Hong Kong Pro-Democracy Movement Faces Long Road Ahead

When Hong Kong media mogul Jimmy Lai was arrested late last week, he was paraded through the offices of his newspaper, Apple Daily, in handcuffs. The 72-year-old businessman was hardly a threat to the arresting officers, and during his previous interactions with law enforcement he had never been cuffed like that. But Beijing’s proxies in Hong Kong wanted a photo op.

Lai’s arrest was not an isolated incident. Monday also saw the arrests of other key figures in the city’s pro-democracy movement, including Agnes Chow — a pro-democracy campaigner who formerly led the Demosisto Party with Joshua Wong — and executives from Lai’s company, in addition to his sons. Given other recent events, such as the year-long delay of Legislative Council elections and the detention of 25 people who attended a vigil for the June Fourth Massacre, the arrests have forced many to reckon with what seems to be the end of democracy in Hong Kong.

About the Author

Jimmy Quinn

Jimmy Quinn is the former national security correspondent for National Review.

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When Hong Kong media mogul Jimmy Lai was arrested late last week, he was paraded through the offices of his newspaper, Apple Daily, in handcuffs. The 72-year-old businessman was hardly a threat to the arresting officers, and during his previous interactions with law enforcement he had never been cuffed like that. But Beijing’s proxies in Hong Kong wanted a photo op.

Lai’s arrest was not an isolated incident. Monday also saw the arrests of other key figures in the city’s pro-democracy movement, including Agnes Chow — a pro-democracy campaigner who formerly led the Demosisto Party with Joshua Wong — and executives from Lai’s company, in addition to his sons. Given other recent events, such as the year-long delay of Legislative Council elections and the detention of 25 people who attended a vigil for the June Fourth Massacre, the arrests have forced many to reckon with what seems to be the end of democracy in Hong Kong.