Demosisto, Studentlocalism, National Front political groups to cease operations in Hong Kong as security law passes

TAIPEI, Jul 1, 2020, Taiwan News. Three political groups have announced that they will disband in the wake of Beijing’s passage of the contentious national security law for Hong Kong on Tuesday (June 30), while Studentlocalism’s plan for new offices abroad was revealed, Taiwan News reported.

Earlier in the day, Demosistō leaders Joshua Wong, Agnes Chow, Nathan Law, and Jeffrey Ngo announced their intention to leave the fledgling pro-democracy political organization they co-founded in 2016, saying they will continue to fight for democracy as individuals instead of as a party. The leaders reportedly feared they would have dragged their fellow members into dangerous situations, as the repressive new law is expected to impose harsh penalties on political dissidents, including a minimum sentence of 10 years, though the full text of the law has yet to be made public.

The farewell messages were soon followed by Demosistō’s announcement that it would disband for the time being. The organization thanked leaders for contributing to local democracy, admitted what progress they made will not allow them to sustain their organization, and vowed to keep exploring new methods.

Meanwhile, pro-democracy group Studentlocalism announced that it would cease operations in Hong Kong but continue overseas. The new offices will be located in Taiwan, the United States, and Australia.

The Hong Kong National Front also confirmed the closing of its local office. However, offices in Taipei and the U.K. will take over operations.