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Pro-democracy activists brought to court in Hong Kong

  • Former law professor Benny Tai, left, a key figure in Hong Kong's 2014 Occupy Central protests and also was one of the main organizers of the primaries, who was arrested under Hong Kong's national security law, arrives at a court in a police van in Hong Kong Monday, March 1, 2021. Hong Kong police on Sunday detained 47 pro-democracy activists on charges of conspiracy to commit subversion under the city's national security law, in the largest mass charge against the semi-autonomous Chinese territory's opposition camp since the law came into effect last June. (AP Photo/Apple Daily)
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    Hong Kong Activist Arrests

    Former law professor Benny Tai, left, a key figure in Hong Kong's 2014 Occupy Central protests and also was one of the main organizers of the primaries, who was arrested under Hong Kong's national security law, arrives at a court in a police van in Hong Kong Monday, March 1, 2021. Hong Kong police on Sunday detained 47 pro-democracy activists on charges of conspiracy to commit subversion under the city's national security law, in the largest mass charge against the semi-autonomous Chinese territory's opposition camp since the law came into effect last June. (AP Photo/Apple Daily)
    ASSOCIATED PRESS
  • From front left at front, Charles Whiteley, Deputy Head of Office, EU Office, Johannes Harms, Consul of Germany, Joakim Ladeborn, Deputy Consul General of Sweden, Rogier Hekking, Deputy Consul General of Netherlands queue up outside a court to try get in for the hearing in Hong Kong Monday, March 1, 2021. People gathered outside the court Monday to show support for 47 activists who were detained over the weekend under a new national security law that was imposed on the city by Beijing last year. (AP Photo/Vincent Yu)
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    Hong Kong Activist Arrests

    From front left at front, Charles Whiteley, Deputy Head of Office, EU Office, Johannes Harms, Consul of Germany, Joakim Ladeborn, Deputy Consul General of Sweden, Rogier Hekking, Deputy Consul General of Netherlands queue up outside a court to try get in for the hearing in Hong Kong Monday, March 1, 2021. People gathered outside the court Monday to show support for 47 activists who were detained over the weekend under a new national security law that was imposed on the city by Beijing last year. (AP Photo/Vincent Yu)
    ASSOCIATED PRESS
  • Supporters gesture as many people queue up outside a court to try to get in for a hearing in Hong Kong Monday, March 1, 2021. Pro-democracy activists detained by police on Sunday on charges of conspiracy to commit subversion under the sweeping national security law, are expected to appear in court. (AP Photo/Vincent Yu)
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    Hong Kong Activist Arrests

    Supporters gesture as many people queue up outside a court to try to get in for a hearing in Hong Kong Monday, March 1, 2021. Pro-democracy activists detained by police on Sunday on charges of conspiracy to commit subversion under the sweeping national security law, are expected to appear in court. (AP Photo/Vincent Yu)
    ASSOCIATED PRESS
  • Police officers stand guard as many supporters queue up outside a court to try to get in for a hearing in Hong Kong Monday, March 1, 2021. Pro-democracy activists detained by police on Sunday on charges of conspiracy to commit subversion under the sweeping national security law, are expected to appear in court. (AP Photo/Vincent Yu)
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    Hong Kong Activist Arrests

    Police officers stand guard as many supporters queue up outside a court to try to get in for a hearing in Hong Kong Monday, March 1, 2021. Pro-democracy activists detained by police on Sunday on charges of conspiracy to commit subversion under the sweeping national security law, are expected to appear in court. (AP Photo/Vincent Yu)
    ASSOCIATED PRESS
  • A woman holds a British flag as supporters queue up outside a court to try get in for a hearing in Hong Kong Monday, March 1, 2021. People gathered outside the court Monday to show support for 47 activists who were detained over the weekend under a new national security law that was imposed on the city by Beijing last year. (AP Photo/Vincent Yu)
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    Hong Kong Activist Arrests

    A woman holds a British flag as supporters queue up outside a court to try get in for a hearing in Hong Kong Monday, March 1, 2021. People gathered outside the court Monday to show support for 47 activists who were detained over the weekend under a new national security law that was imposed on the city by Beijing last year. (AP Photo/Vincent Yu)
    ASSOCIATED PRESS
  • Supporters queue up outside a court to try to get in for a hearing in Hong Kong Monday, March 1, 2021. Pro-democracy activists detained by police on Sunday on charges of conspiracy to commit subversion under the sweeping national security law, are expected to appear in court. (AP Photo/Vincent Yu)
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    Hong Kong Activist Arrests

    Supporters queue up outside a court to try to get in for a hearing in Hong Kong Monday, March 1, 2021. Pro-democracy activists detained by police on Sunday on charges of conspiracy to commit subversion under the sweeping national security law, are expected to appear in court. (AP Photo/Vincent Yu)
    ASSOCIATED PRESS
  • Police officers stand guard as supporters queue up outside a court to try get in for a hearing in Hong Kong Monday, March 1, 2021. People gathered outside the court Monday to show support for 47 activists who were detained over the weekend under a new national security law that was imposed on the city by Beijing last year. (AP Photo/Vincent Yu)
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    Hong Kong Activist Arrests

    Police officers stand guard as supporters queue up outside a court to try get in for a hearing in Hong Kong Monday, March 1, 2021. People gathered outside the court Monday to show support for 47 activists who were detained over the weekend under a new national security law that was imposed on the city by Beijing last year. (AP Photo/Vincent Yu)
    ASSOCIATED PRESS
  • A man holds a poster featuring famous pro-democracy activists outside a court in Hong Kong Monday, March 1, 2021. People gathered outside the court Monday to show support for 47 activists who were detained over the weekend under a new national security law that was imposed on the city by Beijing last year. (AP Photo/Vincent Yu)
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    Hong Kong Activist Arrests

    A man holds a poster featuring famous pro-democracy activists outside a court in Hong Kong Monday, March 1, 2021. People gathered outside the court Monday to show support for 47 activists who were detained over the weekend under a new national security law that was imposed on the city by Beijing last year. (AP Photo/Vincent Yu)
    ASSOCIATED PRESS
Former law professor Benny Tai, left, a key figure in Hong Kong's 2014 Occupy Central protests and also was one of the main organizers of the primaries, who was arrested under Hong Kong's national security law, arrives at a court in a police van in Hong Kong Monday, March 1, 2021. Hong Kong police on Sunday detained 47 pro-democracy activists on charges of conspiracy to commit subversion under the city's national security law, in the largest mass charge against the semi-autonomous Chinese territory's opposition camp since the law came into effect last June. (AP Photo/Apple Daily)
From front left at front, Charles Whiteley, Deputy Head of Office, EU Office, Johannes Harms, Consul of Germany, Joakim Ladeborn, Deputy Consul General of Sweden, Rogier Hekking, Deputy Consul General of Netherlands queue up outside a court to try get in for the hearing in Hong Kong Monday, March 1, 2021. People gathered outside the court Monday to show support for 47 activists who were detained over the weekend under a new national security law that was imposed on the city by Beijing last year. (AP Photo/Vincent Yu)
Supporters gesture as many people queue up outside a court to try to get in for a hearing in Hong Kong Monday, March 1, 2021. Pro-democracy activists detained by police on Sunday on charges of conspiracy to commit subversion under the sweeping national security law, are expected to appear in court. (AP Photo/Vincent Yu)
Police officers stand guard as many supporters queue up outside a court to try to get in for a hearing in Hong Kong Monday, March 1, 2021. Pro-democracy activists detained by police on Sunday on charges of conspiracy to commit subversion under the sweeping national security law, are expected to appear in court. (AP Photo/Vincent Yu)
A woman holds a British flag as supporters queue up outside a court to try get in for a hearing in Hong Kong Monday, March 1, 2021. People gathered outside the court Monday to show support for 47 activists who were detained over the weekend under a new national security law that was imposed on the city by Beijing last year. (AP Photo/Vincent Yu)
Supporters queue up outside a court to try to get in for a hearing in Hong Kong Monday, March 1, 2021. Pro-democracy activists detained by police on Sunday on charges of conspiracy to commit subversion under the sweeping national security law, are expected to appear in court. (AP Photo/Vincent Yu)
Police officers stand guard as supporters queue up outside a court to try get in for a hearing in Hong Kong Monday, March 1, 2021. People gathered outside the court Monday to show support for 47 activists who were detained over the weekend under a new national security law that was imposed on the city by Beijing last year. (AP Photo/Vincent Yu)
A man holds a poster featuring famous pro-democracy activists outside a court in Hong Kong Monday, March 1, 2021. People gathered outside the court Monday to show support for 47 activists who were detained over the weekend under a new national security law that was imposed on the city by Beijing last year. (AP Photo/Vincent Yu)
Associated Press
·1 min read

HONG KONG (AP) — Hong Kong police on Monday brought 47 pro-democracy activists to court on charges of conspiracy to commit subversion under the national security law imposed on the city by Beijing last year.

The cases represent the largest mass charge against the semi-autonomous Chinese territory’s opposition camp since the law came into effect last June. Supporters gathered outside the courthouse, displaying slogans in favor of the 2019 pro-democracy protests advocating greater local autonomy.

China has cracked down hard on such calls, demanding changes to the legal and educational systems to inculcate loyalty to the ruling Communist Party. The former lawmakers and democracy advocates had been previously arrested in a sweeping police operation in January but were released, only to be detained again on Sunday.