Protester Voices

Two young protesters awaiting trial say they are unrepentant about breaking the law.Janny, 25, can’t forget the night of her arrested on the Hong Kong Polytechnic University campus. Bill, 23, an engineering undergraduate, recalls the trauma and the help given by a social worker.

JANNY “I lost count of the days at Poly U last Responsible citizenship is very important to me, but September but I was determined never to surrender. for that, Hong Kong needs good governance. Right Then came the morning when I was arrested. now, I don’t think it’s possible. What the government After that, I was taken to hospital. My hands Responsible citizenship is to the fire and I will never forgive them for what they were injured. I will leave very important to me. have done to Hong Kong it to you to imagine people, all of us, not just me. what had happened. After several days, I had to appear for a court hearing. All we want is for promises to be kept and for Hong Kong My father hired a lawyer to defend me against the to be left alone. Instead, what I see is Hong Kong failing. charge of rioting then I was released on bail. There is no choice but to become more like mainland Of course, my parents are worried. They see being part enough. It is such a crucial time. It’s now or never. of a stable society as a benefit even if – at least in my eyes – this society is unfair. We never agreed about politics I don’t regret anything I’ve done but if I had the before my arrest but I think their attitude changed when chance again, I would try to be wise and not get they saw my injured hands. I always used to think of caught. Ever since I was arrested, I haven’t slept well. them as pro-government but they listen more to what I Sometimes I dream of what happened at Poly U, the have to say now. I still feel angry but I don’t show it any fears, the rumours, the sense of disconnection from more. I recognize the risks involved in speaking out and the world outside. All of it seems surreal now, but am normally a peaceful, law-abiding person. Perhaps my those few days will haunt me for the rest of my life.” family doesn't understand what changed me so much. does just seems to add fuel China. I may have broken the law but I don’t think it’s

It's better not to be stubborn and always be prepared to listen.

I still hope to graduate this year. Even if I’m sent to prison, I will try to keep studying, however hard it is. I was 23 that night when a squad of police caught me. They hurt me but not seriously and nobody hit me at the police station so that was a bit better than I expected. Many others were processed quickly and released on bail but I had a long, anxious wait. Finally, I was taken to court on a charge of rioting. My parents were there. It was a great comfort to see them but it was obvious how worried Mum was. My sister and I went to the protests together. We never told our parents but I think they knew. We took the risks seriously and made sure to watch live video before we left home, to check what was happening at the demonstrations. Like all our friends, we tried to stay together and take care of each other but if one of us pulled out or decided to stay at home we didn’t try to change their minds. When I was arrested and my phone got confiscated, my sister heard nothing from me for a long time and so she knew I was in trouble. It must have been very hard for her to go home and tell our parents. We seldom talk politics with them because it causes arguments but that doesn’t mean we don’t care about each other.

I knew I risked arrest by protesting. I was scared, but I still had to go. For me, it was a question of right and wrong rather than breaking the law. If a law is unjust, I think we should to do something about it. For me, this is a rational, core value that I treasure. However, it is also important to be flexible while we fight for Hong Kong’s future. If the situation changes, we should change too. It's better

BILL “It’s already a long time since I got arrested but

not to be stubborn and always be prepared to listen.

My Social worker encouraged me to become a volunteer, work for other people and stay on the right side of the law.

My social worker was in court when my case was first heard. She approached my mother who was visibly worried. That was a critical time and she gave me and my parents counselling after finding out exactly what we needed. Later, my social worker encouraged me to become a volunteer, to work for other people and stay on the right side of the law. All the legal procedures are so complicated and my social worker is the one who is helping me get through it all. She helps my Mum as well. We trust her and that is very important in a situation like this.

HKFYG’s outreach social workers provided protesters with crisis intervention and psychological assessment and intervention as well as individual case counselling and support services for parents.