Prince Wong Ji-yuet (Chinese: 黃子悅; Jyutping: wong4 zi2 jyut6; born 27 September 1997) is a Hong Kong activist. A former spokesperson of Scholarism, she was involved in the Umbrella Revolution of 2014 and the anti-extradition bill protests in 2019.[2]

Wong Ji-yuet
黃子悅
Spokesperson for Scholarism
In office
22 May 2015 – 20 March 2016
Succeeded byScholarism dissolved
Personal details
Born (1997-09-27) 27 September 1997 (age 26)
Hong Kong
NationalityHong Konger
Political partyIndependent
Other political
affiliations
Scholarism (2012-2016)
EducationLingnan University[1]
Wong Ji-yuet
Traditional Chinese黃子悅
Simplified Chinese黄子悦

Activism edit

Wong was a Form Six student at the International Christian Quality Music Secondary and Primary School during the Umbrella Revolution of 2014, where she participated in the Occupy protests in Admiralty and Mong Kok.[3] As a volunteer for student activist group Scholarism, she joined the secondary school boycott rally on 26 September, broke into Civic Square on 27 September, and spent her first night on the streets on 28 September. She slept on the streets in the occupation zones at night and went to school during the day, maintaining this routine for more than a month.[4]

On 1 December 2014, Wong began a hunger strike with fellow activists Joshua Wong and Isabella Lo.[5] The aim of their hunger strike was to initiate negotiation with the government on Hong Kong's electoral reform.[6] Wong ended the hunger strike after 118 hours based on medical intervention. She was taken to the hospital.[7]

On 18 November 2019, Wong came out in support of the people trapped inside the Hong Kong Polytechnic University during the police's siege of the campus. She was among those arrested during a mass police crackdown.[8] Hundreds of the arrestees were subsequently charged with "rioting", including Wong.[9][10]

 
Wong Ji-yuet being stopped and searched by riot police on 10 May 2020

Wong has condemned the frequent sexism that she faces as a female pro-democracy figure. She stated, "I genuinely want to help Hong Kong. I just don't think it makes sense to compare what I wear to my work. I have my freedom to wear what I want."[11] On 10 May 2020, Wong was near a protest that took place during Mother's Day in Mong Kok, where she was stopped and searched by the Hong Kong police.[12] Wong accused the police officers of sexual harassment by making lewd comments about her body and chest size.[13]

Legislative Council bid edit

On 17 June 2020, Wong announced her intention to run in the 2020 Hong Kong legislative election.[14] She contested in the unofficial pro-democracy primaries during July 2020. Wong came in third place among the candidates within the New Territories West constituency, securing herself a nomination spot in the general election. She received 22,911 votes, or 12.98 per cent of the votes cast.[10]

Arrests edit

On 6 January 2021, Wong was among 53 members of the pro-democratic camp who were arrested under the national security law, specifically its provision regarding alleged subversion. The group stood accused of the organisation of and participation in the pro-democracy primaries in July 2020.[15] Wong was released on bail on 7 January.[16]

On 28 February 2021, Wong was charged, along with 46 others, for subversion.[17] She was released from prison after her bail application was granted by High Court judge Esther Toh on 21 December 2021.[18] According to a written judgement that was released by the judiciary on 3 May 2022, Toh granted bail to enable Wong to finish her bachelor's degree, and due to her belief that she had not explicitly advocated for international sanctions against the authorities, and for Hong Kong independence, during the primaries.[19]

On 6 March 2023, Wong, together with eight other defendants, pleaded guilty to rioting during the protest on 18 November 2019. An additional charge for possessing an offensive weapon was kept on file due to her guilty plea. She had her bail revoked as per her own application.[20] She was sentenced to 37 months in prison on 13 July 2023.[21]

References edit

  1. ^ 胡家欣 (16 August 2018). "前學民思潮發言人黃子悅情緒病康復復課 投訴申請住宿被嶺大留難". HK01. Archived from the original on 15 March 2020.
  2. ^ Wong, Rachel (2020-06-11). "Over 30 Hong Kong pro-democracy legislative election hopefuls vow to uphold protest demands". Hong Kong Free Press HKFP. Retrieved 2020-07-18.
  3. ^ Gracie, Carrie (2017-06-29). "Beijing's struggle to win Hong Kong's young hearts". BBC News. Retrieved 2020-07-18.
  4. ^ Wang, Young (13 November 2014). "Sleeping on the streets for Occupy Central while studying for the DSE". Young Post.
  5. ^ Huang, Heather Timmons and Zheping. "The fighters, the hunger strikers, and the surrendered—new faces of Hong Kong's Umbrella Movement". Quartz. Retrieved 2020-07-18.
  6. ^ Wong, Alan (2014-12-06). "Hong Kong Protester Ends Hunger Strike". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2020-07-18.
  7. ^ "Reflections From a Revolution". www.chronicle.com. Retrieved 2020-07-18.
  8. ^ Wong, Ji-yuet (13 June 2020). "Justice Blinded And Silenced By System Corruption". Wiring HK. Archived from the original on 4 September 2020. Retrieved 15 July 2020.
  9. ^ "【11.18 聲援理大】黃子悅等 15 人被控暴動 押後明年 3 月再訊 被告獲准保釋". 立場新聞. 2019-11-20. Archived from the original on 2019-12-21. Retrieved 2020-07-15.
  10. ^ a b "Hong Kong democrat primaries in full: Young 'localist resistance camp' come out on top". Hong Kong Free Press. 2020-07-16. Retrieved 2020-07-18.
  11. ^ Andersen, Sebastian Skov; Leung, Joyce (2020-07-05). "'How much for an hour?': Hong Kong female politicians speak out against sexual harassment culture". Hong Kong Free Press. Retrieved 2020-07-18.
  12. ^ Hui, Mary. "While the world wasn't looking, Beijing re-wrote the rules in Hong Kong at startling speed". Quartz. Retrieved 2020-07-18.
  13. ^ "230 arrests and pepper spray in Mong Kok, as Hong Kong lawmaker injured during arrest and journalist 'choked'". Hong Kong Free Press. 2020-05-11. Retrieved 2020-07-18.
  14. ^ "【立會選戰】黃子悅戰新西初選:制度尚存,要拎到個話語權 | 獨媒報導". 香港獨立媒體網. 18 June 2020. Retrieved 2020-07-18.
  15. ^ "National security law: Hong Kong rounds up 53 pro-democracy activists". BBC News. 6 January 2021. Retrieved 13 February 2021.
  16. ^ Chau, Candice (8 January 2021). "'Hong Kong has entered a bitter winter,' says primaries organiser as 52 democrats in mass arrest bailed out". Hong Kong Free Press. Retrieved 4 February 2021.
  17. ^ "Hong Kong charges 47 activists in largest use yet of new security law". BBC News. 2021-03-01. Retrieved 2022-07-06.
  18. ^ Cheng, Selina (2021-12-22). "47 democrats national security case: Hong Kong activist Wong Ji-yuet granted bail ahead of Christmas". Hong Kong Free Press. Retrieved 2022-07-06.
  19. ^ "黃子悅初選案獲保釋 官引代表大律師稱首要目標完成學位並獲老師高度評價 (18:21) - 20220503 - 港聞". 明報新聞網 - 即時新聞 instant news (in Traditional Chinese). Retrieved 2022-07-06.
  20. ^ Lee, Peter (2023-03-06). "Hong Kong activist Wong Ji-yuet remanded in custody after pleading guilty to rioting in 2019". Hong Kong Free Press. Retrieved 2023-03-06.
  21. ^ Lee, James (2023-07-13). "Hong Kong activist Wong Ji-yuet jailed for 37 months for rioting in 2019". Hong Kong Free Press HKFP. Retrieved 2023-07-13.

External links edit