Hong Kong National Party waives right to legally challenge ban, paving way for more government crackdowns on independence groups
- Founder Andy Chan says high costs and slim chance of victory not worth the effort, citing little faith in judicial system
- With closing of this chapter, authorities can now target other similar groups
The Hong Kong National Party’s decision came as Tony Chung Hon-lam, a member of another independence group, Studentlocalism, was arrested on Wednesday morning for criminal damage of a national flag during a protest at the Legislative Council complex on May 14.
HKNP said it had little faith in the judicial system, and did not file a legal challenge before a Tuesday deadline to reverse a ban imposed on it by the Security Bureau, concluding a saga that erupted last year.
In September, the bureau accepted recommendations by police to ban the party on the grounds it posed a threat to national security and public order, despite the group arguing it only advocated for its cause peacefully.
Under the shutdown, anyone claiming to be a party member or assisting it in operations is deemed to be committing a criminal offence.