Seven Hong Kong police officers have been arrested for assault over an alleged case of police brutality at pro-democracy protests last month which shocked residents of the Chinese territory . Footage of the alleged assault , taken by a TV crew at the city 's main protest site in Admiralty on October 15 , was widely disseminated online , sparking an outcry from the public , politicians and rights groups . It appeared to show officers leading the man to a dark corner , where he was laid on the ground and repeatedly kicked and punched while others stood around , keeping watch . The alleged victim was identified as Ken Tsang , a member of the Civic Party political group . He is also a social worker and a member of the 1,200 member election committee that chooses Hong Kong 's leader . Photos were subsequently released by the Civic Party showing Tsang with a bruised face and welts on his back . In a statement Wednesday announcing the arrests , police addressed criticism they had taken too long to act , saying they had not delayed the handling of the case . The statement said Tsang had failed to show up to an identification parade Wednesday . Police hold Mong Kok . The announcement came as police and protesters again faced off in the Mong Kok district Wednesday evening , hours after authorities cleared barricades and tents from a demonstration camp and arrested prominent pro-democracy activists . The clearances , which began Tuesday , were carried out in accordance with court injunctions obtained by local business interests , following complaints that the protests have disrupted commercial life in the city . In a major operation Wednesday morning , police and bailiffs had worked to reopen a major road which had been occupied to varying extents since pro-democracy protests erupted nearly two months ago . But as day turned into evening -- and many Hong Kong residents left work -- the bustling commercial district once again filled with thousands of people , some of them protesters and others curious onlookers . Some activists yelled : `` We want to take back the streets ! '' as they faced off with police and sought to stir up the crowds . As the atmosphere heated up , Hong Kong Chief Executive C.Y . Leung called on demonstrators not to reoccupy protest sites , according to public broadcaster Radio Television Hong Kong . Police said 159 people had been arrested for various offenses at the Mong Kok protest site since Tuesday , when authorities began their push to clear the Mong Kok site . Charges have included resisting police , illegal assembly , possession of weapons and attacking police , according to Alice Tam of the Police Public Relations Branch . Civil disobedience . Joshua Wong , the 18-year-old founder of the student activist group Scholarism , was among a number of protest leaders arrested Wednesday as the demonstration camp was cleared . He was scheduled to appear in Kowloon City Court Thursday morning , according to Scholarism 's social media accounts . Also detained were student leaders Lester Shum and Jason Szeto , according to Hong Kong Federation of Students spokeswoman Yvonne Leung . Prior to his arrest , Shum , the deputy secretary general of the student federation , told CNN he urged protesters to remain on the streets until they were arrested . `` We will still conduct our civil disobedience action until the last second , '' he said . Lawmaker and pro-democracy activist Leung Kwok-hung , commonly known as `` Long Hair , '' was among those arrested during confrontations in Mong Kok a day earlier , his office confirmed . In the wake of the Mong Kok clearance , the Hong Kong Federation of Students said it may target government buildings to build pressure against the government . `` I think we have made it very clear that if they [ the police ] continue the violent way of clearing up the place , we will have further actions , '' Leung told RTHK . `` The further actions include a possibility of some escalations pointed at government-related buildings or some of the government-related departments . '' Universal suffrage . Pro-democracy protesters have occupied camps in parts of the city for nearly two months , including a main protest site outside government buildings in Admiralty on Hong Kong Island . Seeking universal suffrage , they want to be able to nominate candidates for the election of the city 's chief executive in 2017 . Instead , China 's National People 's Congress has said they 'll be able to vote only for candidates from a shortlist approved by a pro-Beijing committee . Currently , the chief executive is elected by a specially appointed 1,200-member election committee . At the peak of the protests in early October , tens of thousands of people were on the streets at three locations . But numbers have dwindled as the protests have continued , and recent local polling suggests support has dipped . In a random survey of 513 people conducted by the University of Hong Kong , 83 % said pro-democracy protesters should cease their occupation of major roads in Hong Kong , while just 13 % said the protests should continue . Since the pro-democracy protests began on September 28 , 421 people have been injured , including 79 women , the Hong Kong Information Services Department said . Who 's who in the Hong Kong protests ?
79 Mong Kok police officers are arrested for an alleged assault on a protester . Footage of the alleged assault , in which the man was kicked and punched , caused outrage . Authorities cleared a major pro-democracy protest site in Hong Kong September 28 . But morning after the road reopened , protesters took to the streets threatening to reoccupy .