Arrest in H.K. champagne protest over Nobel prize

Monday, October 11, 2010

AFP
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A Hong Kong democracy activist has been arrested after splashing champagne on a Chinese government security guard

HONG KONG — A Hong Kong democracy activist was arrested after splashing champagne on a Chinese government security guard during a protest in support of Nobel Peace laureate Liu Xiaobo, police said Monday.

Sunday's champagne protest -- at which activists also ate Norwegian salmon in solidarity with the Oslo-based Nobel committee -- was followed by a demonstration Monday calling for the release of Liu's wife from house arrest.

About 20 protestors popped champagne bottles and ate the salmon outside the Chinese government's local liaison office on Sunday.

The 22-year-old female activist was arrested for common assault and released on bail of 500 Hong Kong dollars (65 US dollars) after splashing champagne on the security guard, a police spokeswoman said.

The protest came after the jailed Liu -- a writer who authored a manifesto for democratic reform -- was awarded the Nobel prize on Friday, to China's fury.

The dissident's wife Liu Xia was escorted by police to his prison in northeast China over the weekend, but says she is back under arrest at her Beijing home.

Chanting slogans and waving banners, half a dozen Hong Kong democracy and human rights activists marched anew to the China liaison office on Monday demanding freedom for both Liu Xiaobo and his wife.

" Liberty for Chinese people! Democracy for China! Release Liu Xiaobo! Stop the house arrest of Liu Xia!" chanted the protestors, who were outnumbered by police and media.

During the prison visit by his wife, Liu Xiaobo dedicated the award to victims of the 1989 Tiananmen Square crackdown in Beijing, according to US-based activists.

"Liu has made tremendous contributions to the advancement of human rights, liberty and freedom in China for the past 20 years," Hong Kong's Democratic Party chairman Albert Ho said at Monday's protest.

The Nobel award would have a "strong and positive impact on the democratic movement in China", he said. "We urge everyone to give support to the peaceful movement for democracy in China."

Liu was sentenced last December to 11 years behind bars for subversion, following the 2008 release of "Charter 08", a manifesto for reform signed by more than 300 Chinese intellectuals, academics and writers.

Hong Kong enjoys autonomous freedoms under Chinese rule but on the mainland, activists said dozens of Liu's supporters in Beijing, Shanghai and other cities were rounded up by police on Friday night as they gathered to toast his award.