Hong Kong activists detained for illegal assembly

Hong Kong activist Joshua Wong was taken into custody on Monday after pleading guilty to charges of illegal assembly last year, which could land him in jail for up to three years if he's convicted at a later date.

While Wong was taken away by courtroom staff, he shouted "Everyone hang in there!"

The assembly in question took place near the city's police headquarters in June last year.

Fellow long-time activists Ivan Lam and Agnes Chow were remanded in custody at the same trial after they, too, pleaded guilty to similar charges.

Wong spoke out over his situation before entering the court Monday:

"Perhaps the authorities wish me to stay in prison, but I'm persuaded neither prison bars, nor election bans, nor any other arbitrary power will stop us from activism."

Wong's and other activists' repeated arrests have drawn criticism from Western governments who say China is not fulfilling its obligation to allow Hong Kong a high degree of autonomy after its handover in 1997.

China denies the accusation and says Hong Kong is its internal affair.

Wong was not a leading figure in last year's protests, but his activist career since the 2014 Umbrella Movement has drawn Beijing's anger.

Hours after China's parliament passed a sweeping national security law for Hong Kong this past summer, Wong disbanded his pro-democracy group, Demosisto.

Under the new law, any activity Beijing considers subversion, secession, terrorism or collusion may receive up to life in prison.