On the afternoon of September 6th, several democratic and human rights groups gathered in front of the Chinese Consulate in San Francisco to hold a rally in support of Joshua Wong and to advocate for his innocence in pursuing democracy. Attendees expressed solidarity with Wong, a pro-democracy activist currently serving a sentence in Hong Kong and who recently pleaded guilty in another national security law case, calling for continued international attention on the freedom, human rights, and plight of imprisoned democracy activists in Hong Kong.
Joshua Wong, aged 29, admitted to a charge of “conspiring with foreign forces to endanger national security” in a Hong Kong court on September 2nd. The prosecution alleged that Wong sought sanctions or other actions against Hong Kong and China by international lobbying, foreign media, and social media platforms. The offense carries a maximum sentence of life imprisonment in severe cases, but the sentencing in Wong’s case is pending. He is also serving a sentence in another national security case, with the original term scheduled until January 2027.
The event was organized jointly by the San Francisco branch of the Chinese Democratic Party, the China Democratic Education Foundation, the Support Hong Kong｜Freedom Association, and the American Hong Kong Community Center.
Zheng Yun, a board member of the China Democratic Education Foundation, and one of the founders of the Support Hong Kong movement, hosted the event. He stated that being there was not just about one person’s situation but also about upholding a fundamental principle: “Peaceful expression is not a crime, seeking democracy is not a crime, and striving for freedom should not be a crime.”
“We want to let Joshua Wong and everyone who cares about Hong Kong know that you have not been forgotten, and Hong Kong has not been forgotten,” he said.
During the event, Zheng Yun read out a message of support sent for the occasion by Lord David Alton, a member of the UK House of Lords.
Alton recalled his encounters with Joshua Wong, praising his activism and criticizing the judicial treatment of Wong and other democracy activists by the Hong Kong authorities. Alton believes that the UK, the US, and other democratic countries should continue to stand with Hong Kong and China in the pursuit of freedom.
He expressed support for the solidarity action in San Francisco, stating that the Chinese Communist Party must understand that they will not remain silent and will never forget their actions.
Zhou Yunlong, the Organizing Department Director of the San Francisco branch of the Chinese Democratic Party, summed up the experiences of Jimmy Lai, Agnes Chow, and Joshua Wong as the stories of three generations of democracy activists in Hong Kong.
“From Jimmy Lai, to Agnes Chow, and now to Joshua Wong — these are the stories of three generations of democracy activists in Hong Kong,” he said.
In February 9th, 2020, Jimmy Lai, the founder of Apple Daily, was sentenced to 20 years in prison on national security-related charges. On August 21st, Agnes Chow and former chairman Nathan Law of Demosisto were convicted of “inciting subversion of state power.”
Zhou Yunlong highlighted that Jimmy Lai represents the older generation, who defended freedom with wealth and newspapers; Agnes Chow symbolizes the middle generation, upholding their beliefs with professionalism and courage; while Joshua Wong stands for the younger generation, protecting freedom with youth and passion.
He emphasized that despite the imprisonment and harsh sentencing of democracy activists from different generations in Hong Kong, it cannot extinguish the city’s yearning for freedom.
Regarding Joshua Wong’s guilty plea, one of the event organizers, Kelvin Kwan, shared his perspective.
He reminded people not to judge a democracy activist solely based on a confession made while in custody, but to recognize the sacrifices made for pursuing democratic freedom. He emphasized that heroes are ordinary people with families who face immense pressure under indefinite detention. He called for people to show equal support and attention to these brave individuals against online propaganda and vilification.
Jenny Shi, a member of the American Hong Kong Community Center, discussed the differences in speech environments between Hong Kong and the US. She mentioned the police actions surrounding the August 31st remembrance day in Hong Kong and questioned whether public slogans would lead to arrest at the event.
She highlighted that in the US, people can openly gather in front of the Chinese Consulate to criticize the Chinese Communist Party, while in today’s Hong Kong, similar political expressions may lead to police intervention or arrest. She noted that the space for publicly expressing dissenting political views in Hong Kong has significantly shrunk since the implementation of the national security law.
Speaking in English at the event, Chris Chang emphasized that Joshua Wong had been publicly expressing political opinions, organizing social movements, and advocating for democracy since his youth, yet has spent years imprisoned as a result.
He expressed solidarity with Wong and others who cannot speak up for themselves while imprisoned, stating, “You can imprison one individual, but you cannot imprison an idea; you can shut down a newspaper, but you cannot silence the truth; you can arrest activists, but you cannot detain the people’s thirst for freedom.” In a message to Wong, he said, “You are not alone,” and to the people of Hong Kong, he added, “You have not been forgotten.”
Chris Chang urged the release of Joshua Wong and other political prisoners detained for peaceful political expression, calling on the US and the international community not to remain silent on the happenings in Hong Kong.
Xiaojing Lv, Deputy Director of the Fremont branch of the Chinese Democratic Party, highlighted that since the implementation of the National Security Law in 2020, the political space and civil society in Hong Kong face increasing restrictions, with democracy advocates being arrested and prosecuted, and political organizations and civic groups being disbanded.
He emphasized that what Joshua Wong is facing is not just his personal imprisonment but a symbol of the shrinking freedom space in Hong Kong and the heaviest torture of the historical promise of “one country, two systems.”
He called for the release of Joshua Wong, an end to political persecution, and stated, “One country, two systems may be hollowed out by authoritarianism, but the belief of the Hong Kong people in pursuing freedom will not die.”
Similarly, Songqing Li expressed that Joshua Wong has been advocating for democracy since his adolescence and is now facing another national security case after being detained for a prolonged period. He underscored that this is not just one person’s plight but a reflection of the continuous compression of freedom of speech, political freedom, and basic human rights in Hong Kong.
“Freedom will not disappear due to repression, and democracy will not die because of trials,” he said.
Liu Jingtang, a member of the Chinese Democratic Party, shared his personal experience and his reasons for participating in the event.
“In China, I did not have the courage of democracy activists like Jimmy Lai, Joshua Wong, Agnes Chow, Nathan Law to confront the authority directly,” he said. “But now, being in the free world, I cannot choose silence because of past fears.”
He stated that having the freedom to speak publicly now, he has the responsibility to continue speaking out for those who have lost their freedom and cannot voice their opinions.
Kaoming Kang emphasized that a young person dedicating their youth to their belief in democracy and freedom should not lose basic rights solely due to political stance.
“We can disagree with his viewpoints, but we cannot deny him basic rights because of his views,” he said, calling on the international community not to forget Hong Kong and those imprisoned for standing by their political beliefs.
Guojun Guo, the head of the “One Person, One Push Cares About Prisoners of Conscience” campaign and the director of the event department of the San Francisco branch of the Chinese Democratic Party, proclaimed: “Democracy is not a crime! Freedom is not a crime! Pursuing your rights is not a crime!” He called for the release of Joshua Wong and other political prisoners.
Wuping Liu stated, “With one Joshua Wong in prison, there are millions of Joshua Wongs in Hong Kong, China, and around the world.” He called on the Hong Kong authorities to release Jimmy Lai, Nathan Law, Agnes Chow, and Joshua Wong, among others.
As a member of the Chinese Democratic Party, Kai Li believed that political suppression leads to a severe consequence of society gradually fostering fear and self-censorship.
“The most dreadful aspect is not just people being thrown into prison, but more and more people starting to refrain from telling the truth,” Li Kai mentioned. He emphasized that those abroad still have a voice and therefore should not choose silence.
During the event, participants repeatedly chanted slogans such as “Pursuing democracy is not a crime,” “Release Joshua Wong,” and “Stand with Joshua Wong.”
Outside the Chinese Consulate in San Francisco, attendees conveyed a consistent message throughout the day — that Joshua Wong has not been forgotten, and neither has Hong Kong.