Over 100 people gathered in Tseung Kwan O on Sunday to remember a student who died following a protest last year. Police warned those who showed up to commemorate Alex Chow that they may be violating the national security law after some chanted slogans.

alex chow tseung kwan o november 8 2020
Photo: Studio Incendo.

Sunday marks the one-year anniversary of Chow’s death. Last November 8, he fell from a car park during a protest and sustained a head injury – he remained in a critical condition for four days and eventually suffered a cardiac arrest.

alex chow tseung kwan o november 8 2020

Earlier that day, police fired tear gas in Tseung Kwan O to clear anti-extradition law demonstrators.

alex chow tseung kwan o november 8 2020
Photo: Kevin Cheng/United Social Press.

Chow was found unconscious on the second floor of the car park. It remains unclear as to how he fell from the floor above, but police denied blocking an ambulance from accessing the scene and after footage emerged.

alex chow tseung kwan o november 8 2020

Thousands paid tribute the day after he died, with some queuing for hours at Sheung Tak car park.

alex chow tseung kwan o november 8 2020
Photo: Kevin Cheng/United Social Press.

Since then, on the 8th day of every month, citizens have gathered regularly to leave flowers and share messages in honour of the 22-year-old.

alex chow tseung kwan o november 8 2020
Photo: Studio Incendo.

Sunday commemorations

Ahead the commemoration of the incident on Sunday evening, a banner that read “Just want to be happy” – a phrase which rhymes with Chow’s Chinese name “Tsz-lok” in Cantonese – was draped from a Tseung Kwan O footbridge at around 1pm.

alex chow tseung kwan o november 8 2020

However, it was immediately removed by police officers.

alex chow tseung kwan o november 8 2020
Photo: Studio Incendo.

Citizens also mourned for Chow in other districts.

Netizens staged a “Southern District people have not forgotten about Tsz-lok” gathering at 3pm in Aberdeen. They observed a moment of silence and placed flowers near a fountain..

alex chow aberdeen nov 8 2020
Photo: Stand News.

Student group Student Policism also set up street booths at 2pm despite advance warnings from police.

They collected origami cranes as a tribute.

alex chow tseung kwan o november 8 2020

Back in Tseung Kwan O, citizens laid flowers, lit candles and placed messages on the floor throughout the evening.

alex chow tseung kwan o november 8 2020
Photo: Kevin Cheng/United Social Press.

Next to a box of origami cranes, a mourner wrote a message to Chow: “Wish I could play a match with you” on a basketball.

alex chow tseung kwan o november 8 2020
Photo: Studio Incendo.

Some also entered the car park and left white flowers on the second and third floors.

alex chow tseung kwan o november 8 2020
Photo: Kevin Cheng/United Social Press.

“Justice was yet done. We have never forgotten,” a note read.

alex chow tseung kwan o november 8 2020
Photo: Kevin Cheng/United Social Press.

The crowd observed a minute of silence at 8:09pm – the time when the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology student was certified dead.

alex chow tseung kwan o november 8 2020
Photo: Kevin Cheng/United Social Press.

Dozens of police officers were deployed.

alex chow tseung kwan o november 8 2020

They warned the crowd against violating the social distancing measures that ban group gatherings of more than four people during the Covid-19 pandemic.

alex chow tseung kwan o november 8 2020
Photo: Studio Incendo.

They played the warning through a loudspeaker throughout the evening. Police dogs were also deployed to disperse the crowd.

alex chow tseung kwan o november 8 2020
Photo: Studio Incendo.

Officers raised a purple flag, warning citizens they may be violating the national security law after someone chanted: “Liberate Hong Kong, the revolution of our times.” The slogan was declared by the government as pro-independence and therefore illegal under the Beijing-imposed legislation.

alex chow tseung kwan o november 8 2020
Photo: Studio Incendo.

They also raised a blue flag, warning those gathered that it was an unlawful assembly.

According to police on Facebook, a man was arrested at around 6 pm on suspicion of damaging a wall in the Sheung Tak Estate car park. Separately, six people were ticketed for allegedly breaching the coronavirus public gathering restrictions.

alex chow tseung kwan o november 8 2020
Photo: Studio Incendo.

In June 2020, Beijing inserted national security legislation directly into Hong Kong’s mini-constitution – bypassing the local legislature – following a year of pro-democracy protests and unrest. It criminalised subversion, secession, collusion with foreign forces and terrorist acts, which were broadly defined to include disruption to transport and other infrastructure. The move gave police sweeping new powers, alarming democrats, civil society groups and trade partners, as such laws have been used broadly to silence and punish dissidents in China. However, the authorities say it has restored stability and peace to the city.

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rachel wong

Rachel Wong

Rachel Wong previously worked as a documentary producer and academic researcher. She has a BA in Comparative Literature and European Studies from the University of Hong Kong. She has contributed to A City Made by People and The Funambulist, and has an interest in cultural journalism and gender issues.