Hong Kong protest leader Joshua Wong charged by police

According to AFP, Hong Kong student movement leaders, including Joshua Wong, were prosecuted by the country's police on January 16 as the Hong Kong (China) government targeted the leaders of the protests that shook the special administrative region late last year.

"I was detained for three hours and taken into custody for inciting and inciting others to participate in an illegal protest," Wong, 18, told reporters at Hong Kong police headquarters.

Joshua Wong and his colleagues speak in front of Hong Kong police headquarters on January 16 (Source: Reuters)

According to Reuters, dozens of people gathered in front of the police station on January 16, holding banners with yellow umbrellas, the symbol of the protest movement, and chanting slogans in support of the students.

Reuters reported that three students, Oscar Lai, Agnes Chow and Derek Lam, were also detained by police for two hours and charged with similar crimes. However, all have been released, with only Wong continuing to work with the police.

Speaking before entering police headquarters, Wong said he was not nervous and that police had notified him of the arrest warrant in early January.

The protest movement against the Chief Executive election system, which has been in place since 2017, began in September 2014 when protesters attempted to occupy government headquarters.

Both the Hong Kong government and the Chinese central government consider this an illegal protest and affirm that they will maintain the approved election system./.

According to VNA