Four people were arrested as police shut down voting facilities in Macau after activists ignored strong objections from Beijing and held an unofficial referendum on electoral reform, the event organiser said. Residents of the Chinese gambling hub were told they could vote at several locations across the territory, as well as online, but poll organiser Jason Chao said those attempting to take part in person were stopped by police, who confiscated the tablet computers people used to cast their vote.
He said four activists were arrested after polling began in the morning. "Our volunteers were subject to harassment by the police and four volunteers were taken away. Other stations were also forced to stop their activities," Chao told AFP.
"The authorities are using all means to disrupt our activity," he said. A spokesman for the Macau government said in a statement that the four were arrested for "disobeying" instructions from police.
The former Portuguese colony returned to Chinese rule in 1999, but has a separate legal system from the mainland. Like Hong Kong, Macau's leader is known as its chief executive and is chosen by a pro-Beijing electoral committee.