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A few hours before the new demonstration on Saturday, the Hong Kong police arrested three young, highly popular figures from the pro-democracy movement, including Joshua Wong and Agnes Chow. Both were released under conditions.
The last tweet of Joshua Wong before his arrest reads like a call to oppose Beijing: "to be born in these uncertain times carries responsibilities ". Ace Chow had just posted this: " Fight for freedom, defend Hong Kong ." They were then conditionally released and Joshua Wong has already promised: he will continue his fight.
Hong Kongers know these two figures of the pro-democracy movement since 2012: at 15, the two college students manage to mobilize tens of thousands of parents and students against a new national education course. " It's brainwashing, " they swear side by side. Finally, the head of the executive must give up this reform wanted by Beijing.
All the time on the front line
Since then, Joshua Wong and Agnes Chow are testing the limits of the system. Both are on the front line in 2014, during the Umbrella Revolt. The Hong Kong people want to mark the fifth anniversary of Beijing's refusal to hold elections by universal suffrage on Saturday (August 31st). This very controversial decision triggered the " umbrella movement " . At the time, hundreds of thousands of students occupied Hong Kong's financial heart for 79 days.
To read also: Joshua Wong: in Hong Kong, " we face Emperor Xi "
Two years later, they founded the opposition party Demosisto. But he advocates " self-determination ", a term hated by Beijing, and the candidacy of Agnes in the elections of 2018 is invalidated. Joshua Wong will even make him a few months in prison. Today, these two faces of angry youth are accused of " inciting others to participate in an unauthorized gathering ".