Scholarism Vied for Nobel Peace Prize
Established in 2011, with 15-year-old Joshua Wong as its convener, Scholarism, the pro-democracy student activist group, opposed the Hong Kong authorities’ attempt to impose “national education” in 2012. In 2012, it successfully mobilized 120,000 people to a rally surrounding the Central Government Offices, which ultimately led to concessions from the Leung Chun-ying authority.In 2014, Scholarism played a significant role in the Umbrella Movement. In March 2016, Scholarism stopped operations. Some members, including Joshua Wong, formed the political party “Demosistō” later.
Due to his involvement in the Umbrella Movement, Wong appeared on the cover of Time in October 2014. In March 2015, he was selected as one of the 50 greatest leaders in the world by Fortune, ranking 10th.
Formed Demosistō, Advocates for Referendum
After Scholarism ceased operations in 2016, Joshua Wong became the Secretary-General of Demosistō, a political party advocating for a self-determination referendum in Hong Kong. Wong once stated, “Without democratic autonomy, we can only choose Hong Kong independence.” However, he later emphasized that he did not advocate for Hong Kong’s independence.In October 2016, Wong was invited by Chulalongkorn University and Thammasat University in Thailand to exchange views on youth participation in social movements and the development of democracy in Hong Kong.
Multiple Imprisonments Due to Activism
During the clearance of the Mong Kok occupation area in the later stages of the Umbrella Movement, Wong was charged with contempt of court. He pleaded guilty in 2017 and was sentenced to three months in prison. The Court of Appeal ruled in favor of Wong’s appeal later, changing his sentence to two months’ imprisonment, which he was required to serve immediately in May 2019.Upon his release in June 2019, Wong joined anti-extradition protests immediately, demanding the resignation of Chief Executive Carrie Lam and withdrawal of the extradition bill.
‘I Have Not Collapsed’
During Wong’s imprisonment, others managed his Facebook page, and occasional posts were made to convey news about his situation in prison.
Ivan Lam Arrested for Alleged National Security Violations
Ivan Lam Long-yin, another convenor of Scholarism, once went on a hunger strike outside the Central Government Offices in 2012 to oppose “national education.”In 2016, Lam was convicted of unlawful assembly for storming the Legislative Council in 2014 and was sentenced to 120 hours of community service. After the Department of Justice reviewed the sentence, he was sentenced to 13 months in prison instead in 2017. Lam was later released on bail on appeal.
In May 2016, Lam was ordered remanded after failing to answer his phone while fulfilling a community service order, being late for work, and being unaccounted for while working.
In May 2018, Lam succeeded Nathan Law as the chairman of Demosistō. He stated that he would shift his focus to civil and social issues.
In September 2019, Lam was convicted of unlawful assembly and sentenced to 14 days in prison, suspended for one year due to clashing with the police when protesting in 2016.
In 2019, Lam was accused, along with Joshua Wong and Agnes Chow, of inciting others to besiege the police headquarters on June 21. He was arrested in September.
In October 2019, Lam was arrested again for allegedly unlawfully entering the government headquarters in March to protest. He was subsequently charged with assault against a male security guard. In July 2020, he was acquitted of the charges.
Agnes Chow Exile in Canada and Never Return
Agnes Chow Ting, another former spokesperson for Scholarism who later joined Demosistō, was also involved in the siege of the police headquarters in 2019. In December 2020, she was convicted of “inciting others to knowingly participate in an unauthorized assembly” and sentenced to five months in prison.After Scholarism disbanded, Chow remained actively involved in politics. In 2018, she registered to run in the Legislative Council by-election for the Hong Kong Island constituency but was disqualified by the returning officer on the grounds that Demosistō advocates “democratic self-determination.” Chow filed an election petition, and the judge ruled in her favor.
In August 2019, Chow was arrested for allegedly violating the National Security Law. Her fluency in English and Japanese, as well as her interviews with foreign media, gained her international attention. Yoshihide Suga, Japan’s Secretary-General of the Cabinet, expressed concern over the situation in Hong Kong at the time.
In 2020, after six years and two interruptions, Chow finally graduated from the Department of Politics and International Relations at the Hong Kong Baptist University.
In June 2021, after completing her sentence, Chow was required to report regularly under the National Security Law’s bail conditions, and her passport was confiscated, preventing her from leaving the territory. She revealed that she feared being arrested again at any time and was diagnosed with depression.
In 2023, after being accepted into a university in Canada, Chow applied for permission to leave Hong Kong. Chow said that she was asked to write a “letter of repentance” stating that she regretted her past political involvement, would not participate in any future activities, and would not contact relevant individuals, including members of Scholarism and Demosistō.
In July, Chow was arranged to visit mainland China. Upon her return to Hong Kong, she was asked to write a letter “expressing gratitude for the arrangement that allowed her to understand the great development of the motherland.” Chow finally left Hong Kong for Toronto in September.
Oscar Lai Became a Social Worker
Oscar Lai Man Lok, who served as a spokesperson for Scholarism and later as vice-chairman of Demosistō, attempted to run in the District Council elections in 2019. However, due to resource constraints, Demosistō could only support Nathan Law. Lai withdrew from the election in the end.Lai later became a social worker. In 2021, he and his six-member team were all elected as the new members of Hong Kong’s Social Workers Registration Board.
Tommy Cheung Accused of Defecting
Tommy Cheung Sau-yin, another former spokesperson for Scholarism, withdrew from the organization in 2013.While studying political science and administration at the Chinese University of Hong Kong, Cheung was the president of the Student Union. He participated in the Umbrella Movement in 2014. In 2019, he was convicted of “conspiracy to cause public nuisance” and “incitement to cause public nuisance.” He was sentenced to 200 hours of community service.
Cheung sought to run in the 2018 Legislative Council by-election. However, he received threatening letters containing razor blades during the primaries and was attacked and injured. He ultimately lost the election.
In 2019, Cheung ran for the Yuen Long District Council and was asked to explain a social media post advocating “Liberate Hong Kong, Revolution of Our Times.” He replied that it did not mean overthrowing the regime and that he did not support Hong Kong’s independence. He was eventually confirmed as a valid candidate and won with 3,177 votes.
“In the question session before the general election, he neither admitted nor denied that he had dealt with the ‘intermediaries,’” read the post. “After so many years, I still remember his vague, evasive, and emotional responses, which resulted in his resignation from the organization after he failed in the election.”
During the 2014 Umbrella Movement, five representatives of the Hong Kong Federation of Students met with officials, not including Cheung. According to Joshua Wong, “It is also said to have something to do with peers’ concern about his close association with intermediaries.”
Cheung later denied “colluding with intermediaries,” saying that he would admit his mistakes in private affairs but would not deny his past political work.
