HONG KONG (AP) – The sudden arrest of dozens of pro-democracy activists in Hong Kong, with the most comprehensive use of a new national security law to date, is a clear sign of Beijing’s determination to curb political opposition in the former British colony.
Wednesday morning’s summary, widely condemned by Western government officials and human rights groups, is likely to defeat an already declining protest movement in semi-autonomous Chinese territory.
WHAT HAPPENED?
Police detained about 50 people, much more than in previous cases under the 6-month-old national security law. Those targeted appeared to include all candidates who ran in an informal opposition primary last year ahead of the Hong Kong parliamentary elections. City leader Carrie Lam later canceled the election, citing the coronavirus pandemic. Activists called the move a thin veiled attempt to thwart the opposition’s expected gains.
HOW CAN I BE A THREAT TO NATIONAL SECURITY?
Security Secretary John Lee said the detainees were suspected of trying to gain control of the legislature in order to paralyze government affairs. The subversion section of the national security law criminalizes “serious interference, disruption or undermining of the performance of duties and functions” of Chinese or Hong Kong governments.
Lam said at the time of the mayor that if his goal was to resist any government initiative, it could be tantamount to subverting state power. The central government has labeled the main illegal right and “a serious challenge” to Hong Kong’s electoral system.
WHAT IS THE PROBABLE IMPACT?
The arrests will remove several activists from the scene, reducing the possibility of renewed protests and eliminating many as future candidates for office. They warn a younger generation that formed the backbone of the protests in 2014 and 2019 that even holding an unofficial mayor can lead to lawsuits that could have a serious impact on their future.
Human Rights Watch said the crackdown was resilient, but tight restrictions on opposition activity and the persistent effects of coronavirus on public life and the economy could permanently delay or discourage the emergence of a new generation willing to face Beijing.
WHY NOW?
Beijing has been relentless in its efforts to prevent a repeat of the 2019 protests, which have become increasingly violent in response to the government’s refusal to entertain protesters’ demands. They plunged Hong Kong into the biggest political crisis since returning to Chinese rule in 1997.
China is also determined to eliminate what it sees as unwarranted foreign government intervention in its internal affairs. The nation’s new military, economic and political influence encourages it to take on the West and can take advantage of the distractions resulting from political and pandemic disruptions in the US and Europe.
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This story has been corrected to show that the age of the security law is six months, not seven months.