Some of Hong Kong’s most prominent pro-democracy activists have been arrested in a 24-hour crackdown that critics say is designed to intimidate the movement ahead of a planned rally on Saturday.

Joshua Wong, Andy Chan and Agnes Chow were all arrested over the course of Thursday night and Friday morning, their respective groups and political parties said.

Demosisto, Wong’s party, said the 23-year-old was “suddenly pushed into a private car on the street” as he walked towards a train station in the city at 7.30am. “Our lawyers are working on this case,” the party said in a statement.

Officials said the arrests of Wong and Chow were related to a 21 June protest in which demonstrators blockaded a police headquarters for 15 hours. Later on Friday they were charged with inciting people to protest and released on bail. Chan was detained on suspicion of “rioting” and assaulting an officer, police said.

The arrests came on the eve of a planned march to mark the fifth anniversary of Beijing’s decision not to allow universal suffrage in Hong Kong leadership elections.

Police earlier this week refused permission for the march to take place, and on Friday organisers said they were calling it off after an appeal against that decision failed.

There had been some speculation, however, that protesters would turn out regardless. Activists said the arrests were designed to deter them from doing so.

The arrests were an attempt by the police to spread fear and “white terror” among residents of Hong Kong, said Isaac Cheng, vice chair of Demosisto.

Bonnie Leung, a leader of the Civil Human Rights Front group that had called Saturday’s march, said the safety of protesters was paramount.

“The first priority of the Civil Human Rights Front is to make sure that all of the participants who participate in our marches will be physically and legally safe,” she said.

“Because of the decision made by the appeal board, we feel very sorry but we have no choice but to cancel the march.”

Continuing protests rock Hong Kong: In pictures Show all 35 1 /35 Continuing protests rock Hong Kong: In pictures Continuing protests rock Hong Kong: In pictures Police officers point their guns towards pro-democracy protesters after a clash at a march in Hong Kong on August 25 Reuters Continuing protests rock Hong Kong: In pictures Pro-democracy protesters throw molotov cocktails during clashes with riot police in Hong Kong on August 25 Reuters Continuing protests rock Hong Kong: In pictures Demonstrators rally behind barricades ass they are shrouded in tear gas deployed by police in Hong Kong on August 25 Reuters Continuing protests rock Hong Kong: In pictures Police clash withpro-democracy protesters at a march in Hong Kong on August 25 Reuters Continuing protests rock Hong Kong: In pictures A police officer prepares to strike a protester as clashes erupt during a pro-democracy march in Hong Kong on August 24 AFP/Getty Continuing protests rock Hong Kong: In pictures A water cannon is fired by riot police to clear the street of demonstrators during a protest in Hong Kong on August 25 EPA Continuing protests rock Hong Kong: In pictures Pro-democracy protesters use a slingshot during clashes with riot police in Hong Kong on August 25 Reuters Continuing protests rock Hong Kong: In pictures Riot police fire tear gas to disperse pro-democracy protesters in Hong Kong on August 24 Reuters Continuing protests rock Hong Kong: In pictures A demonstrator throws a molotov cocktail as they clash with riot police during a protest in Hong Kong on August 25 Reuters Continuing protests rock Hong Kong: In pictures A demonstrator swings a tennis racket in an attempt to knock back a tear gas cannister thrown by riot police during a protest in Hong Kong on August 25 Reuters Continuing protests rock Hong Kong: In pictures A protester displays a Hong Kong Independence flag during a pro-democracy march in Hong Kong on August 24 EPA Continuing protests rock Hong Kong: In pictures Riot police tend to a detained demonstrator who has been injured during a protest in Hong Kong on August 25 Reuters Continuing protests rock Hong Kong: In pictures A demonstrator uses bamboo poles to build a barricade during a protest in Hong Kong on August 25 Reuters Continuing protests rock Hong Kong: In pictures Riot police clash with demonstrators during a protest in Hong Kong on August 24 Reuters Continuing protests rock Hong Kong: In pictures Protesters are hit by tear gas fired by the police in Hong Kong on August 24 AFP/Getty Continuing protests rock Hong Kong: In pictures Demonstrators shrouded in tear gas shield themselves behind barricades during a clash with riot police in Hong Kong on August 25 Getty Continuing protests rock Hong Kong: In pictures Riot police arrest a protester during a pro-democracy march in Hong Kong on August 24 EPA Continuing protests rock Hong Kong: In pictures Police clash with pro-democracy protesters at the Hong Kong international airport on August 13 AFP/Getty Continuing protests rock Hong Kong: In pictures Protesters fall back as they clash with police during a protest at Kowloon Bay in Hong Kong on August 24 AFP/Getty Continuing protests rock Hong Kong: In pictures Police clash with pro-democracy protesters at the Hong Kong international airport on August 13 Reuters Continuing protests rock Hong Kong: In pictures Riot police move to disperse protesters during a clash at the Hong Kong international airport on August 13 Reuters Continuing protests rock Hong Kong: In pictures Commuters riding in a bus drive past protesters in Hong Kong's Kowloon Bay on August 24 AFP/Getty Continuing protests rock Hong Kong: In pictures Protester hold umbrellas as they take part in a pro-democracy march in Hong Kong on August 24 EPA Continuing protests rock Hong Kong: In pictures Riot police detain a demonstrator as they clash during a protest in Hong Kong on August 24 Reuters Continuing protests rock Hong Kong: In pictures Pro-democracy protesters block the entrance to the airport terminals after clashes with police at the Hong Kong international airport on August 13 AFP/Getty Continuing protests rock Hong Kong: In pictures Riot police spray pepper spray as shield themselves by a police van during a clash with pro-democracy protesters at the Hong Kong international airport on August 13 Reuters Continuing protests rock Hong Kong: In pictures Riot police use pepper spray to disperse protesters during a demonstration at the Hong Kong international airport on August 13 Reuters Continuing protests rock Hong Kong: In pictures Demonstrators shrouded in tear gas shield themselves behind barricades during a clash with riot police in Hong Kong on August 25 Reuters Continuing protests rock Hong Kong: In pictures Medical professionals gather to protest police brutality at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Hong Kong on August 13 Getty Images Continuing protests rock Hong Kong: In pictures Police detain a pro-democracy protester at the Hong Kong international airport on August 13 AFP/Getty Continuing protests rock Hong Kong: In pictures A protester is halted by police during an occupation at the Hong Kong international airport on August 13 AP Continuing protests rock Hong Kong: In pictures Police clash with pro-democracy protesters at the Hong Kong international airport on August 13 AFP/Getty Continuing protests rock Hong Kong: In pictures Police stand guard at the entrance of the departure terminals at the Hong Kong international airport on August 13 AFP/Getty Continuing protests rock Hong Kong: In pictures Protesters continue their occupation at the Hong Kong international airport on August 14 AP Continuing protests rock Hong Kong: In pictures Travellers read placards and posters left by pro-democracy protesters at the Hong Kong international airport on August 14 AP

Protesters have been taking to the streets in Hong Kong in their hundreds of thousands for three months now, in a crisis which started with attempts by the government to pass an unpopular extradition bill.

The bill was suspended, but protesters have continued to demand its complete withdrawal, as well as the resignation of the city’s pro-Beijing chief executive Carrie Lam and assurances that they will continue to enjoy the autonomy they were guaranteed when Britain handed Hong Kong back to China in 1997.

On Friday morning, a report by the Reuters news agency said that Ms Lam had in fact drawn up proposals earlier this summer to appease the protesters, including the full and permanent scrapping of the extradition bill.

But the central government in Beijing rejected the proposal, and ordered Ms Lam not to yield to any of the protesters’ other demands at that time.