While Wang was taken away by the courtroom staff, he shouted, Everyone hang in there.

The assembly in question took place near the city's police headquarters in June last year.

Fellow longtime activists Ivan Lamb and Agnes Chow were remanded in custody at the same trial after they too pleaded guilty for similar charges.

Wang spoke out over his situation before entering the court Monday.

Perhaps the authorities wish me to stay in prison, but I'm persuaded that neither prison bars nor election bands nor any other arbitrary power will stop us from activism, Wang's and other activists.

Repeated arrests have drawn criticism from Western governments, who say China is not fulfilling its obligation toe allow Hong Kong a high degree of autonomy after its handover in 1997.

China denies the accusation and says Hong Kong is its internal affair.

Wang was not a leading figure in last year's protests, but his activist career since the 2014 umbrella movement has drawn Beijing's anger.

Hours after China's parliament passed a sweeping national security law for Hong Kong this past summer, Wang disbanded his pro democracy group Demo Sisto.

Under the new law, any activity Beijing consider subversion, secession, terrorism or collusion may receive up to life in prison a long.