Concerts nixed, activists sentenced in Hong Kong crackdown

HONG KONG (AP) — Popular Hong Kong singer and pro-democracy activist Denise Ho will not be allowed to perform at one of the city’s top theaters later this month. Ho’s company says the Hong Kong Arts Centre “arbitrarily” suspended its venue reservations for the singer’s popular concerts. The arts center did not respond to a request for comment. The cancellation came days after a pro-Beijing newspaper accused the singer of being “anti-China” because she participated in anti-government protests in 2019. Separately, a court sentenced seven pro-democracy activists to between 11 and 16 months in jail for organizing and inciting others to take part in an unauthorized assembly during the 2019 protests.