Established in 2006, LSD was the latest democracy party to organize street protests amidst a national security rift.
The League of Social Democrats (LSD), the last active democracy in China -ruled Hong Kong, has announced its disintegration due to “immense political pressure”.
The “difficult” decision announced on Sunday left the financial hub with no opposition forces with protests on the road after implementing national security laws in recent years.
In a statement, the relatively small leftist party, established in 2006, said that it reached its conclusion after “careful idea”, especially in relation to “results” for its members.
“In these 19 years, we have tolerated the difficulties of internal controversies and close imprisonment of our leadership, while the erosion of the civic society, the fading of the ground-level voices, looking at the ubiquity of the red lines and the drunken of dissatisfaction, said this.
But “the road has compressed beyond the road”, LSD continued, warning that “the area ahead is even more trustworthy”.
National security law
China implemented a National Security Act on Hong Kong in 2020, punishing crimes such as sabotage with the possibility of life imprisonment after massive demonstrations in 2019. Under the law, several prominent activists were prosecuted or put in jail, dozens of civil society groups were dissolved and media outlets were shut down significantly to the government.
A second set of laws known as Article 23, was passed in 2024 by the city’s supporter-Beizing Legislature. They punish many crimes including sedition, sabotage, sedition, theft of state’s secrets, external intervention and espionage. The sentences have been from many years to life imprisonment.
LSD was the only pro-democracy party that still staged small road protests from time to time and kept street booth activities to advocate for its risks.
While the more liberal was never popular as the Democratic Party and the Civic Party, it won three seats in the 2008 legislative elections – its best performance.
LSDs fight for their more aggressive strategy widely known for changes. Its members have thrown bananas, eggs and lunch meat among the authorities as a protest gesture. Its party platform said that the group advocated non-violent resistance, but would not survive physical conflict-a stance that distinguishes it from the old, traditional pro-democracy groups.
‘no other choice’
On Sunday, party leader Chan P-Ying did not expand the pressure received by LSD, but he said he was proud to say that the party has still contributed to the city’s pro-democracy movement.
He said, “We have been perfect for our original aspirations and have not reduced the trust by us who went to jail,” he said. “While we are now forced to dissolve and feel pain in our discretion, we have no other option.”
The announcement came to Hong Kong, just before a former British colony, which will mark the 28th anniversary of its return to the Chinese rule on Tuesday.
The city looked at the annual-Lok Tantra protests demanding better policies on anniversary and other demonstrations, but most of the organizing groups were dissolved and activists were imprisoned.
Critics said that rigorous political changes under security laws reflect Hong Kong’s shrinking freedom despite the promises of Beijing to retain him after the 1997 handover. But governments in Beijing and Hong Kong emphasize measures for the stability of the city, saying that they balance the security of the residents of the city with the rights and security of freedom.
In April, Hong Kong’s largest democracy party, the Democratic Party also voted for its leadership to mandate to move towards a possible disruption. Later date is expected to have a final vote.
