She said the polls will send a crucial message also to Beijing, accused by protesters of interfering in the city's freedoms and rights promised when the former British colony returned to Chinese control in 1997.
Gary Fan, one of the lawmakers who received the police notice, said the arrest was a "dirty tactic" that is adding fuel to the fire.
"This is political suppression. People can see clearly that (Hong Kong leader) Carrie Lam continues to hide behind the police and is now using the legal system against the movement," he said.
The city's Constitutional and Mainland Affairs Secretary Patrick Nip denied the arrests were linked to the polls."There is no correlation between the two. The police are doing their job and investigating each and every case and take appropriate action," Nip said.
He said the government aims to conduct the polls smoothly and peacefully.Thousands attended multiple memorial events across the city Friday night, calling for truth and justice for Chow Tsz-Lok, the student who died Friday of injuries sustained in a fall.
Violence erupted later in familiar scenes that have beset the city with police firing tear gas to disperse hard-core protesters who set street fires, blocked roads and vandalized shops and public utilities. More protests are being planned this weekend.
Although the circumstances of Chow's fall have not been determined, many blamed police, who have been accused of heavy-handed tactics including widespread use of tear gas and pepper spray since the protests demanding democratic reforms started in June. His death will also complicate efforts by the government to cool down tensions.
There have been only few fatalities during the unrest, including some reported deaths by suicide and a man who fell to his death while hanging pro-democracy banners on a building.
More than 3,300 people have been arrested in the movement, that has since expanded to include calls for direct elections for the city's leaders and other demands.
- AP
