Jailed activist Joshua Wong has said he was proud of Hong Kong people following the huge turnout at the march on Sunday in support of the pro-democracy protesters sentenced to prison. League of Social Democrats Vice-chair Raphael Wong, who is serving time in prison too, also said he was “moved.”
Last week, the Court of Appeal jailed three activists – Nathan Law, Joshua Wong and Alex Chow – over their involvement in the Civic Square clash that sparked the 2014 Occupy protests. Thirteen other protesters who took part in demonstrations against the controversial Northeast New Territories development plans were also jailed in the same week.
In a Facebook post addressed to “dear Hongkongers” on Tuesday, Wong said that he awoke on Monday morning and heard the news that the Sunday protests saw the biggest turnout since the Umbrella Movement. He said he “couldn’t help but laugh” and was very touched. His social media accounts are being managed by his team.
“Thank you, everyone, for being willing to come out,” he said.
Wong said he was grateful that there were many volunteers helping out with Demosisto’s operations, and said he hopes the party will be able to soldier on with the help of Hongkongers.
Wong also said that a fellow inmate called him “Fung boy” and recounted seeing Nathan Law on a visit to the prison two months ago. He added that he has chosen to take graphic design classes during his confinement and hopes that he will be able to help to produce promotional materials by the time he is able to leave.
“Looking at the crowd on Sunday, I feel proud of Hong Kong people, and believe that [we] can still continue down the road of democracy. I hope everyone can show more concern for others who have been jailed for taking part in the resistance… Hongkongers! Don’t give up!”
The message has since been deleted for unknown reasons.
Another Facebook page, “Story Of the Frontiers,” also posted updates on four of the jailed activists – Joshua Wong, Alex Chow, Nathan Law and Raphael Wong. The page has been in close contact with their lawyers, who visited the four on Monday.
According to the page, Raphael Wong said he was “deeply moved” by the turnout on Sunday, while Joshua Wong said that many inmates were “grateful and appreciative towards “Long Hair” Leung Kwok-hung’s judicial review on hair cutting.”
Wong was referring to the ousted lawmaker’s earlier legal challenge over the rule which states that male prisoners’ hair must be cut short. Leung argued that it was a case of gender discrimination.
Chow and Law, the page said, are watching television and listening to the radio every day.
