Leaders of Tongan protest march charged with offence

The leaders of a protest march by about 1000 people after the opening of the Tongan Legislature on June 1 have been charged an offence after they allegedly refused to obey police instructions during the march. The President and the Secretary of the People's Democratic Party, Teisina Fuko and Semisi Tapueluelu, and 30 other protesters pleaded not guilty to a charge of "interferring with the course of Justice," in a Nuku'alofa Police Magistrate's Court this morning, June 13.