Hong Kong protesters arrested for democracy protest ahead of Xi's visit

Pro-democracy activist Joshua Wong (4th R) chants slogans in front of the Golden Bauhinia sculpture during a protest to demand full democracy ahead of the 20th anniversary of the handover from Britain to China, in Hong Kong, China June 28, 2017. REUTERS/Tyrone Siu

HONG KONG (Reuters) - Hong Kong police on Wednesday arrested pro-democracy protesters, some of whom scrambled up a monument symbolising the city's handover from British to Chinese rule, a day before Chinese President Xi Jinping is due to arrive for the celebrations.

Hong Kong marks the July 1, 1997, handover on Saturday, amid calls for democracy and fears of creeping influence of Communist Party leaders in Beijing undermining the "one country, two systems" formula under which it operates.