The Hong Kong Social Democrats League announces the dissolving | Hong Kong protests the news

Founded in 2006, the LSD was the last pro-democracy party to organize street demonstrations in the midst of a repression of national security.

The League of Social Democrats (LSD), the last active pro-democracy party remaining in Hong Kong in China, announced its dissolution due to “immense political pressure”.

The “difficult” decision announced on Sunday in fact leaves the financial center without an opposition force organizing street demonstrations after the imposition of national security laws in recent years.

In a press release, the relatively small left of the left, which was founded in 2006, said that it had reached its conclusion after a “meticulous deliberation”, in particular with regard to “the consequences” for its members.

“During these 19 years, we have endured internal litigation difficulties and the almost total imprisonment of our leadership, while testifying to the erosion of civil society, the discoloration of basic voices, the omnipresence of red lines and the draconian deletion of dissent,” he added.

But “the road has shrunk beyond the passage,” continued the LSD, warning that “the land to come is even more treacherous”.

National Security Laws

China has imposed a national security law in Hong Kong in 2020, punishing offenses such as subversion with the possibility of life revenue following pro-democracy demonstrations in 2019. Under the legislation, many leading activists have been pursued or imprisoned, dozens of dissolved civil society groups and the media criticized by the government were closed.

A second series of laws, known as Article 23was adopted in 2024 by the city’s pro-Beijing legislature. They punish a range of offenses, including betrayal, sabotage, sedition, theft of state secrets, external interference and espionage. The sentences vary from several years to life imprisonment.

The LSD was the only pro-democracy party to have organized small street events from time to time and organized street stand activities to continue its advocacy despite the risks.

Although never as popular as the Democratic Party and the more moderate civic party, it won three seats in the 2008 legislative elections – its best performance.

The LSD is widely known for its more aggressive tactics during the fight for change. Its members have thrown bananas, eggs and lunch meat with managers or pro-Beijing legislators as a gesture of protest. His party platform said that the group recommended non-violent resistance but would not avoid physical confrontations-a position that distinguishes it from more ancient traditional pro-democracy groups.

‘No other choice’

On Sunday, the party leader, Chan Po-Ying, did not develop the pressure that the LSD suffered, but said that it was proud to say that the party had always contributed to the pro-democracy movement of the city.

“We have remained faithful to our original aspirations and we did not drop the confidence placed to us by those who went to prison,” she said. “Although we are now forced to dissolve and feel pain in our consciousness, we have no other choice.”

The announcement comes just before Hong Kong, a former British colony, will mark the 28th anniversary of his return to Chinese domination on Tuesday.

The city used to attend pro-democracy annual demonstrations on the birthday and other demonstrations requiring better policies, but those who stopped after most of the organized groups were dissolved and the activists were imprisoned.

Critics have declared that drastic political changes under the laws on security reflect Hong Kong’s freedoms of narrowing despite the promises of Beijing to keep them intact after the transfer of 1997. But the governments of Beijing and Hong Kong insist that the measures are necessary for the stability of the city, affirming that they are balanced by protecting the rights and freedoms of residents of residents city.

In April, the largest pro-democracy party in Hong Kong, the Democratic Party, also vote To give its leadership the mandate to progress towards a potential dissolution. A final vote is expected on a later date.