Young Hong Kong rebel speaks his mind
- Instead of writing in mitigation to his judge, student leader Owen Au Cheuk-hei penned a long defiant letter, which may illuminate his state of mind and way of thinking for many people
Like many people of my generation, the violent unrest of 2019 came as a total shock. I disapproved of the violence and did not share the politics of the young rebels, but must confess to a grudging admiration of their commitment and idealism.
Rather than a mitigation statement, it was open defiance.
“Some of our elders and teachers have asked for leniency on our behalf,” he wrote. “As a result, they have been denounced for defending rioters and black hands. In this tragic age, to avoid causing trouble for others, I have decided to write this [mitigation] letter myself.
“What I have done, I take responsibility for. Instead of presenting my own mitigation, I wish to share with you, dear sir, my experience of growing up and explain how I stand before you today with the other accused.”