10 Years After Umbrella Movement, Where Are the Young Activists Now?

“Ten years from now, I wonder what the students of Scholarism will be doing in society?” Joshua Wong, the young pro-democracy activist, wrote in a post in 2014.

College students in graduation attire carry yellow umbrellas, symbols of the pro-democracy movement in Hong Kong, as they pose for photos in the Mongkok district of Hong Kong on Oct. 19, 2014. Dozens of students held umbrellas during their graduation ceremony at Lingnan University in Hong Kong to urge the head of the school to host talks between the chief executive and the pro-democracy students fairly. Alex Ogle/AFP/Getty Images

“Ten years from now, I wonder what the students of Scholarism will be doing in society?” Joshua Wong Chi-fung, known for leading pro-democracy movements in Hong Kong, wrote in a post in 2014.

It has been exactly ten years since the post was made. The fate of young Hong Kong activists reflects the crumbling situation in the city—Wong himself has been detained for over three years, while others have also been imprisoned or exiled due to political oppression; some were even suspected of defection.

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.

In 2018, Joshua Wong, along with former leaders of the Hong Kong Federation of Students during the Umbrella Movement, was nominated for the 2018 Nobel Peace Prize.

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.

However, upon his arrival in Bangkok, he was detained by Thai authorities for over 10 hours and deported to Hong Kong the following day. Netiwit Chotipatpaisal, a Thai student activist leader, publicly stated that the Thai authorities had received pressure from the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) in advance.

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.

A few days later, Wong, along with two other Demosistō leaders, Agnes Chow, and Ivan Lam, was arrested for participating in the siege of the police headquarters. They were convicted in December 2020 on charges of “inciting others to knowingly take part in an unauthorized assembly,” “organizing an unauthorized assembly,” and “knowingly taking part in an unauthorized assembly.” They were sentenced to 13.5 months’ imprisonment. Before their imprisonment, the three expressed no regrets to the media.

In April 2021, Wong, who was still serving his sentence, was sentenced to four more months in prison for participating in an unauthorized assembly in Causeway Bay in 2019, and for “wearing a facial covering at an unauthorized assembly.”

In May 2021, while still in prison, Wong was sentenced to 10 months in prison for knowingly participating in an unauthorized assembly during the June 4 Massacre vigil at Victoria Park in 2020.

However, after completing the above sentences, Wong was remanded in custody pending trial for his involvement in the 47 democrats’ case and accused of “subverting state power.”

In April 2023, Wong was sentenced to three months for posting photos and information of a police officer, who shot an unarmed 20-year-old protester.

‘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.

Pro-democracy activist Joshua Wong registers as a candidate for the upcoming Legislative Council election in Hong Kong, China, on July 20, 2020. Tyrone Siu/Reuters

In November 2022, Wong, who had been imprisoned for two years, posted a quote from a song stating, “I have not collapsed,” and described how he had been watching the dramatic changes outside during his imprisonment. He expressed his hope to remain connected to civil society in this turbulent time and not to become disconnected.

Wong’s last post was made in June 2023, stating that no one could predict when they would return to Hong Kong or regain their Hong Kong identity.

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.

Pro-democracy activists Ivan Lam, Joshua Wong, and Agnes Chow arrive at the West Kowloon Magistrates’ Courts to face charges related to illegal assembly stemming from 2019, in Hong Kong on Nov. 23, 2020. Tyrone Siu/Reuters

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.

In 2020, Lam was sentenced to seven months in prison for “inciting others to knowingly participate in an unauthorized assembly.” Upon his release in April 2021, he wrote in a post that he felt unfamiliar with the drastic changes both inside and outside the prison and urged everyone to cherish time.

In July 2023, Lam was arrested again for allegedly operating companies, social media platforms, and mobile apps to raise funds and support overseas exiles engaging in activities detrimental to national security. He was later granted bail pending further investigation.

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.

Former Hong Kong Demosisto member Agnes Chow Ting said on social networking sites on Dec.3, 2023, that he had gone to Canada for further study and would not return to Hong Kong. File picture. Erin Zhang/The Epoch Times

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.

In December, Chow announced that after careful consideration, she had decided not to return to Hong Kong for reporting and “probably won’t return for the rest of my time.” After that, the Hong Kong authorities repeatedly stated that they would pursue her for the rest of her life.

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 then quit Demosistō and planned to run for the District Council in 2019, but was criticized by pro-CCP newspapers that his quitting Demosistō was a tactic for Agnes Chow being disqualified.

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.

A member of the pro-democracy group Demosisto, Oscar Lai, holds the newspaper with a picture of Hong Kong bookseller Lam Wing-Kee in front of the Hong Kong liaison office, on June 17, 2016. AP Photo/Kin Cheung

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 July 2021, amidst the resignation wave of democratic camp Councillors, Cheung stated that he decided to stay until the last minute. However, in October 2021, he resigned from his position as a District Councillor, citing health reasons.

After stepping down, Cheung was embroiled in debt controversies and accused of owing money to people of different political backgrounds, social activists, volunteers, assistants, and residents.

In January 2023, Cheung was revealed to be writing articles for a pro-CCP publication, using the identity of someone else. In the articles, there was content such as “Hong Kong is an inseparable part of China. This statement is not only about territory but also about history and emotions.”

(L-R) Pro-democracy activists Chung Yiu-wa, Lee Wing-tat, Chu Yiu-ming, Tanya Chan, and Cheung Sau-yin leave the court after getting their suspended sentence for their involvement in the Occupy Central, also known as “Umbrella Movement,” in Hong Kong, China on April 24, 2019. Tyrone Siu/Reuters

In February 2023, a Facebook post by Joshua Wong, who was then in prison, exposed that Cheung had only been with Scholarism “for about a year and a half.”

“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.