HONG KONG—A Hong Kong pro-democracy lawmaker expressed fears on July 4 that the situation could worsen after police announced the arrests of more than a dozen people following protests earlier this week.

The Civil Human Rights Front, organizer of this month's protests, is gearing up for an annual march on July 1, the 22nd anniversary of Hong Kong's handover to Beijing. The group has called on people to turn out in force.

Pelosi urged the “pro-Beijing leadership in Hong Kong” to do more “to fully realize the legitimate aspirations of the Hong Kong people,” including granting universal suffrage.

Critics say the law restricts freedoms Hong Kong was promised it could maintain for 50 years following the territory's 1997 handover to the CCP from colonial Britain.

I think there will be people who are [brave,] and we've seen with the protests on July 1st, the 23rd anniversary of the handover and the first day of the effect of this law.

If anything, the so-called “one country, two systems” policy for 50 years in Hong Kong was proven to be a failure only a decade after its handover to China from Britain, according to Chris Patten, the 28th and last governor of Hong Kong.

That discord was on full display last month when hundreds of thousands took to the streets in a mostly peaceful protest at the annual July 1 handover anniversary march.

Hong Kong is considered a “special administrative region” of China.

Since the handover of Hong Kong to the Chinese communist regime on July 1, 1997, a rally and march has been held in Hong Kong. July 1 is a doubly significant date—it is also the anniversary of the founding of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP).

The '612 Incident' "Love in the Time of Revolution" was released on the third anniversary of the "612 incident," during which thousands of peaceful protesters in Hong Kong were met with a brutal response from police.

White Paper On June 4, 2014, the 25th anniversary of the Tiananmen Square massacre, the Hong Kong Alliance (Hong Kong Alliance in Support of Patriotic Democratic Movements of China) held its annual candlelight vigil in Victoria Park.

In the lead-up to the tenth anniversary of the British handover of Hong Kong to China, three Australian citizens are among hundreds of Taiwanese Falun Gong practitioners who are being deported by Hong Kong authorities.

(Alex Wong/Getty Images) June 31 Protesters attend a pro-democracy rally in Hong Kong on July 1, 2015, traditionally a day of protest which also marks the anniversary of the handover from Britain to China in 1997, under a "one country, two systems"

Like neighboring Hong Kong, it is a Special Administrative Region of China; upon Macao's handover from Portugal in 1999, China promised the region could maintain its established system of government with a great degree of autonomy. 

Hong Kong, the southern Chinese port city and former British colony where the “high level of autonomy” promised by the CCP in 1984 has suffered gradual erosion since the 1997 handover, has experienced citywide pro-democracy demonstrations for over five

I would say that Hong Kong is now the new front line in the battle between freedom and repression or tyranny. And the situation in Hong Kong is the worst it's been since the handover 22 years ago.

It began in earnest during the lead up to the British handover of Hong Kong to Chinese rule in 1997.

'Alter Ego' Zeng Qinghong, the most influential man over Hong Kong's affairs, was unexpectedly absent from the city's 10-year handover anniversary. Dr.