Hong Kong shopping centre protest continues

A group of protesters descended on a downtown shopping centre in Hong Kong on Monday to voice their opposition to a new national security law set to be passed by China in the coming days.

Despite a small turnout at the IFC mall, the protest came as a surprise as similar events in recent days and weeks have been met with a strong police response.

The bill that triggered the protest was submitted at the opening of China's national legislative session last Friday.

It would bypass Hong Kong's legislature and could allow mainland agencies to be set up in the city, sparking concern that Chinese agents could arbitrarily arrest people for activities deemed to be pro-democracy.

Police at Monday's shopping centre protest did not take down signs and flags supporting Hong Kong independence - a key target of the draft legislation.

The pro-democracy camp says the proposal goes against the "one country, two systems" framework that promises Hong Kong freedoms not found in mainland China.