Hong Kong police have arrested an elderly democracy activist as she made a solo demonstration over China's deadly Tiananmen crackdown in a vivid illustration of the zero protest tolerance now wielded by authorities in the financial hub. 
 
Alexandra Wong, 65, was detained on Sunday on suspicion of taking part in an unlawful assembly as she walked towards Beijing's Liaison Office in Hong Kong. 
 
Wong -- known locally as "Grandma Wong" -- was a regular fixture of the huge democracy protests that swept Hong Kong in 2019. 
 
She could often be seen waving a Union Jack flag, a symbol of her dissatisfaction with Beijing's rule since the city was handed to China by former colonial power Britain in 1997. Protest is now all but outlawed in Hong Kong.

Authorities have used both the threat of the coronavirus and security concerns to ban demonstrations.

A vigil planned for this Friday -- the 32nd anniversary of Beijing's 1989 crackdown on democracy protests in Tiananmen Square -- has been denied permission for the second year in a row.

Authorities have cited the coronavirus, although Hong Kong is currently celebrating no local transmission cases of unknown origin for the last month.

Activists had also sought permission for a small Tiananmen-themed march on Sunday to the Liaison Office, which represents the central government in the city, but it was also denied permission.

Wong turned up anyway that afternoon holding as sign that read "32, June 4, Tiananmen's lament" and a yellow umbrella -- the latter a symbol of Hong Kong's democracy movement.

The South China Morning Post said the pensioner started chanting slogans in a park before heading towards the Liaison Office by herself, while being followed and filmed by police. She was stopped twice.

"I'm only by myself, just an old lady here. Why stop me?" the Post quoted Wong as telling officers. Soon afterwards she was arrested.

Police confirmed a 65-year-old woman surnamed Wong had been arrested for "knowingly participating in an unauthorised assembly and attempting to incite others to join an unauthorised assembly."

Hong Kong's democracy movement has been crushed by a broad crackdown on dissent over the last year, including the imposition of a sweeping security law that criminalises much dissent.

In the middle of the 2019 protests Wong disappeared for more than a year.&nbsp;She resurfaced saying she had been detained by mainland authorities during a trip to Shenzhen, a neighbouring city where she lived at the time.

Hong Kong police have arrested an elderly democracy activist as she made a solo demonstration over China's deadly Tiananmen crackdown in a vivid illustration of the zero protest tolerance now wielded by authorities in the financial hub.

Hong Kong police have arrested an elderly democracy activist as she made a solo demonstration over China's deadly Tiananmen crackdown in a vivid illustration of the zero protest tolerance now wielded by authorities in the financial hub. Alexandra Wong, 65, was detained on Sunday on suspicion of taking part in an unlawful assembly as she walked towards Beijing's Liaison Office in Hong Kong. Wong -- known locally as "Grandma Wong" -- was a regular fixture of the huge democracy protests that swept Hong Kong in 2019. She could often be seen waving a Union Jack flag, a symbol of her dissatisfaction with Beijing's rule since the city was handed to China by former colonial power Britain in 1997. Protest is now all but outlawed in Hong Kong. Authorities have used both the threat of the coronavirus and security concerns to ban demonstrations. A vigil planned for this Friday -- the 32nd anniversary of Beijing's 1989 crackdown on democracy protests in Tiananmen Square -- has been denied permission for the second year in a row. Authorities have cited the coronavirus, although Hong Kong is currently celebrating no local transmission cases of unknown origin for the last month. Activists had also sought permission for a small Tiananmen-themed march on Sunday to the Liaison Office, which represents the central government in the city, but it was also denied permission. Wong turned up anyway that afternoon holding as sign that read "32, June 4, Tiananmen's lament" and a yellow umbrella -- the latter a symbol of Hong Kong's democracy movement. The South China Morning Post said the pensioner started chanting slogans in a park before heading towards the Liaison Office by herself, while being followed and filmed by police. She was stopped twice. "I'm only by myself, just an old lady here. Why stop me?" the Post quoted Wong as telling officers. Soon afterwards she was arrested. Police confirmed a 65-year-old woman surnamed Wong had been arrested for "knowingly participating in an unauthorised assembly and attempting to incite others to join an unauthorised assembly." Hong Kong's democracy movement has been crushed by a broad crackdown on dissent over the last year, including the imposition of a sweeping security law that criminalises much dissent. In the middle of the 2019 protests Wong disappeared for more than a year. She resurfaced saying she had been detained by mainland authorities during a trip to Shenzhen, a neighbouring city where she lived at the time.

Hong Kong's 'Grandma Wong' arrested for solo Tiananmen protest

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken called for the&nbsp;release&nbsp;Friday of four&nbsp;Hong&nbsp;Kong&nbsp;democracy&nbsp;activists&nbsp;who were jailed for taking part in a&nbsp;vigil&nbsp;for victims of Beijing's 1989&nbsp;Tiananmen&nbsp;Square crackdown.

"The United States stands with the people of&nbsp;Hong&nbsp;Kong&nbsp;and rejects the sentencing of&nbsp;activists&nbsp;for attending a&nbsp;Tiananmen&nbsp;commemoration," Blinken wrote&nbsp;on&nbsp;Twitter.

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The United States stands with the people of Hong Kong and rejects the sentencing of activists for attending a Tiananmen commemoration. All those imprisoned for nonviolent exercise of guaranteed freedoms should be freed immediately.
— Secretary Antony Blinken (@SecBlinken) <a href="https://twitter.com/SecBlinken/status/1390526958300184582?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 7, 2021</a></blockquote>
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"All those imprisoned for nonviolent exercise of guaranteed freedoms should be freed immediately," he added.

Joshua Wong, Lester Shum, Tiffany Yuen and Janelle Leung - four prominent youth&nbsp;activists&nbsp;in their twenties, were jailed after pleading guilty to taking part in an "unauthorised assembly" last year&nbsp;on&nbsp;the 4&nbsp;June&nbsp;Tiananmen&nbsp;anniversary.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/hong-kong-activist-joshua-wong-given-additional-jail-term-for-tiananmen-square-vigil-383142/amp">Hong Kong: Activist Joshua Wong given additional jail term for Tiananmen Square vigil</a>

For the past three decades,&nbsp;Hong&nbsp;Kong&nbsp;has marked the anniversary of Beijing's deadly 1989 repression of protests in&nbsp;Tiananmen&nbsp;Square with massive candlelight vigils.

But last year's event was banned for the first time, with police citing the coronavirus pandemic and security fears following huge democracy protests that roiled&nbsp;Hong&nbsp;Kong&nbsp;the year before.

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/honk-kong-activist-joshua-wong-gets-10-more-months-in-jail-over-tiananmen-vigil-383163/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

Tens of thousands defied the ban and massed peacefully at the&nbsp;vigil's traditional site in Victoria Park.

Since then, prosecutors have brought charges against more than two dozen prominent democracy&nbsp;activists&nbsp;who showed up at the&nbsp;vigil, the latest in a string of criminal cases that have ensnared the city's beleaguered democracy movement.

Joshua Wong, one of the city's most recognisable democracy&nbsp;activists, is currently serving 17.5 months in jail for two convictions linked to the 2019 demonstrations.&nbsp;

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/hong-kong-activist-joshua-wong-pleads-guilty-over-illegal-assembly-381552">Hong Kong activist Joshua Wong pleads guilty over 'illegal assembly'</a>

He was handed a consecutive 10 months of jail for the new conviction, which will start once current sentences are finished.

Shum, 27, was given six months while Yuen, 27, and Leung, 26, were both handed four months.

Wong, Shum and Yuen have also been charged under a new national security law Beijing imposed&nbsp;on&nbsp;the city last year to stamp out dissent. They face up to life in jail if convicted.

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken called for the release Friday of four Hong Kong democracy activists who were jailed for taking part in a vigil for victims of Beijing's 1989 Tiananmen Square crackdown.

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken called for the release Friday of four Hong Kong democracy activists who were jailed for taking part in a vigil for victims of Beijing's 1989 Tiananmen Square crackdown. "The United States stands with the people of Hong Kong and rejects the sentencing of activists for attending a Tiananmen commemoration," Blinken wrote on Twitter. The United States stands with the people of Hong Kong and rejects the sentencing of activists for attending a Tiananmen commemoration. All those imprisoned for nonviolent exercise of guaranteed freedoms should be freed immediately. — Secretary Antony Blinken (@SecBlinken) May 7, 2021 × "All those imprisoned for nonviolent exercise of guaranteed freedoms should be freed immediately," he added. Joshua Wong, Lester Shum, Tiffany Yuen and Janelle Leung - four prominent youth activists in their twenties, were jailed after pleading guilty to taking part in an "unauthorised assembly" last year on the 4 June Tiananmen anniversary. Also read | Hong Kong: Activist Joshua Wong given additional jail term for Tiananmen Square vigil For the past three decades, Hong Kong has marked the anniversary of Beijing's deadly 1989 repression of protests in Tiananmen Square with massive candlelight vigils. But last year's event was banned for the first time, with police citing the coronavirus pandemic and security fears following huge democracy protests that roiled Hong Kong the year before. Tens of thousands defied the ban and massed peacefully at the vigil's traditional site in Victoria Park. Since then, prosecutors have brought charges against more than two dozen prominent democracy activists who showed up at the vigil, the latest in a string of criminal cases that have ensnared the city's beleaguered democracy movement. Joshua Wong, one of the city's most recognisable democracy activists, is currently serving 17.5 months in jail for two convictions linked to the 2019 demonstrations. Also read | Hong Kong activist Joshua Wong pleads guilty over 'illegal assembly' He was handed a consecutive 10 months of jail for the new conviction, which will start once current sentences are finished. Shum, 27, was given six months while Yuen, 27, and Leung, 26, were both handed four months. Wong, Shum and Yuen have also been charged under a new national security law Beijing imposed on the city last year to stamp out dissent. They face up to life in jail if convicted.

US calls on Hong Kong to release Tiananmen vigil activists

WION's Palki Sharma in an exclusive interview with the leader of the Tiananmen protest, Fengsuo Zhou.

WION Exclusive: The Interview of Fengsuo Zhou | Leader of Tiananmen protests