Hong Kong protest leaders arrested before weekend rallies: Live updates - CNN

Demosisto Vice Chairperson Isaac Cheng speaks to press on the arrest of party leaders Joshua Wong and Agnes Chow, in Hong Kong on August 30, 2019. LILLIAN SUWANRUMPHA/AFP/Getty Images

Demosisto, the political group of arrested pro-democracy activists Agnes Chow and Joshua Wong, said on Friday that the arrests were meant to "spread fear."

"When they are creating figures that lead the whole movement, they are creating common figures and telling the people that they are the leaders controlling everything," said Isaac Cheng, the Vice Chairperson of Demosisto.

"They want to get the so-called 'leaders' of the movement, in order to let other people be afraid they’ll be next," Cheng said.

The pro-democracy movement this summer in Hong Kong has been fluid and proudly leaderless -- making the arrests of prominent figures like Chow and Wong unusual.

What this means for the movement: Tomorrow's mass march, planned by the Civil Human Rights Front, has been cancelled after failing to obtain police approval. But Cheng says he believes people will continue protesting in the future, undaunted by the threat of arrest.

"Terror is not useful when you have hope," he said.

He added that Hong Kongers, united in the movement, would be angry and protest regardless of who had been arrested -- high profile or not.

"There is no room for dialogue now," he said, dismissing the government's repeated calls for open dialogue. "They are still not responding to our five demands, and they are still using violence ... Our five demands are really clear."

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