Hong Kong media tycoon Jimmy Lai leaves the Kowloon City police station on 28 Feb, 2020 after being granted bail following his arrest earlier in the day. (PARKER ZHENG / CHINA DAILY)

HONG KONG - Hong Kong media tycoon and Apple Daily founder Jimmy Lai Chee-ying was arrested, according to Hong Kong Police on Friday morning.

At 12.45 pm on Friday, Lai was granted bail and seen leaving the Kowloon City police station.

Another opposition camp figure, Lee Cheuk-yan of Labour Party, was also arrested, police said.

Another leader from the opposition camp Lee Cheuk-yan, of Labour Party, was also arrested, police said

According to local media reports, Lee and Lai were held for their roles in an illegal assembly staged on Aug 31, 2019 - one of the many organized during the course of more than seven months of often-violent protests triggered last June by a now-withdrawn amendment bill. 

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Lai was also accused of intimidating a reporter in June, 2017 and police reportedly filed a charge.

According to media reports, Lai was taken to Kowloon City Police Station on Friday morning.

Police said "there could have been more arrests", but did not share further details.

Former lawmaker and former chief of the Democratic Party, Yeung Sum, was also reported to have been arrested. 

Lai allegedly participated in an illegal anti-government mass rally on Aug 31, which then descended into violence and vandalism with radicals attacking the Legislative Council building and the police headquarter and starting fires.

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In November, Lai met four leading United States Republicans and enlisted their support for the anti-government movement in Hong Kong, according to local media reports.

The arrests have been widely welcomed by Hong Kong residents and legal professionals

The arrests have been widely welcomed by Hong Kong residents. 

Dozens of Hong Kong residents gathered in front of the police headquarters in Wan Chai on Friday, waving banners and chanting slogans in support of the strict and effective law enforcement by the police. 

They denounced Lai and Lee for betraying the country and causing chaos in Hong Kong, urging the authorities to bring them to justice. 

Legal professionals in Hong Kong also hailed the arrests. Lawrence Ma, barrister and chairman of the Hong Kong Legal Exchange Foundation, said the arrest of Lai, who has been playing a key role in inciting the black-clad rioters in the anti-government activities, is an encouraging news for Hong Kong. 

Lawyer Kennedy Wong said the arrest and prosecution against the three has demonstrated the justice of law and is undoubtedly an important warning to those young people taking part in the unlawful protests.

With Xinhua inputs