Hong Kong (AFP) โ One of Hong Kong's last remaining opposition parties has officially disbanded, its leader announced Sunday, citing "immense political pressure" as Beijing's years-long crackdown on dissent transforms the semi-autonomous Chinese city.
The League of Social Democrats (LSD), founded in 2006, championed democratisation and grassroots issues in Hong Kong's legislature and on the streets.
Its lawmakers were known for their colourful heckling and symbolic protests in legislative sessions, which included lobbing bananas and fish sandwiches.
It is the latest opposition party to cease operating after Beijing imposed a national security law in 2020 to end democracy protests that had brought the financial hub to a standstill.
"In the face of immense political pressure and after careful deliberation -- particularly with regard to the consequences for our members and comrades -- we have made the difficult decision to disband," LSD said in a statement.
Party chair Chan Po-ying said the decision had been unanimous as the group had "no other choice".
Asked if pressure had come from Beijing's middlemen, Chan declined to elaborate.
At the height of its popularity in 2008, LSD held just three seats, but it was responsible for helping mainstream a more radical pro-democracy agenda.
After the imposition of the national security law, the city's political opposition dwindled, with most democracy campaigners jailed or overseas. The Civic Party closed in 2023 and in February, the Democratic Party began winding down.
Regina Ip, convenor of the Hong Kong government's cabinet, told AFP last week that it was a "good thing" that these opposition parties were disbanding.
"All these parties have done great damage to Hong Kong and to the proper functioning of (the Legislative Council)," she said.
Authorities have since overhauled the electoral system to ensure only Beijing loyalists can hold office.
Chan said she had no "false hope" of liberalisation.
"I don't think Hong Kong will go forward to the democratic system in the near future," she said.
According to the party, its bank accounts were closed in 2023, adding to operational difficulties.
Six party members have been jailed over the past five years, including Chan's husband and one of LSD's founding members, "Long Hair" Leung Kwok-hung. He remains behind bars after being found guilty of subversion last year in Hong Kong's largest national security trial.
Another LSD member jailed in the same case, Jimmy Sham, was released from prison last month.
At the press conference, he described the group as Hong Kong's first political party to adopt LGBTQ equality as part of its core platform.
"I sincerely hope that in the future, there will still be voices in society that speak out for the marginalised," Sham added.
In recent years, LSD had limited its public activities to a Sunday street booth in a shopping district where a handful of activists handed out flyers while filmed by police.
Vice-chairperson Dickson Chau recalled that some passersby would make small signs of support, such as offering him a friendly nod or a beverage.
But operating in the current political environment has taken a personal toll.
"These four years, I constantly worry about someone (knocking on) my door to arrest me or do a house search... and when I just walk around the streets, I need to worry, is it a sensitive date?"
Chan warned of a "domino effect", saying that her group would not be the last to fold.
She urged the public "on the one hand to survive, and on the other hand to try to exercise our rights as citizens".