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HONG KONG: Not a day goes by without Hong Kong democracy activist Joshua Wong wondering how long it will be before the new national security police unit comes looking for him.
The 23-year-old is the city’s most prominent political dissident and has been jailed twice for leading anti-government protests in the city.
But since Beijing imposed a new security law in July, the stakes have risen significantly.
“Every day when I sleep, I can’t imagine when the police will come into my house,” Wong told AFP.
READ: Hong Kong activist Joshua Wong reveals fear of arrest
“The question for every activist is how much private life is there still?
“How long can we spend with our friends before the day Beijing arrests us with the national security law?”
Wong knew the law would drastically alter the freedoms of the city, which China promised to protect until 2047 under the handover agreement with Britain.
And it wasn’t long before she saw firsthand how her own daily life had changed.
In mid-July, he was on his way to present his candidacy in local elections – a request rejected because of his political views – when he noticed a convoy of at least six vehicles following him.
Wong says it is unclear whether those who now regularly follow him are Hong Kong police or Chinese agents. (Photo: AFP / Isaac Lawrence)
“It’s like one of those Hollywood movies,” recalls Wong. “The drivers even used the walkie-talkies to coordinate.”
LEGAL FIRE DOWN
One of the many provisions of the new security law was to allow Chinese security officers to openly operate in Hong Kong for the first time, moving into a seized luxury hotel days after the legislation was passed in June.
Wong says it is unclear whether those who now regularly follow him are Hong Kong police or Chinese agents.
For the most part, he has stopped using public transportation, instead asking his friends to be his drivers or bodyguards, and has improved security on his digital devices.
“Freedom, privacy and security are no longer taken for granted in Hong Kong since the law was implemented,” he said.
Wong described a delicate balancing act between his public political life and his private personality, but believes that his prominence provides some protection. (Photo: AFP / Anthony Wallace)
Beijing’s security law was designed to end the huge and often violent protests that convulsed Hong Kong last year.
It targets acts considered secession, subversion, terrorism and foreign collusion, and Beijing has described it as a “sword” hanging over the heads of its opponents as it pushes to restore stability.
Critics say it has covered the city in fear, and UN rights experts have warned that its expansive wording poses a serious risk to Hong Kong’s freedoms.
Wong knows that he is a prime target.
After spending most of his teens leading protests, Beijing has called him one of the main “mob agitators.”
The security law has already wiped out two of his closest comrades.
READ: Hong Kong activist Joshua Wong resigns from democratic group Demosisto
Former student leader Nathan Law has fled to Britain and is now wanted for national security crimes, according to Chinese state media.
Agnes Chow, who has led protests alongside Wong since they were just 15 years old, is one of 22 people arrested under the new law so far. She has been released on bail.
VIDEO GAMES AND POLITICAL DRAMAS
Wong described a delicate balancing act between his public political life and his private personality, but believes that his prominence provides some protection.
“Being a high-profile activist, sometimes when the regime needs to target him, he also hesitates a bit more,” Wong said.
He describes himself as a huge fan of the Japanese Gundam robot franchise, a self-confessed poor driver, and an avid observer of the American political drama “House of Cards.”
Wong describes himself as a huge fan of the Japanese Gundam robot franchise, a self-confessed bad driver, and an avid observer of the American political drama “House of Cards” (Photo: AFP / ISAAC LAWRENCE)
Wong is also a fan of the popular online game “Animal Crossing,” but even that has become entangled in politics.
When Hong Kong fans of the game adorned their virtual islands with pro-democracy images, the product was quickly pulled from Chinese app stores.
Many users blamed Wong, a sign of the vitriol that has long suffered in the increasingly polarized city.
READ: Japan says concerns about Hong Kong are growing, after activist Agnes Chow arrested
Last month, he and a friend went dog-walking and were followed by a van, the occupants of which came out to film and reprimand him, calling him a “traitor.”
“They even scolded the dog,” he recalled.
But Wong says he has no plans to reduce his activism.
“It seems to be a zero-sum game,” he said.
“If they choose not to arrest me, I may still be in Hong Kong, but if they choose to arrest me, they may extradite me to China immediately.
“And that’s the end.”
