The officers were arrested Wednesday as police cleared a major demonstration. 
Pro-democracy protesters gather in the Mong Kok district after a clash with riot police on Wednesday in Hong Kong.
Seven police officers who allegedly beat a protester during a demonstration last month were arrested in Hong Kong on Wednesday under suspicions of assault, according to officials.
A local television crew captured footage of police officers kicking a pro-democracy protester bound by plastic handcuffs on Oct. 15, The Wall Street Journal said.
The police officers' violence against social worker Ken Tsang intensified the antagonism between protesters and Hong Kong officials. The government has been criticized for taking too much time to address the issue.
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But officials responded with a statement-'Police reiterate that if any Force member commits illegal acts, Police will handle this seriously and [an] investigation will be conducted in a fair and impartial manner,' The New York Times reported.
Although the policemen have been arrested, the police department stressed its investigation is not over and no formal charges have been filed, The Wall Street Journal said.
The arrests came amid continued demonstrations Wednesday in Hong Kong's Mong Kok neighborhood, where protesters have camped out for two months to oppose China's new guidelines for elections, the Times said.
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China's government established strict rules for Hong Kong's chief executive elections; protesters believe only people approved by Beijing will be accepted on the ballot.
Police were able to move protesters from one of the main demonstration streets, Nathan Road, which has been blocked from traffic since October.
Police made many arrests and there were clashes as they moved protesters, including student leaders, out of the streets, Reuters reported.
But by Wednesday evening, a large number of demonstrators had regrouped nearby.
'The occupation is only a means to a goal,' said Viktor Chu, a 26-year-old who wore a face mask on the street. 'We're not just here to occupy something. We're occupying something to give pressure to the government,' he told the Times.
Posted by Unknown on Wednesday, November 26, 2014 - Rating: 4.5
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