Hong Kong separatist body swiftly disbands

A Hong Kong separatist group disbanded on Tuesday, hours after China’s parliament passed national security legislation for the city.

Demosisto announced the closure of its operations in the city after its leader Joshua Wong and key figures of the group — Nathan Law, Jeffrey Ngo and Agnes Chow — said they were ending involvement with the group. “After much internal deliberation, we have decided to disband and cease all operations as a group given the circumstances,” declared the separatist group on Twitter.

Wong and his Demosisto are accused of colluding with foreign forces and disrupting Hong Kong’s social order by organizing separatist activities and inciting young people to join them.

Wong held several meetings with international politicians and visited the US in an attempt to solicit foreign interference.

The national security law targets separatism, subversion, terrorism and collusion with foreign forces. Wong has said he expects to be targeted under the law. Both Wong and Law have plans to run for Hong Kong’s Legislative Council election in September.

Another group advocating “Hong Kong’s independence,” Hong Kong National Front, said on its Facebook page it had shut its Hong Kong office and that its units in Taiwan and Britain would continue. Separatist Wayne Chan said he had skipped bail and fled the city amid fears he would be detained.