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Joshua Wong
Hong KongPolitics

ExclusiveJoshua Wong never thought he’d be jailed over Occupy – but prison will only make him stronger, father says

Roger Wong offers a glimpse into his son’s upbringing and their differences at home, from politics and religion to messy wardrobes

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Roger Wong Wai-ming says his son has natural charisma and can convince others of his convictions. Photo: Felix Wong
Cannix Yau
Student activist Joshua Wong Chi-fung, now in jail for storming the Hong Kong government headquarters in a protest that triggered the 2014 Occupy movement, never expected to spend time behind bars, his father has revealed.

In an interview with the Post in his home, offering a rare glimpse into the relationship between the two, Roger Wong Wai-ming said his son had miscalculated and was counting on staying on the right side of the law while advancing his cause.

The senior Wong accused the government of moving the goalposts to put his son, who turns 21 on Friday, in jail.

Joshua Wong’s mother writes letter to son blasting Hong Kong government’s pursuit of jailed pro-democracy activists

“We can’t tell him what to do and what not to do, as he is already an adult with his own independent thinking. But his mother once asked him not to get himself thrown in jail for whatever he did,” Wong said.

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“As such, Joshua had carefully calculated the legal consequences of his actions. He reckoned that trespassing on the so-called Civic Square at the government headquarters would not land him in jail as no one would be hurt.

“From the case he only expected to serve a community service order.”

His son’s gamble initially paid off, with the court last year sentencing Joshua to 80 hours of community service for unlawful assembly.

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