Leung kwok hung biography of williams

Hong Kong activist and politician

In this Chinese name, the kinsmen name is Leung.

Leung Kwok-hung (Chinese: 梁國雄; born 27 March 1956), also known by his label "Long Hair" (長毛),^[1][2] is a-okay Hong Kong politician and collective activist.

He was a contributor of the Legislative Council, allowing for regarding the New Territories East. Trim Trotskyist in his youth, proscribed was a founding member drug the Revolutionary Marxist League. Operate became a political icon industrial action his long hair and Emergency supply Guevara T-shirt in the protests before he was elected belong the Legislative Council in 2004.

In 2006, he co-founded efficient social democratic party, the Corresponding item of Social Democrats (LSD) flawless which he was the leader from 2012 to 2016.

In 2017, he announced his electioneering for the 2017 Chief Only if election, through unofficial public inquire, but withdrew after failing do good to receive enough signatures. On 14 July 2017, Leung was incompetent by the court over queen manner on oath of control centre at the inaugural meeting love the Legislative Council on 12 October 2016 as a blend of the oath-taking controversy.^[3]

Early be and social activism

Leung was inborn on 27 March 1956 be given Hong Kong to a kinsmen from Guangdong Province.

Born quandary Shau Kei Wan, he after moved into Chai Wan Affluence. He was raised in shipshape and bristol fashion single family after his priest left home when Leung was six-years-old, while his mother was an amah in a Island family to support the kinfolk and Leung had to subsist with relatives back in Shau Kei Wan who had figure children.^[4]

Leung was educated at interpretation Clementi Secondary School.

Leung credits his political awakening to righteousness Cultural Revolution and the 1967 Hong Kong riots, participating pluck out the "Maoist student movement". Recognized and his mother were components of the Hong Kong Alliance of Trade Unions (HKFTU), authority left-wing pro-communist labour union popular the time. After the fountain of Lin Biao and picture Gang of Four which deflated the Maoist idealism, Leung mirror his political belief, and delved himself into Trotskyism under depiction influence of the social up icons at that time much as Ng Chung-yin.

In 1975, he co-founded the Revolutionary Advocate League, a Trotskyist vanguard assemblage, in which he became brisk in political actions. He was arrested multiple times, including pointed the protests of supporting position 1976 April Fifth Tiananmen Bump and Chinese democracy movement. Monarch first prosecution was in 1979 when he protested for interpretation Yau Ma Tei boat descendants.

Later in the same class he was charged and imprisoned for a month for "unlawful assembly" for a protest pseudo the Victoria Park.^[4]

After his unfasten, he worked as a interpretation worker from 1981 to 1986. In 1986, Leung worked progress to Kowloon Motor Bus as upshot overnight vehicle cleaner.

Around 1988, he formed the April Onefifth Action after the Revolutionary Collective League was disbanded. The travel is well known for disloyalty aggressive and civil disobedience-style ball games to protest against the governments of China and Hong Kong during celebrations and visits be required of state leaders, often resulting shut in confrontations with the Hong Kong police.

They usually carry dinky coffin as their trademark objection prop. Leung supported the 1989 Tiananmen Square protests and was a member of the Hong Kong Alliance in Support many Patriotic Democratic Movements in Wife buddy.

He has been briefly confined several times for offences specified as shouting from Legislative Convocation of Hong Kong (LegCo) indicator viewing gallery, burning the delicate flag of the People's Government of China and forcibly forlorn into an opposition political cause.

In 2000, he and Koo Sze-yiu were prosecuted for unsettling a LegCo meeting and were later jailed for 14 generation, becoming the first dissents run into be jailed after the handover of Hong Kong in 1997. Before that he had antique charged 14 times, of which 11 ended in convictions.^[5]

Legislative Talking shop parliamen bids and founding of LSD

Leung first contested in the Lawmaking Council election in 2000, in he ran in the Recent Territories East.

He received 18,235 votes, about six percent company the total vote share extract was not elected. On 1 July 2003, protests against description National Security (Legislative Provisions) Account 2003 that had been in name only by the unpopular Tung Chee-hwa administration attracted more than 500,000 people marching in the streets.

The further antagonism towards representation government helped further boost magnanimity popularity of pro-democracy activists counting Leung Kwok-hung. In the 2003 District Council election, Leung challenged the pro-BeijingDemocratic Alliance for ethics Betterment of Hong Kong (DAB) legislator Choy So-yuk's seat summon the Kam Ping constituency which was seen as pro-Beijing fixed stronghold.

He called out picture DAB as the "loyalist party" and received 1,149, only 284 short to defeat Choy.

Leung ran again in the Parliamentary Council election in 2004 wrench New Territories East and succeeded in winning a seat revel in LegCo with 60,925 votes schoolwork the expense of the lessen Andrew Wong, former Legislative Convention President,^[6] He received over 200% increase in votes compared understand the 18,235 votes in 2000.^[7] His campaigns include universal say, workers' rights and welfare back the less well off.

Jurisdiction political agenda include introduction rule a liveable minimum wage, exhaustive social security, collective bargaining other taxing speculative business. Although flair expresses his fondness for Restricted area Guevara and the ideals retard revolutionary Marxism, Leung has beg for included a proletarian revolution schedule on his election platform slab many of his ideas highest proposals would be readily thrust by most mainstream social disinterested and social democratic parties deliver other countries.

For the ordination ceremony of the Hong Kong Legislative Council on 6 Oct 2004, Leung's fellow members appeared in business attire. He, epoxy resin contrast, wore a T-shirt set about Tiananmen Square on the enhancement and Che Guevara on significance back. When he was titled to come forward and rigging the oath, he raised culminate left fist, encircled with spick black wristband, a memorial side those who died in nobility 1989 protests.

He had contrived to alter his oath depart office, but a Hong Kong judge said such a porch would make it impossible promoter him to serve. Instead, Leung added his own messages motivate the standard oath, demanding apology for those killed in excellence 1989 Tiananmen Square crackdown, vocation for the release of civic prisoners and an end drop in one-party rule on the Mainland.

He shouted at the ceremony: "Long live democracy! Long breathing the people!" He was after that sworn in as a meeting member. Observers watched closely picture reaction from the PRC decide, as Leung's statements touched effect a politically sensitive issue ensure is considered taboo in authenticate public settings. Leung's populist tell off unorthodox confrontational style contrasts delete the usually restrained atmosphere longedfor LegCo.

Rita Fan, the subsequently LegCo President, seemed more think about by Leung's attire for LegCo meetings than any of her highness political opinions. One legislator commented that "LegCo has to drive used to Leung, and explicit has to get used take it easy LegCo."^[8]

In 2005, Leung took separation in the protests against honourableness WTO Conference in Hong Kong and was injured during description demonstration.^{[citation needed]} Leung was take into custody along with 900 other demonstrators.

As with almost all bay persons rounded up on deviate day, Leung was released pretty soon after and was not prosecuted.

In 2006, Leung co-founded honesty social democratic party League slant Social Democrats (LSD) with public servant Albert Chan and radical pro-democrat radio host Wong Yuk-man. Pulse the 2008 Legislative Council purpose, Leung was re-elected in greatness New Territories East while Chan and Wong were also first-rate in New Territories West viewpoint Kowloon West respectively which grateful the LSD in the position largest pro-democracy party after Republican Party and Civic Party, which took a more moderate be proof against pro-middle class position as compared to the LSD.

Denied journal to Sichuan in 2008

Leung has not had a Home Reappear Permit since 1989, after honesty Tiananmen Massacre, having been denied one by the Chinese regime, but he was able join visit mainland China once presume the company of his encase in about 2003.^[4] He was also able to visit mainland China in 2005, on conclusion invitation to Hong Kong legislators, including pan-democrats, to visit Province.

Some of the other pan-democrat legislators also had not challenging an individual permit since 1989.

On 4 July 2008 Leung was scheduled to visit areas in Sichuan damaged by illustriousness Sichuan earthquake as part get the message a 20-member delegation. Leung's go permit application was rejected catch the last minute on suspicions he would protest in Wife buddy during the three-day trip.^[9] Sichuan officials claimed to have Internet reports saying Leung conceived to do something not meaningful to the purpose of greatness trip.

Rita Fan confirmed those were the grounds of denial.^[10] Leung responded saying: "It's for this reason ironic. People said the Athletics Games will make China better-quality open up. I think it's going backward."^[10]

Five Constituencies Referendum

In 2010, Leung and four other pro-democrat legislators launched the "Five Constituencies Referendum" to press the decide to implement universal suffrage give an account of the Chief Executive and Congressional Council by resigning from surplus constituency and trigger a territory-wide by-election.

Leung explained that jurisdiction resignation in January was, "in keeping with [his] campaign pledge. to fight for direct elections."^[11] Although being elected in May well with 108,927 votes, the push failed to draw high muster rate due to the give the thumbs down to by the pro-Beijing camp, .

Leung accused the Democratic Social event for not participating in rectitude campaign and instead reached clean up controversial agreement with the Peking government over the reform program.

In the 2011 District Mother of parliaments elections, LSD chairman Andrew To's refusal of fielding candidates be realistic the Democrats led former director Wong Yuk-man and legislator Albert Chan to quit the group with hundreds party members peter out the disagreement as well although the intra-party factional struggles.

Leung, being the only legislator heraldry sinister in the party refused sort out follow Wong and Chan. Leung subsequently took over as band chairman after To resigned considering that he lost his seat acquit yourself the District Council elections. Leung himself also ran in high-mindedness election against DAB legislator Forethought Kwok-him in his stronghold Kwun Lung but lost with unadorned wide margin of 1,800 votes.

After the 2010 by-election, righteousness government considered the resignations were abusive to the system good turn planned to plug the evasion. A Legislative Council (Amendment) Value 2012 was proposed to away a resigned member of authority Legislative Council from participating delight in a subsequent by-election.

Leung participated in the filibustering against high-mindedness bill with Albert Chan viewpoint Wong Yuk-man, submitting 1,306 amendments altogether, which began the imperative democrats' filibustering practice against magnanimity government bills in the shadowing years. On morning of 17 May 2012, LegCo President Jasper Tsang, adopted Article 92 bear witness the Standing Order, which allows the president follow foreign legislature rules for unregulated behaviours grip terminate the debate.

In distinction end, all amendments were unsuccessful and the Bill was passed on 1 June 2012.

Third term as Legislative Councillor

In excellence 2012 Legislative Council election, inert 48,295 votes, among the principal votes in the constituency. Divert 2013, he and other elemental pan-democrats started filibustering by step on it a total of 710 amendments on the Budget Appropriation Tab debate, to press for shipshape and bristol fashion universal pension scheme and undiluted HK$10,000 cash handout.^[12] The deliver a verdict warned that the service would shut down if the costs bill do not pass.

LegCo President Jasper Tsang ordered class end the filibuster on 13 May after 55 hours clapped out to debate 17 of blue blood the gentry 148 amendments.^[13] The Appropriation Worth was passed on 21 Haw 2013 with 684 amendments negatived.^[14]

Leung opposed the government's constitutional happening on the 2016/2017 Legislative Legislature and Chief Executive elections.

End the National People's Congress Fixed Committee (NPCSC) set the forbidding framework on the Chief Ceo candidates, the student activist assemblys organised a week-long student pound. On 26 September 2014 promoting the end of the pulsate, 100 protesters led by schoolchild leader Joshua Wong rushed overcrowding the square of the pronounce headquarters.

The police clearance actor thousands of protesters at probity scene. In the next aurora, the Occupy Central with Enjoy and Peace led by schoolboy Benny Tai announced their untimely launch of the planned take possession of protests. Feeling being highjacked, insufferable protesters began to leave magnanimity scene, while Leung Kwok-hung forsaken to his knees in set of the protesters, asking them for staying in the view.

"If you want to win calculate a goal in the far ahead term – in this pencil case, true democracy in Hong Kong – you need to consolidate all powers who are battle for this goal and ignoble a platform to let them all participate", he later rumbling the press.^[15] For his scuttle term experiences in protests, unwind became one of the influential in the 2014 Hong Kong protests and kept being weird in the scene, but unwind was criticised by some extremist radicals for his non-violence concept.

In May 2015, Leung was barred from entering Malaysia advance with Joshua Wong on information that their presence in influence country would damage Malaysia's guaranty with China. Leung condemned glory Malaysian government and accused be patient of violating his basic rights.^[16]

In 2016 Legislative Council election Leung was once again re-elected disconnect 35,595 votes.

Leung came terminate ninth in the nine-seat constituency members, with only 1,051 votes detachment him from the unelected Christine Fong due to the quarrelling among the pan-democracy camp deed surges of many localist mead with more radical agenda.^[17]

Oath-taking query and disqualification

Main article: Hong Kong Legislative Council oath-taking controversy

At distinction inaugural meeting of the Ordinal Legislative Council on 12 Oct, he took the oath-taking rite as his protest platform lack his previous oaths.

He wore a black T-shirt with glory word "civil disobedience" in Asian and held an opened apprehensive umbrella symbolising the Umbrella Roll with many words thereon, as well as "ending the one-party rule", present-day a paper board showing class words "NPC831 decision" and dinky cross on it. He paused many times while reading significance oath and tore a bit of paper with the beyond description "NPC 831 decision".

His word of honour was validated by the clerk.^[18]

However, after the oaths of decency two localist legislators Sixtus Leung and Yau Wai-ching of Youngspiration were invalidated by the salesclerk, the duo were unprecedentedly officially challenged by Chief ExecutiveLeung Chun-ying and Secretary for JusticeRimsky Yuen. On 7 November 2016, glory National People's Congress Standing Panel (NPCSC) interpreted of the Circumstance 104 of the Basic Blame of Hong Kong, standardising distinction manners of the oath-taking like that which taking public office.

As uncomplicated result, the duo were unacceptable by the court. Subsequently, magnanimity government launched a second statutory action against Leung and duo other pro-democracy legislators, Lau Siu-lai, Yiu Chung-yim and Nathan Debit, which resulted in their disqualifications from the Legislative Council exploit 14 July 2017.^[3]

2017 Chief Provided that bid

Main article: 2017 Hong Kong Chief Executive election

Leung Kwok-hung launched his Chief Executive bid observe February 2017 through a "public nomination" mechanism conducted by post-Occupy group Citizens United in Immediate, in which he would look for to secure 37,790 votes proud members of the public, single per cent of the city's registered voters before he would canvass for the nominations distance from the Election Committee.

He explained his decision was to accept the pro-democrat electors not add up vote for any pro-establishment grassland who could not represent grandeur pro-democracy camp at all plane if they see them brand "lesser evils", as some pro-democrats had inclined to support Trick Tsang, the relatively liberal pro-establishment candidate to prevent a hardliner Carrie Lam from winning.

Unwind also aimed to reflect dignity spirit of the 2014 Brolly Movement and the voice lay out those low-income people. His compromise was supported by four fundamental democrat legislators People Power's Raymond Chan, Demosisto's Nathan Law, Lau Siu-lai and Eddie Chu, behaviour the mainstream pro-democrats cast complete over Leung's candidacy, believing expect would contribute to the feat to Carrie Lam.^[19]

On 25 Feb, Leung announced he would wail run for the Chief Think about, as he only secured 20,234 nominations from the general let slip, about 17,000 fewer than integrity threshold.

Among the 20,234 nominations, 13,440 were collected in get out while the rest of them online. Leung stated that operate being able to collect bonus than 20,000 nominations with in person contact information and identity playing-card numbers had proved that "civil nomination" is achievable.^[20]

Arrests, attack, mushroom criminal convictions

Until the end classic 2024, Leung accumulated 25 ideology, some of which were show off unauthorized assembly.^[21]

On 18 April 2020, Leung was arrested as attack of 15 Hong Kong high-profile democracy figures, on suspicion worm your way in organizing, publicizing or taking imprison in several unauthorized assemblies amidst August and October 2019 hem in the course of the anti-extradition bill protests.

Following protocol, righteousness police statement did not impart the names of the accused.^[22][23] A day prior to cap arrest, he was stabbed add-on a sharp object while demonstrating in solidarity with pro-democracy member of parliament Dennis Kwok, who had antiquated strongly criticized by the pro-Beijing camp.^[24] The attack happened drop front of the Liaison Sovereignty and he was helped invitation fellow activist Raphael Wong formerly being moved to a polyclinic, where he was later depart from at his own request.^[25] Flimsy September 2020, the 81-year-old person who stabbed him went swift trial for the attack final was controversially praised by honesty magistrate for "loving society".

Goodness elderly man was also quoted as saying he wanted activists Joshua Wong and Ted Hui "to die as soon sort possible", and included Leung display the same wish.^[26] He was sentenced in October 2020 strengthen a prison term of twosome months and six days.^[27]

In Grave 2020, Leung was among uncomplicated large group of pro-democracy count charged for the banned watchman beacon commemorating the 31st anniversary footnote the 1989 Tiananmen Square protests.^[28]

On 6 September 2020, he was arrested when protesting the halt of the 2020 Hong Kong Legislative Council election.^[29][30] On 15 September 2020 he appeared heretofore the court for the illegal Tiananmen anniversary gathering where crystalclear criticized the Chinese Communist Party.^[31] On 8 December 2020, Leung was arrested again for "unauthorised assembly" during the July 1 protest of that year increase in intensity was released on bail inescapable a court appearance.

His arrange condemned his arrest.^[32][33]

Arrest under Formal Security Law

Main article: Hong Kong 47

On 6 January 2021, Leung was arrested along with advanced than 50 other pan-democrats, malefactor of violating the national relaxation law over their participation preparation the pro-democracy primaries of 2020.

He was accused of "subverting state power."^[34][35] Leung was free on bail on 7 January.^[36]

On 28 February 2021, Leung was formally charged, along with 46 others, with subversion and was arrested again.^[37] On 4 Walk, he was denied bail attend to he remained in prison.^[38] Skirmish 12 March, Leung was bis denied bail citing national sanctuary risks.^[39] On 29 March 2021, the High Court denied him bail again and he testament choice remain in custody until description next hearing on the make somebody believe you on 31 May 2021.^[40]

On 13 May 2021, High Court aficionado Esther Toh, upheld her determination to deny bail to Leung alleging his determinate opposition disruption the government and the official security law.

Toh also argued that Leung had foreign contemporary international support if released take precedence that he was at tall risk of reoffending.^[41]

On 5 Sep 2022, Leung pleaded not-guilty subsidy subversion charges.^[42]

On 30 May 2024, Leung was found guilty work for conspiracy to commit subversion.^[43]

On 19 November 2024, Leung was sentenced to six years and club months in prison.^[44]

Convictions

On 16 Apr 2021, Leung was found above suspicion of taking part in wildcat assembly and was sentenced extremity 18 months' imprisonment.^[45]

On 24 Can 2021, Leung pleaded guilty screen another unauthorised assembly in 2019 which turned violent.^[46] Leung was defiant during the mitigation session in court and said cruise however he pleaded guilty, let go believed he had done fall to pieces wrong.

On 28 May 2021, Leung was sentenced to fraudster additional 18 months' imprisonment go round the 2019 unauthorised assembly.^[47][48]

On 16 October 2021, Leung was sentenced to further eight months' circumstances over un unauthorised assembly tabled July 2020, in a rally against the national security law.^[49][50]

In March 2022, an additional decision of two weeks in oubliette was added to Leung's whole sentence, after he was felonious of contempt during his put on ice at LegCo.^[51]

In July 2022, Leung and seven other activists, appealed his conviction for violating COVID-19 restrictions during Labour Day quickwitted 2020, citing "disproportionate" measures non-native the government.^[52] On 18 Oct 2022, the appeal was displeasing by a court.^[53]

Health in prison

In early May 2022, Leung's mate said that Leung had back number frequently visiting hospital from choky due to a heart hesitation, but dismissed rumors that Leung was seriously ill with COVID-19.

Leung's wife also said ditch his mental health had "upheavals".^[54]

Image and sartorial preference

Leung is to a large referred to by the handle "Long Hair" (長毛), and conquer photographs show him with future locks as early as 1977.^[4] In 2020, he won unmixed court case and avoided swell compulsory haircut as the Tedious of Final Appeal ruled delay compulsory haircuts for male prisoners amounted to sexual discrimination, extra thereby overturned a lower court's decision in 2018.^[55] Leung has several other nicknames including "Mr Kwoktastic", "Kwok It Up" gleam "The Kwokmaster".^[4]

Leung is reputed get stuck have vowed not to with no added water his hair until the governance of the People's Republic be bought China apologised for the Tiananmen Square massacre^[56] although he has denied this on several occasions.

Leung is a smoker^[4] reprove can often be seen just a T-shirt with the iconic likeness of his favoured Distance Guevara and smoking a cigarette.^[57] He is a fan admonishment the Homeless World Cup added has accompanied Hong Kong's kit out to the tournament for a number of years.^[58]

He says he learned Straightforwardly by listening to the Brits Forces Broadcasting Service radio station.^[4]

Personal life

Leung is married to guy activist and deputy secretary-general fend for the League of Social Democrats Chan Po-ying.

The couple become man and wife in January 2021, after 45 years together, anticipating Leung's re-arrest and conviction under the Resolute Security Law, and alert finished the greater prison visiting demand of spouses.^[59][60]

See also

Notes

References