Clashes shine a spotlight on the role of localist independence groups

HONG KONG — The clashes between Hong Kong’s police and protesters in the working-class district of Mong Kok on Tuesday have shone a spotlight on the city’s radical anti-China localism groups, some of which are suspected to be involved in the violence.

These small groups and parties seek either independence for Hong Kong or a limit on Beijing’s influence in this city. They also oppose any moves they deem to threaten local traditions, such as the temporary night market in Mong Kok with unlicensed food stalls, which have become a part of the Chinese New Year holiday.

On Monday night, as news of authorities’ crackdown on these food stalls spread, one group reportedly posted a video on its Facebook page and urged its supporters to come and protect it. With news of the confrontation between police and protesters spreading through social media, more people arrived, some dressed in similar colours and wearing helmets.

During the 10-hour long-running battle between protesters and police, there were reports of shouts of “Establish a Hong Kong country”. The mayhem resulted in dozens injured and arrested, including Mr Edward Leung Tin-kei, leader of localist group Hong Kong Indigenous, although the role he played and to what extent was not immediately clear.

Hong Kong authorities have said that they are investigating if the violence had been organised in advance.

Besides Hong Kong Indigenous, other localism groups in the city-state have names such as Federation of Students, Hong Kong Blue Righteous Revolt, Youngspiration, Hong Kong Localism Power and National Independent Party, which was involved in a suspected bomb planted in a bin outside the Legislative Council last year.

Federation of Students counts itself as the city’s oldest and most politically influential student group, which co-led the pro-democracy Occupy Central movement that saw tens of thousands camped in the heart of Hong Kong from October 2011 to September 2012.

Youngspiration was formed after the 2014 sit-in street protests known as the Umbrella Movement, and campaigned to raise awareness on Hong Kong’s constitutional rights of high autonomy.

One of the first waves of localism was believed to have emerged in 2006, when activists set up groups to campaign to save the Star Ferry Pier and Queen’s Pier from demolition. Then, in 2011, Lingnan University’s Dr Horace Chin published a book, On the Hong Kong City-State, which advocated “Hong Kong First” and “Hong Kong-China separation” positions. The book became a best seller.

A year later, localism took centre stage when tens of thousands took to Hong Kong’s streets in late July 2012 to oppose a proposed China-backed curriculum, which the protesters — comprising parents, teachers, students and activists — claimed amounted to Communist Party propaganda that glosses over the darker aspects of Chinese rule. The government later said schools did not have to adopt the curriculum.

Since then, localism groups have staged boycotts and protests on issues such as open elections.

However, the groups suffered a setback after the 2014 Umbrella Movement when the authorities cleared pro-democracy demonstrators from the streets after more than two months of protests. Many so-called localists remain deeply embittered by the lack of concessions from Beijing or Hong Kong authorities during the protests and this had led them to harden their resolve to call for independence for the city-state. AGENCIES