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(03-02 11:26)

Hong Kong pro-democracy lawmakers handed themselves in to police today over their involvement in mass protests for free elections. Police have promised to investigate the principal instigators'' of the street blockades which ended in December when rally camps were cleared. A number of protest leaders have been arrested and released without charge, in a controversial procedure which some say is harassment. Albert Ho and Helena Wong, both of the Democratic Party, turned themselves in at Wan Chai police headquarters in the morning today morning after being requested to attend. Each of them was holding a small yellow paper umbrella the symbol of the democracy movement as supporters shouted: We want universal suffrage.'' We Hongkongers who have tried to fight for true democracy are not the ones who have done something wrong... it is the ridiculous Hong Kong and Chinese governments taking away our democratic nominations,'' Wong said before she went inside. Prominent student leaders including the teenage face of the protests, Joshua Wong, have already been through the police procedure. They were formally arrested and questioned when they handed themselves in, then released without charge hours later. Police said they reserved the right to prosecute those who were released. Both Chow and Wong questioned the process, saying police should charge them if they had the evidence. It engenders a sense of uncertainty and they are using that, in my view, as a method of control, said Michael Vidler, the lawyer representing Joshua Wong, after the teenager was released. These pre-arranged arrests are a waste of resources and money,'' former lawmaker Audrey Eu, who will also turn herself in the afternoon, told supporters. The police are trying to intimidate Hong Kong people,'' she added, saying that she was being brought in for inciting and organizing an unauthorised assembly. Former lawmaker and veteran campaigner Martin Lee also handed himself in today to shouts of Go, Martin, go'' from supporters. Pro-democracy lawmaker Charles Mok was due to attend the police station later.AFP

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Pro-democracy lawmakers condemn police intimidation