【Interview】Student Politicism: We exist to test the boundaries

“The purpose of our existence is to test the boundaries of the regime." Wang Yat-chin, 19, convenor of Student Politicism

"We want to tell the public that even when suppressed to the current extent, we are alright. There is still so much you can do (to further the movement).” Wong Yuen-lam, 18, spokesperson of Student Polticism

Student Politicism was an organisation of which, to the public, was only recently heard despite not unfamiliar with. Their recent rise happened over a short time. Yet, they already encountered multiple stops and checks at their street booths, arrests, and on Christmas when reporting at a police station for bail, were given ‘serious cautions’ by the police from the national security branch for violating the national security law. Wong Yuen-lam was directly told by the police that she had been under surveillance since 2019. National security officers amassed stacks of documents recording everything the activist group had said in public, photographs and dossiers on the tens of members who had been detained as well as information on their family members. Despite this, they were always mentally prepared and aware that they had been under police surveillance all along, which was why the question they always asked new recruits was, “Are you prepared for imprisonment?”.

They said, all along, that their existence was to test the boundaries.

Members of Student Politicism questioned by police when setting up street booths and photo displays

* * *

Student Politicism was founded in May 2020. At the time, the national security law, still a rumour and obscured in details, was like a scythe hanging over the heads of Hongkongers. Wang Yat-chin marched against the national anthem ordinance on May 24 and felt that the street protests were no longer as big as they used to be. And so the next day after his final exams, he established Student Politicism on the 26th.

The vision of ​​the organisation was not to exist solely as a student group that followed issues around education and campus, but also to take a step forward to approach different social issues from a student perspective. With about 30 members each contributing $200 every month, they rented a 100-square-foot unit in “the oldest industrial building" in Lai Chi Kok to store their street booth supplies. Unheard of at the time, before the clock struck midnight on June 30th, multiple activist groups including Demosisto, Hong Kong Indigenous, Studentlocalism and Youngspiration had announced a cease in operation. That same night, Student Politicism held a vote in their Telegram group on whether to continue. There was just one negative vote.

From then on, they began their journey of "testing the red line".

(Note: ‘Red line’ is commonly used to refer to ‘boundary’, particularly a bottom line)

One of Student Politicism’s street booths

* * *

In September, Student Politicism distributed pandemic supplies to the public via street booths at a march in Kowloon. Several members were arrested. When setting up photography displays, they were requested by police to redact content that was deemed to ‘advocate violence’. When expressing support for the 12 youths detained in China, they were cordoned off and issued more than 20 fixed penalty fines for violating the social distancing rules.

“Organising a street booth the same time last year was considered a ‘peaceful, non-violent’ affair, but this year, all of a sudden it has become an act of extremism, one that carries a lot of risk. It is absurd,” said a puzzled Wong Yuen-lam. In the early days of the national security law, Wong Yuen-lam distributed promotional materials at street booths. Most people were even afraid of accepting stickers with mildly-worded messages of encouragement, such as “see you under the pot”. Wong Yuen-lam believed this showed people’s withdrawal from politics after the enactment of the law.

“People have already begun self-censorship and are withdrawing to a point where they are scared to even think or read about these issues”. In the face of public withdrawal, they were determined to keep challenging the boundaries, setting up street booths, and receiving fines.

(Note: “under the pot” refers to the public area under the pot-shaped Legislative Council building. “To meet under the pot” is a slogan of the protests implying the day when victory is achieved and protesters can meet there to reunite and commemorate. It is the goal of the struggle that is yet to be achieved.)

On 29th December 2020, Student Politicism held a press conference relaying the “serious cautions” they received from national security police.

In the lead-up to Christmas, Student Politicism was busy collecting snacks and amenities permitted by the Correctional Services Department, such as 40g packs of M&M’s and Garden-brand crackers, that would be delivered to protesters in prison or detention facilities. Wong Yuen-lam relayed a brief encounter with a middle-aged man at the supply collection booth who said “besides donating supplies, there was nothing else I could do. Just give me a chance to redeem myself.”

Wong Yuen-lam sometimes thought to herself, “If I walk a hundred steps, perhaps you could walk just that bit farther, perhaps to the 89th step?”

"We just want to do what we can. We step on the boundaries, so that ordinary Hongkongers can take an extra step within their comfort zone. Having a national security law does not mean the end to all political movements, all thoughts or all contact with these issues.” said Wong Yuen-lam

“I will do it since no one else will”

Just as they said, more people had begun to take a step back over the past six months. So why bother moving forward?

“Since no-one else is stepping up to do the job, then I will have to”, said 18-year-old Chu Wai-ying, prompting laughter from Wong Yuen-lam. “That’s true. I have a dream—to bring happiness to everyone in Hong Kong. But under authoritarian rule and the national security law, everyone is living under oppression… the national security law is simply the trigger that led to even more people leaving. And since there are so many problems and no-one is fixing them, I just have to step up.”

Perhaps it is this simple impulsiveness that has pushed these young people, not even in their twenties, to continue testing the boundaries.

Wong Yuen-lam, spokesperson for Student Politicism

At a recent press conference, Wang Yat-chin stated that staff of the national security office issued a "serious caution" to him, stating that he had violated the national security law by shouting slogans such as “Glory to Hong Kong, Revolution of Our Times”, and by using terms such as “the Hong Kong race”, “liberation” and “revolution”. He was requested to desist from any further mentioning of Hong Kong independence. He was told an arrest in the future was ruled out.

Chu Wai-ying, spokesperson for Student Politicism

However, as the press conference went on, Wang Yat-chin strayed from the script to continue boundary-testing.

“Perhaps the consequences we have to face in the future are serious, but we will not be intimidated. We will continue to guard this land, spread our beliefs, and, at the same time, stand in a united front with every Hongkonger to fight for our liberation.”

“I hope that Hongkongers will wait for an opportunity while living under oppression from the regime and equipping themselves. When the time comes, we will rise again because tyranny can only imprison our bodies but not our thoughts. We believe that one day we will live in a land that is truly free. Hongkongers, see you at liberation.”

Wang Yat-chin said that the press conference was where they “spoke their minds” and felt there was nothing wrong with “see you at liberation”. “The Chinese race is also a ‘race’, why can’t we say that? I honestly feel that sometimes Hongkongers have overdone it with the self-censorship.”

* * *

Being brave did not mean them not fully understand the risks involved. Since being cautioned by the national security police, Student Politicism had completely reorganised their structure so that only a few members remained, while the others converted to volunteer status, even though no one had really left the group. They explained that given the recent arrest of student activists under the national security law, “police usually arrest the two or three who are named and have public exposure”. Wang Yat-chin, Chu Wai-ying and Wong Yuen-lam were the remaining members, as the group continued to operate as usual.

Since the beginning of the social movement, the phrase “don’t sacrifice for nothing” was often heard. Many might see the acts of Student Politicism as self-sacrifice, as Wang Yat-chin frequently received messages on Instagram such as “join the international frontline, don’t stay in Hong Kong!”, “leave as soon as you can!”, and there were middle-aged citizens on the streets persuading him with the Chinese idiom, “as long as the green hill lasts, will there be wood to burn”, similar to the English saying, “Where there is life, there is hope”.

“Seriously, they all say that! But there are something that still needs to be done even if we’re afraid. Anyway, I’m not that scared because I have always been mentally prepared.” With youthful innocence he said that he had been told by the police that as it stood, he could face three to four years in jail. “Honestly, three to four years sentence is still acceptable to me.” It seemed that imprisonment was already factored into his preparations. As he said this, he gestured towards the direction of the Lai Chi Kok Correctional Institution (this interview took place in his Lai Chi Kok office), saying that there were so many detainees that they had to “queue”. “So you can see that more and more people were detained this past half-year. Everyday people are being sentenced and trialed. These are lives being wrecked by the dictatorship.” It seemed that he expected himself to be among them just as he posted on Instagram, “those who persist are all idiots… anyone wants to be an idiot with me?”

“I hope you will all persist”, said Wang Yat-chin.

After being cautioned by the national security police, Student Politicism reorganised their structure so that only a few members remained, with others converting to volunteer. Wang Yat-chin, Chu Wai-ying and Wong Yuen-lam were the only members left.

Source：Standnews #Jan01

#Boundaries #Regime #StudentPoliticism #Interview

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