Protest Slogans Ring Out As Hundreds Gather At Court

Hundreds of people gathered outside West Kowloon Magistracy on Monday, to show their support for 47 pro-democracy activists appearing there accused of "subverting the state" by holding Legco primary polls.

As they queued up for seats for the hearing, the crowd shouted slogans including "Liberate Hong Kong, revolution of our times" – which the government has suggested is illegal – with the chants audible even inside the court building.

Police issued warnings to people to split into groups of no more than four or they would start issuing HK$5,000 fines, but a lot of people didn't budge.

Many heeded calls from the Civil Human Rights Front to wear black, with some of the supporters camping outside the court overnight.

A man told RTHK’s Frances Sit that he showed up to support the people he would vote for in Legco elections, given the chance.

“If I cannot go inside, at least I come here to show my support,” he said.

“I am very angry of course, because I vote for them and most of the Hongkongers vote for them. And they represent us, and they help us a lot – I cannot say against the government – but they showed our opinions,” he added.

A woman said the mass prosecution will not stop people’s pursuit of freedom.

“We are here today because this is one of the ways that we can tell this authoritarian regime that we will not budge,” she said.

“And we will not stand down just because you arrest our people using a law that didn’t exist at all when all this happened. And we are hopeful that one day we will find our freedom, and we will not give up. Not like that.”

Consulate representatives from various countries, including EU members and the UK, were also in the queue for courtroom seats.

Some of those who were earlier arrested as part of the same case but have not been charged so far also appeared outside the court building, including the Democratic Party's James To and Roy Kwong.

Meanwhile, Avery Ng from the League of Social Democrats urged people to remain defiant.

"We are descending into a dark and cold age of fear. But I have to remind everybody that we will not give up. Where there's hope, there'll be a spark, and there'll be fire," he said.

Several government supporters were also present, chanting slogans backing the authorities.

Reporters and members of the public were unlikely to see the 47 defendants in person in court, as all the seats in the main courtroom were reserved for defendants, lawyers and family members.