Report: Hong Kong activists plead guilty to protest charges

Seven Hong Kong pro-democracy activists have reportedly pleaded guilty Thursday to organizing and inciting others to take part in an unauthorized assembly held in 2019

HONG KONG -- Seven Hong Kong pro-democracy activists pleaded guilty Thursday to organizing and inciting others to take part in an unauthorized assembly held in 2019, local media reported. The seven activists appearing in court included Raphael Wong, the former chairman of the League of Social Democrats political party, and Figo Chan, who led the Civil Human Rights Front, a now disbanded group that organized protests. “I was protesting based on the principle of civil disobedience. One of the key elements of civil disobedience is to accept the charges. So that is what we are going to do later, to plead guilty,” Wong said Thursday ahead of the proceedings. “Another key element is that the people carrying out civil disobedience actions know being jailed is just part of the process,” he said. “We are not worried about being jailed. Instead, we hope we can achieve democracy after this process.”