time colleague, Agnes Chow, and two other activists were among 10 people arrested in August on suspicion of violating the new law.

Media tycoon Jimmy Lai was also detained weeks earlier on suspicion of colluding with foreign forces.

Wong was just 17 years old when he became the face of the 2014 student-led Umbrella Movement democracy protests, but he was not a leading figure of the often-violent unrest that shook Hong Kong last year.

Wong has been a frequent visitor to Washington. He appealed to the U.S. Congress to support Hong Kong's democracy movement.

His visits drew anger from Beijing, which says he is a "black hand" of foreign forces.