New | ‘No regrets’ for pro-independence activists who broke into PLA headquarters

Despite facing ridicule and possible jail terms, the protesters accused of breaking into the People’s Liberation Army barracks in Admiralty believe their action was worth it.

Dickson Cheung Hon-yin, 40, one of the four accused, told the South China Morning Post in January that they were simply fighting, as citizens, for the right to save the harbourfront and express disgruntlement at Chinese rule.

The four are part of Hongkongers Come First, which, at 30 members, is the city’s lone advocacy group pushing for the territory’s separation from the People’s Republic of China. They call themselves “independence warriors”.

The PLA barracks became the target as the group wanted to demonstrate against the plan for a new military pier in Central.

Despite public misgivings, the 150-metre site will officially be rezoned from a public open space to a site for military purposes after it secures approval from the Executive Council later this year.

Hongkongers Come First want the government to keep its promise and save the harbour for citizens.