Hong Kong police arrested pro-democracy protesters today, some of whom scrambled up a monument symbolising the city's handover from British to Chinese rule, a day before Chinese President Xi Jinping is due to arrive for the celebrations. Hong Kong marks the July 1, 1997, handover on Saturday, amid calls for democracy and fears of creeping influence of Communist Party leaders in Beijing undermining the "one country, two systems" formula under which it operates. The city is under lockdown, with a massive security presence expected for Xi's arrival on Thursday. About 30 protesters, including student protest leader Joshua Wong, gathered at the six-metre "Forever Blooming Golden Bauhinia" statue on the Wanchai waterside, a gift to Hong Kong from China , in front of the Chinese national flag and hundreds of perplexed Chinese tourists. The sweet-smelling bauhinia is the official Hong Kong emblem.