HONG KONG - Hong Kong pro-democracy campaigners Joshua Wong and Nathan Law were released Friday (June 30) morning, two days after they and other protesters were detained for taking part in an anti-China protest.

Their party Demosisto said in a tweet early Friday morning: "All Demosisto members and protesters arrested for the Wednesday sit-in have now been released. See you all at the July 1 march!"

Mr Wong and Mr Law were among the 26 protesters who were detained after they staged a three-hour sit-in on Wednesday at a harbourfront statue and were led away into police vans.

Hong Kong police said in a statement that all 26 arrested were released on bail and must report to authorities in late September. They gave no further details.

Protesters had encircled the sculpture of a golden bauhinia flower which became the emblem of Hong Kong in 1997. The statue was given to the city by China as a present to mark the handover.

Before the arrests began, protesters shouted: "Civil disobedience, no fear!" and "Xi Jinping, can you hear us?" Police had warned them that they were causing a public nuisance and would be arrested if they did not move, according to Agence France-Presse.

The protest came ahead of President Xi Jinping's first trip to Hong Kong since taking office in 2013 to mark 20th anniversary of the city's return to China.

The party is holding a press conference at 3pm Friday.

It has accused police of deliberately dragging their feet in taking statements in order to prevent them from going out onto the streets on Thursday when Mr Xi arrived in Hong Kong, reported local media.