Michael Chugani

Opinion | Uncertainty and division over national security law cloud Hong Kong’s future

The threat to national security from Hong Kong is overblown, which makes the new law a sledgehammer that hurts the city’s international reputation. How can there be hope in a ruptured society?

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A police officer in riot gear holds up a purple flag warning anti-government protesters they may be violating the national security law during an illegal demonstration in Causeway Bay on July 1, the 23rd anniversary of the establishment of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region. Photo: Sam Tsang

Michael Chugani

Published: 6:00am, 9 Jul 2020Updated: 6:34am, 9 Jul 2020

It can be quite concerning to have a sword hanging over your head. One wrong move and you’re a goner. It’s even more concerning when you don’t exactly know what a wrong move is. A sword now hangs over Hong Kong in the form of a Beijing-imposed national security law.

I never thought of the new law as a sword of Damocles, even though it is sweeping. Rule of law societies aim to use laws to protect citizens, not as lethal weapons. Perhaps Zhang Xiaoming, deputy director of the Hong Kong and Macau Affairs Office, didn’t understand that when he described the new law as a sword.

He sought to comfort Hongkongers with assurances that the law only targets a few who threaten national security. Laws apply to everyone, equally, in common law societies. It is legally meaningless to say a particular law only targets a few people.

What is a small minority? Thousands who sing Glory to Hong Kong during unlawful but peaceful protests? Hundreds of black-clad protesters who hurl petrol bombs or shout independence slogans? Dozens who sing protest songs in shopping malls? A few who have “liberate Hong Kong, revolution of our times” posters in their backpacks?

I sometimes unconsciously hum the catchy Glory to Hong Kong while riding the MTR. The song contains the slogan “liberate Hong Kong, revolution of our times”. What if someone videoed me to post on social media? Should I be scared? I don’t know. Even lawyers say the law is too vague to have clear answers.

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What you should know about China's new national security law for Hong Kong

The government issued a statement saying that “liberate Hong Kong, revolution of our times” is a separatist call that violates the security law. If protesters shout the slogan near the headquarters of a property developer, are they advocating independence? They could argue they wanted to liberate Hong Kong from property hegemony through a peaceful revolution.