Reuters/AFP/Hong Kong

A student leader of Hong Kong’s pro-democracy demonstrations faced additional charges yesterday in connection with the storming of government headquarters which helped spark months-long street protests last year.
Joshua Wong, the 18-year-old leader of student group Scholarism, was charged with unlawful assembly and inciting others to participate in unlawful assembly.
He faces two other charges of obstructing police related to a protest in June last year outside the office of China’s top official in Hong Kong and contempt of court.
He appears in court today to face those charges.
The latest charges will be heard in court on September 2.
The boyish Wong became the face of last year’s protests demanding open nominations for the election of Hong Kong’s next chief executive in 2017.
China, which took back control of Hong Kong from the British in 1997, said it will allow a free vote, but only from pre-screened candidates.
“Being involved in the action to take back Civic Square on September 26 was the best decision I have made in the four years I have been involved in the social movement and student movement,” Wong told reporters, referring to a public area around government headquarters. “I do not regret it ... even if I need to pay the price, go to court and even to jail.”
Wong’s lawyer, Michael Vidler, said Wong had not been formally arrested but “invited” to attend court.
“They decided not to arrest Joshua but simply charge him today. He’s actually not on police bail, they’ve just invited him to attend court on September 2,” Vidler said. “I must say, in the 20-odd years I’ve been in Hong Kong, I’ve never had a situation like this.
Prominent student protester Alex Chow was also charged yesterday with taking part in an unlawful assembly.
Student leader Nathan Law was charged with inciting others to take part in an unlawful assembly.
Around 40 supporters outside the police station held up yellow umbrellas – the symbol of the democracy movement – and shouted “CY step down!” referring to the city’s unpopular leader Leung Chung-ying.
“The police were waiting for the right opportunity so they wanted everything to die down,” Surya Deva, associate professor at the School of Law at the City University of Hong Kong, told AFP.
“It was not a complicated criminal investigation ... they should not be taking almost one year to prosecute someone,” Deva said.