By Su Xinqi
Not a day goes by without Hong Kong democracy activist Joshua Wong wondering how long it will be before the police’s new national security unit comes for him.
The 23-year-old is the city’s most high-profile political dissident, and has twice been jailed for leading anti-government protests in the city.
But since Beijing imposed a draconian new security law in July, the stakes have risen significantly.
“Every day when I sleep, I can’t imagine when will the police storm into my home,” Wong told AFP.
“The question for every activist is how much private life is still left?
“How much time we can spend with our friends before the day Beijing arrests us with the national security law?”
Wong knew the law would dramatically alter the semi-autonomous city’s freedoms, which China pledged to protect until 2047 under the handover deal with Britain.
And it wasn’t long before he saw firsthand how his own daily life had changed.
In mid-July he was on his way to submit his candidacy to stand in local elections — an application rejected because of his political views — when he noticed a convoy of at least six vehicles following him.
“It’s like one of those Hollywood movies,” Wong recalled. “The drivers even held the walkie-talkies to co-ordinate.”
https://hongkongfp.com/2020/09/13/under-beijings-watchful-eye-hong-kong-activist-joshua-wong-treads-a-fine-line/