Ventus Lau granted bail after court appearance

Ventus Lau granted bail after court appearance

Localist Ventus Lau, who organised an anti-government rally on Sunday that police brought to a sudden end, has been released on bail after appearing in Eastern Magistrates' Court.



Lau, who was arrested following the rally in Central, is charged with inciting people to take part in an unlawful assembly and refusing to follow police orders.



The rally had been given police approval. But officers demanded it be brought to an end after around only an hour, saying this was because of vandalism and barricades being set up on nearby roads.



Lau's case was adjourned until April 14.



He was banned from leaving Hong Kong or going anywhere near Chater Garden in Central, where Sunday's demonstration took place.



"My arrest this time was more unreasonable compared to the previous one," Lau told reporters after the hearing.



"I was arrested at a protest which had a [police] Letter of No Objection and was then charged with inciting people to take part in an unlawful assembly, as well as refusing to follow police orders. It is once again an apparent suppression of an applicant for a Letter of No Objection."



The rally was to call on countries around the world to impose sanctions on any officials who breach human rights in Hong Kong.