Hong Kong’s last active pro-democracy group says it will disband amid security crackdown
How did your country report this? Share your view in the comments.
Diverging Reports Breakdown
Hong Kong’s League of Social Democrats Disbands Amid Political Pressure
The League of Social Democrats (LSD) in Hong Kong announced Sunday it will disband. The group was known for its radical protest tactics but decided to cease activity following intensified repression.
As the last active pro-democracy group in the China-ruled city, the LSD’s dissolution signifies the collapse of formal opposition in recent years.
Founded in 2006, the group was known for its radical protest tactics but decided to cease activity following intensified repression.
(With inputs from agencies.)
Ukraine on track to withdraw from Ottawa anti-personnel mines treaty, lawmaker says
Hong Kong’s League of Social Democrats says it will disband amid security crackdown. LSD becomes the third major opposition party to shutter in Hong Kong in the past two years. China imposed a national security law on the former British colony in 2020, punishing offenses like subversion with possible life imprisonment following mass pro-democracy protests in 2019. Three LSD members were fined on June 12 by a magistrate for setting up a street booth where a blank black cloth was displayed and money was collected in public without official permission. The group is known for its more aggressive tactics and street protests in its advocacy of universal suffrage and grassroots causes including a universal pension scheme. It gained three seats in a 2008 legislative election — its best showing — but was never as popular as the more moderate Democratic Party and Civic Party, which won three seats.
HONG KONG: Hong Kong’s League of Social Democrats said on Sunday that it would disband amid “immense political pressure” from a five year-long national security crackdown, leaving the China-ruled city with no formal pro-democracy opposition presence.
The LSD becomes the third major opposition party to shutter in Hong Kong in the past two years.
Co-founded in 2006 by former lawmaker Leung Kwok-hung as a radical wing of the pro-democracy camp, the LSD is the last group in Hong Kong to stage small protests this year.
Mass public gatherings and marches spearheaded by political and civil society groups had been common in Hong Kong until 2020, but the threat of prosecution has largely shut down organized protests since.
China imposed a national security law on the former British colony in 2020, punishing offenses like subversion with possible life imprisonment following mass pro-democracy protests in 2019.
A second set of laws, known as Article 23, was passed in 2024 by the city’s pro-Beijing legislature covering crimes such as sedition and treason.
Current chair Chan Po-ying said the group had been “left with no choice” and after considering the safety of party members had decided to shutdown. Chan declined to specify what pressures they had faced.
“We have endured hardships of internal disputes and the near total imprisonment of our leadership while witnessing the erosion of civil society, the fading of grassroots voices, the omnipresence of red lines and the draconian suppression of dissent,” Chan told reporters, while flanked by six other core members including Tsang Kin-shing, Dickson Chau, Raphael Wong, Figo Chan and Jimmy Sham.
In February, the Democratic Party, the city’s largest and most popular opposition party, announced it would disband. Several senior members told Reuters they had been warned by Beijing that a failure to do so would mean serious consequences including possible arrests.
Earlier this month, China’s top official on Hong Kong affairs, Xia Baolong, stressed national security work must continue as hostile forces were still interfering in the city.
“We must clearly see that the anti-China and Hong Kong chaos elements are still ruthless and are renewing various forms of soft resistance,” Xia said in a speech in Hong Kong.
The League of Social Democrats is one of Hong Kong’s smaller pro-democracy groups known for its more aggressive tactics and street protests in its advocacy of universal suffrage and grassroots causes including a universal pension scheme. In a 2016 incident, Leung threw a round object at former Hong Kong leader Leung Chun-ying inside the legislature.
Three LSD members were fined on June 12 by a magistrate for setting up a street booth where a blank black cloth was displayed and money was collected in public without official permission. Chan told reporters that the party had no assets to divest and no funds left after several of its bank accounts were shut down in 2023.
While never as popular as the more moderate Democratic Party and Civic Party, it gained three seats in a 2008 legislative election — its best showing.
The LSD’s founder Leung, 69, was arrested and charged with conspiracy to commit subversion in 2021 in the landmark ‘47 Democrats’ case. He is currently serving a sentence of six years and nine months in prison. Another member, Jimmy Sham, was also jailed in the same case and released in May.
The security laws have been criticized as a tool of repression by the US and Britain, but China says they have restored stability with 332 people so far arrested under these laws.
“I hope that the people of Hong Kong will continue to pay attention to the vulnerable, and they will continue to speak out for injustice,” Figo Chan said.
Hong Kong’s last major pro-democracy party moves to disband
Hong Kong’s Democratic Party said late on Thursday it would start preparations to disband and wind up its affairs. Decision comes amid a years-long national security crackdown in the China-ruled city. Party chairman Lo Kin-hei said the party’s members still needed to vote on the dissolution to make it final at a future meeting. A 75% majority required from the members in attendance is needed to finalise the shutdown of the party. The party was founded in 1994 in the run-up to the city’s return from British to Chinese rule in 1997, and grew into the largest and most successful opposition party in city-wide elections. The Civic Party, Hong Kong’s second largest pro-democracy political party, was dissolved in 2023 and a few of its members have also been jailed under the national security law.
Summary Democratic Party faces disbandment amid national security crackdown
Final vote of full members still required to finalise shutdown
Developing democracy in HK always hard, says party head
HK security laws and electoral overhaul drew int’l criticism
HONG KONG, Feb 20 (Reuters) – Hong Kong’s Democratic Party said late on Thursday it would start preparations to disband and wind up its affairs after a meeting of its leadership, amid a years-long national security crackdown in the China-ruled city.
Founded in 1994 in the run-up to the city’s return from British to Chinese rule in 1997, the Democratic Party grew into the largest and most successful opposition party — garnering strong public support in city-wide elections and has long been a key symbol of the city’s freedoms and plurality , opens new tab
Sign up here.
Democratic Party chairman Lo Kin-hei said the party’s members still needed to vote on the dissolution to make it final at a future meeting, with a 75% majority required from the members in attendance.
“Developing democracy in Hong Kong is always difficult, and it’s especially difficult in the past few years,” Lo told reporters in the party’s headquarters. “This is not what we wanted to see.”
When asked about political pressure, Lo said the decision was made after a careful consideration of the “overall political environment”. He noted, however, that the party’s finances remained relatively sound and the party could keep going for longer if need be.
Under Hong Kong’s so-called One-Country, Two Systems arrangement, the city is promised a high degree of autonomy and freedoms under Chinese rule, but in recent years, authorities have used the security laws to arrest scores of democrats and shutter civil society groups and liberal media outlets.
An overhaul of the electoral system in 2021 to ensure only pro-China “patriots” can govern Hong Kong also effectively shut the democrats out from the political arena, marginalising them further.
The crackdown has drawn international criticism from countries such as the U.S., Britain, Australia and Canada. Hong Kong and Chinese authorities, however, say the security laws have restored stability to the financial hub.
On July 1, 1997, the day of Hong Kong’s handover to China, one of the founders of the Democratic Party, Martin Lee, famously stood on the balcony of the Legislative Council building in a symbolic act of defiance.
“We believe that people everywhere share our love of freedom and democracy and that these values will ultimately triumph,” he said at the time, striking a hopeful note amid the uncertainty.
Since Lee was convicted for an unauthorised assembly charge in 2021 , however, he has rarely spoken publicly.
Several of the party’s members, former lawmakers Wu Chi-wai, Lam Cheuk-ting, Helena Wong and Andrew Wan have been jailed after being convicted in a landmark subversion case involving 47 of the city’s leading democrats. Another member, Ted Hui, was driven into exile with a HK$1 million ($130,000) bounty placed on his head.
The Civic Party, Hong Kong’s second largest pro-democracy political party, was dissolved in 2023 . A few of its members have also been jailed under the national security law including Alvin Yeung and Jeremy Tam.
($1 = 7.7761 Hong Kong dollars)
Reporting by Anson Law and James Pomfret; additional reporting by Joyce Zhou and Jessie Pang; Editing by William Maclean
Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles. , opens new tab
Share X
Link Purchase Licensing Rights
Hong Kong’s League of Social Democrats announces disbandment
The League of Social Democrats (LSD) was founded in 2006. It won three seats in the 2008 legislative elections – its best showing. LSD is widely known for its more aggressive tactics when fighting for change. Its members have thrown bananas, eggs and luncheon meat at officials or pro-Beijing lawmakers as a protest gesture. Party leader Chan Po-ying did not elaborate on the pressure the LSD received but said she was proud to say the party had still contributed to the city’s pro-democracy movement. The announcement comes just before Hong Kong, a former British colony, will mark the 28th anniversary of its return to Chinese rule on Tuesday. The city used to witness annual pro- democracy protests on the anniversary and other demonstrations demanding better policies, but those ceased after most organising groups were disbanded and activists were jailed.
The “difficult” decision announced on Sunday in effect leaves the financial hub with no opposition force holding street protests after the imposition of sweeping national security laws in recent years.
In a statement, the relatively small left-wing party, which was founded in 2006, said it had reached its conclusion after “careful deliberation”, particularly with regards “to the consequences” for its members.
“Over these 19 years, we have endured hardships of internal disputes and the near-total imprisonment of our leadership, while witnessing the erosion of civil society, the fading of grassroots voices, the omnipresence of red lines, and the draconian suppression of dissent,” it added.
But “the road has narrowed beyond passage”, the LSD continued, warning that the “terrain ahead is even more treacherous”.
National security laws
China imposed a national security law on Hong Kong in 2020, punishing offences such as subversion with the possibility of life imprisonment following mass pro-democracy protests in 2019. Under the legislation, many leading activists were prosecuted or jailed, dozens of civil society groups dissolved and media outlets critical of the government were shuttered.
A second set of laws, known as Article 23, was passed in 2024 by the city’s pro-Beijing legislature. They punish a range of offences, including treason, sabotage, sedition, the theft of state secrets, external interference and espionage. Sentences range from several years to life imprisonment.
Advertisement
The LSD was the only pro-democracy party that still staged small street protests from time to time and held street booth activities to carry on its advocacy despite the risks.
While never as popular as the more moderate Democratic Party and Civic Party, it won three seats in the 2008 legislative elections – its best showing.
The LSD is widely known for its more aggressive tactics when fighting for change. Its members have thrown bananas, eggs and luncheon meat at officials or pro-Beijing lawmakers as a protest gesture. Its party platform said the group advocated nonviolent resistance but would not avoid physical confrontations – a stance that set it apart from older, traditional pro-democracy groups.
‘No other choice’
On Sunday, party leader Chan Po-ying did not elaborate on the pressure the LSD received but said she was proud to say the party had still contributed to the city’s pro-democracy movement.
“We have stayed true to our original aspirations and haven’t let down the trust placed in us by those who went to prison,” she said. “While we are now forced to disband and feel an ache in our conscience, we have no other choice.”
The announcement comes just before Hong Kong, a former British colony, will mark the 28th anniversary of its return to Chinese rule on Tuesday.
The city used to witness annual pro-democracy protests on the anniversary and other demonstrations demanding better policies, but those ceased after most organising groups were disbanded and activists were jailed.
Critics said the drastic political changes under the security laws reflect Hong Kong’s shrinking freedoms despite Beijing’s promises to keep them intact after the 1997 handover. But the governments in Beijing and Hong Kong insist the measures are necessary for the city’s stability, saying they balance security with safeguarding the rights and freedoms of the city’s residents.
In April, Hong Kong’s biggest pro-democracy party, the Democratic Party, also voted to give its leadership the mandate to move towards a potential disbandment. A final vote is expected at a later date.
Hong Kong’s last active pro-democracy group says it will disband amid security crackdown
Hong Kong’s League of Social Democrats said on Sunday that it would disband amid “immense political pressure” from a five year-long national security crackdown. The LSD becomes the third major opposition party to shutter in Hong Kong in the past two years. China imposed a national security law on the former British colony in 2020, punishing offences like subversion with possible life imprisonment following mass pro-democracy protests in 2019. China’s top official on Hong Kong affairs, Xia Baolong, stressed national security work must continue as hostile forces were still interfering in the city. China says they have restored stability with the help of the U.S. and Britain, but China says it has restored 332 people arrested so far under these laws. The group is known for its more aggressive tactics and street protests. In a 2016 incident, Leung threw a round object at former Hong Kong leader Leung Chun-ying inside the legislature. Three LSD members were fined on June 12 for setting up a street booth where a blank black cloth was displayed and money was collected in public without official permission.
Item 1 of 5 Chan Po-ying, chair of Hong Kong’s League of Social Democrats hosts a press conference to announce the party’s dissolution amid China’s national security law, in Hong Kong, China, June 29, 2025. REUTERS/Tyrone Siu
Summary Third major HK democratic party to shut in past 2 years
LSD faced “immense political pressure”, says head
Group used radical street tactics to push for full democracy, riling Beijing
Group’s founder is in jail on subversion charge
HONG KONG, June 29 (Reuters) – Hong Kong’s League of Social Democrats said on Sunday that it would disband amid “immense political pressure” from a five year-long national security crackdown, leaving the China-ruled city with no formal pro-democracy opposition presence.
The LSD becomes the third major opposition party to shutter in Hong Kong in the past two years
Sign up here.
Co-founded in 2006 by former lawmaker Leung Kwok-hung as a radical wing of the pro-democracy camp, the LSD is the last group in Hong Kong to stage small protests this year.
Mass public gatherings and marches spearheaded by political and civil society groups had been common in Hong Kong until 2020, but the threat of prosecution has largely shut down organized protests since.
China imposed a national security law on the former British colony in 2020, punishing offences like subversion with possible life imprisonment following mass pro-democracy protests in 2019.
A second set of laws, known as Article 23, was passed in 2024 by the city’s pro-Beijing legislature covering crimes such as sedition and treason.
Current chair Chan Po-ying said the group had been “left with no choice” and after considering the safety of party members had decided to shutdown. Chan declined to specify what pressures they had faced.
“We have endured hardships of internal disputes and the near total imprisonment of our leadership while witnessing the erosion of civil society, the fading of grassroots voices, the omnipresence of red lines and the draconian suppression of dissent,” Chan told reporters, while flanked by six other core members including Tsang Kin-shing, Dickson Chau, Raphael Wong, Figo Chan and Jimmy Sham.
In February , the Democratic Party, the city’s largest and most popular opposition party, announced it would disband. Several senior members told Reuters they had been warned by Beijing that a failure to do so would mean serious consequences including possible arrests.
Earlier this month, China’s top official on Hong Kong affairs, Xia Baolong, stressed national security work must continue as hostile forces were still interfering in the city.
“We must clearly see that the anti-China and Hong Kong chaos elements are still ruthless and are renewing various forms of soft resistance,” Xia said in a speech in Hong Kong.
The League of Social Democrats is one of Hong Kong’s smaller pro-democracy groups known for its more aggressive tactics and street protests in its advocacy of universal suffrage and grassroots causes including a universal pension scheme. In a 2016 incident, Leung threw a round object at former Hong Kong leader Leung Chun-ying inside the legislature.
Three LSD members were fined on June 12 by a magistrate for setting up a street booth where a blank black cloth was displayed and money was collected in public without official permission. Chan told reporters that the party had no assets to divest and no funds left after several of its bank accounts were shut down in 2023.
While never as popular as the more moderate Democratic Party and Civic Party, it gained three seats in a 2008 legislative election – its best showing.
The LSD’s founder Leung, 69, was arrested and charged with conspiracy to commit subversion in 2021 in the landmark ‘ 47 Democrats’ case . He is currently serving a sentence of six years and nine months in prison. Another member, Jimmy Sham, was also jailed in the same case and released in May
The security laws have been criticised as a tool of repression by the U.S. and Britain, but China says they have restored stability with 332 people so far arrested under these laws.
“I hope that the people of Hong Kong will continue to pay attention to the vulnerable, and they will continue to speak out for injustice,” Figo Chan said.
Reporting by James Pomfret and Jessie Pang; Editing by Kevin Krolicki and Kim Coghill
Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles. , opens new tab
Share X
Link Purchase Licensing Rights