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Reuters
Mr. Lai said he had no regrets about his arrest – but warned young Protestants to be careful
Hong Kong tycoon Jimmy Lai – the most high-profile person being held under a controversial new security law – has warned young Protestants that they must now be “more cautious”.
Mr. Lai was arrested Monday, and his newspaper offices were raided by hundreds of police, in scenes that shocked many.
Speaking after his release on bail, Mr Lai told the BBC he believed his arrest was “just the beginning”.
There will be “a long struggle” ahead for the freedoms of Hong Kong, he added.
Mr Lai, who has been a leading pro-democracy voice and a supporter of protests that erupted last year, told Apple Daily, one of Hong Kong’s most widely read newspapers.
He and nine other activists were arrested on Monday on charges including collusion with foreign troops, under a national security law imposed by China in June.
The whip of arrests has raised fears that China will use the new law to undertake a broad crackdown on Hong Kong pro-democracy activists and media figures.
‘More scared’
Speaking to Newshour about the BBC World Service, Mr Lai said he was surprised to see police arriving at his home on Monday morning.
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While he had been arrested earlier, this was “more horrific” because it came under the national security law imposed by China, he said.
Both his sons were also arrested on “false accusations”, he said, although he added that he had no regrets about his pro-democracy activism.
“When I was in custody I could not sleep … I thought, if I knew that would happen to me now, [with] even harder [on the way], would I have done the same thing?
“I would not have it [done things] another way – this is my character, “he added.
However, he warned Protestants that they should now “be more careful in our opposition to upholding our rule of law and freedom”, as the all-new security law made the environment more dangerous for activists.
“We need to be more careful and creative in that [our] resistance … we can not be as radical as before – especially young people – because the radical [we are] the shorter life span we have in our fight.
“We really need to use our brains and patience because this is a long battle.”
Mr Lai’s arrest has been welcomed by Chinese state media, who have described him as a “riot supporter” and his publications as “being offended, spread rumors and smeared by Hong Kong and mainland authorities for years”.
Who’s Jimmy Lai?
The businessman is estimated to be worth more than $ 1 billion (£ 766m).
After making his first fortune in the clothing industry, he later appeared in the media and founded Apple Daily, which is often critical of Hong Kong and Chinese leadership.
In 2019, the daily was the most read paid newspaper on the ground, both in print and online, according to the Chinese University of Hong Kong.
Mr Lai has also been an activist against the ever-increasing grip of Beijing on Hong Kong. In 2019, he supported and participated in pro-democracy protests that lasted for months on the ground.
On Tuesday, the holding company of the Apple Daily newspaper saw that its share had increased fourfold as Hong Kongers ran behind the newspaper and bought shares in the company after Mr Lai’s arrest.
Who else was arrested?
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Reuters
Supporters of Agnes Chow, 23, have begun calling her “the real Mulan”
Mr Lai’s colleagues and two of his sons were arrested between them on Monday.
In addition, leading youth activist Agnes Chow was arrested, as were Wilson Li, who works as a freelance journalist for UK-based ITV News, and activist Andy Li.
Ms Chow was released on bail late on Tuesday, telling reporters: “It is very obvious that the regime is using the national security law to suppress political dissidents.”
- Youth activist hailed as ‘real Mulan’
What is the new security law?
Hong Kong has enjoyed a high degree of autonomy since it returned from British rule to China in 1997, and its inhabitants have enjoyed a much higher level of freedom of speech and media than people on the mainland.
But the key provisions of the new law include that crimes of segregation, subversion, terrorism and collusion with foreign troops are punishable by a maximum sentence of life imprisonment.
It makes it easier to punish Protestants, and reduces Hong Kong’s autonomy.
The law also gives Beijing powers to shape life in the former British colony in a way it never has before.
Critics say the effect and freedom of speech is effectively diminished. China has said the new law will restore stability to its territory after a year of unrest.
