“Liberate Hong Kong, revolution of our times!” were the words chanted by approximately 100 pro-democracy protesters in a Hong Kong shopping mall on 24th April. This marked the first large demonstration in the territory since the government introduced a ban on public gatherings at the end of March to curb the spread of coronavirus.
Since June 2019, anti-government protests have raged throughout Hong Kong. The trigger was a now-withdrawn extradition bill, introduced in April 2019, which sought to allow criminal suspects to be extradited to mainland China in specific circumstances. Opponents argued that the bill would increase China’s influence over Hong Kong, risking the freedoms of activists and journalists.
Despite the bill’s eventual withdrawal in September, clashes between police and demonstrators continued to grow in both size and violence. The protestors’ demands centred on achieving greater democracy, restrictions on China’s power, and holding the police to account for brutality against protestors.
By October, the government bypassed the legislature to invoke the Emergency Regulations Ordinance which gave Carrie Lam, Hong Kong’s Chief Executive, extensive powers, and enacted a law banning the use of face masks. At a press briefing that month, Lam stated that if the violence did not abate, the government would consider any legally permissible measures available to it, warning that “freedoms are not without limits”.
CURTAILING THE VIRUS WHILE RESTRICTING OPPOSITION
In response to the pandemic, Hong Kong introduced social distancing measures in late January 2020. When infections rose in March, a number of restrictions, including restrictions on public gatherings, were imposed, which effectively prevented mass protest action. In this context, pro-democracy protestors are now seeking to reignite the movement’s momentum, which has halted ever since the pandemic took hold.
The mall protest signals that the motivations of the protestors remain, even in a world that now looks very different. They are confident that demonstrations will begin again, despite the social distancing measures still in place.
Lee Cheuk-Yan, a veteran politician and activist, claimed that China and the Hong Kong government recognise that the social distancing measures in place provide a “golden opportunity” to crackdown on dissidents. Cheuk-Yan spoke as 1 of 15 high-profile people arrested by the government in recent weeks.
The arrests surround the alleged organisation of, and participation in, unauthorised demonstrations last year, the size of which were at times reported to be in the millions. In addition to Cheuk-Yan, those charged with illegal assembly include barrister Margaret Ng, media tycoon Jimmy Lai, and Figo Chan, the vice-convener of the Civil Human Rights Front.
The arrests represented the government’s largest crackdown on protestors in months, and it is viewed as unlikely that they will be the last.
In response to these developments, the United Nations human rights watchdog cautioned that they were “closely watching” the territory’s government and reminded them of their obligations under International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights. Echoing this statement, a UK government spokesperson stressed that the right to peaceful protest was “protected in both the joint declaration and the Basic Law.”
“COMPLETE-CONTROL GOVERNANCE” FOR A MORE HOSTILE WORLD
Under the Sino-British joint declaration, Hong Kong was promised a “high degree of autonomy” for at least 50 years after China resumed control in 1997. In addition, under the Basic Law, Hong Kong’s mini-constitution, the Chinese government is restricted in its ability to interfere in the territory’s affairs.
However, before the recent arrests and protest took place, the Central Liaison Office, China’s top representative office in the territory, declared itself not bound by the constitutional restrictions that bar the Chinese government from interfering in Hong Kong’s activities.
In the wake of the shopping mall protest and prominent arrests, pro-democracy lawmakers are concerned that, guided by Chinese officials, the government is taking drastic steps to silence the movement in advance of the legislative council election in September.
There is suspicion amongst opposition figures that if a more hostile world emerges from the pandemic, China will make a push for “complete-control governance” in Hong Kong. This has fuelled fears that for Hong Kong’s pro-democracy movement, the post-pandemic reality is uncertain.
Rebecca is due to begin the GDL in September, having graduated with a BA in History from Durham University. In the intervening years, she worked at a global asset management firm where, alongside her role, she helped lead their charitable efforts in the UK. Following her legal studies, she hopes to pursue a career at the Bar.