Little Shrimp | Protester in Exile: I will Never Give Up
Little Shrimp is a 17-year-old secondary school student who used to be a frontline protester. At the beginning of 2020, he was persecuted by the Police Force. In the face of white terror, Shrimp made the difficult decision to go into exile. Before he left, he wanted to share a few words with his fellow Hongkongers.
“Going into exile, leaving my family and friends, and sustaining serious injuries to my knees… Some might ask me if it was worth all these sacrifices. I only know that I must shoulder some of the responsibilities to do what ought to be done, so that I have no regrets in the future. ”
Journalist: Snowyeok
Illustrator: Orange Peel
Photo: Provided by interviewee
Some people think the protest in Hong Kong has lost its momentum because of the pandemic. Even though I am about to go into exile, I have not forgotten about the city. I hope that you will also remember why and how this all started.
I am a Form 6 student*. I was supposed to be preparing for the public exam (HKDSE), but I am preparing to go into exile instead. Since the protest began last June, my plan has been completely upended. Chief Executive Carrie Lam thought that once the academic year started, students would return to school, which would then signal the end of the social movement. However, she was wrong– the movement has spanned the beginning of summer all the way into winter, and it is still on-going.
If not us, then who? No Reason to Fear
There were a lot of students on the frontline who were much younger than me. Seeing that, I questioned myself, “What excuse do I have now to back out from this?” Though, as a Form 6 [1*] student, I had to prepare for university, I knew that as senior students, we had to prepare for university sooner than those still in their junior years. If we backed down now, all hope for the future of Hong Kong would be lost. I didn’t have much fear. I was only worried that children younger than me would be arrested. As a result, I was even more involved in the movement during the summer holiday. I even formed and led teams of younger students during the protests.
I used to be rather arrogant and egoistic. However, ever since I became a team leader through the movement, I have matured rapidly. I no longer focus only on myself, but would consider my team members’ feelings. Our relationship has become as intimate as the bonds you share with your family members.
During the protest, we were in the “supply infantry”: we were responsible for transporting gear and tools, such as bottles for molotov cocktails, flour, sugar, hammers, etc. to those struggling on the frontline. On protest sites, my teammates would follow my directions and it was up to me to decide when, where and how we would leave. Even though we were not at the very forefront of the resistance, there had been many close calls. One time, I almost got bitten by a dog [2*]. The non-violent protesters behind me were running too slow and they ended up blocking my way out. I only managed to escape when I ditched my backpack. While I was never formally arrested until the eve of Lunar New Year, my identification had been recorded by the police at a protest site.
Arrested: The Beginning of White Terror
That day, I was biking with a friend when I was stopped by several police officers. They suspected that I was responsible for throwing molotov cocktails at the police station nearby. Their only proof was that I was dressing like a protester. It had become a common practice for police to broaden their arrest: they might arrest someone based solely on fabricated evidence, or sometimes no evidence at all. In my case, because of the lack of solid proof, they could only charge me for stealing the bike I was on.
Ever since my identification was recorded by the police, I knew that I was under surveillance. The police had tried searching my home, and tapping my phone. They charged me with theft only because they could not find any evidence to charge me with riot or illegal assembly. Their surveillance on me became more and more reckless. Recently, I just returned home from abroad after settling my future education overseas. I was still stopped by some police officers on the street, who questioned my recent travel intentions.
Is it worth going to exile for this movement?
If I stay in Hong Kong, I worry that not just me, but my teammates and my girlfriend would also be under police surveillance. Rather than dragging my loved ones into this mess, I have chosen to leave Hong Kong to avoid the turmoil. I won’t be coming back in the near future.
After over 6 months of intense protests and clashes, my body is no longer the same as before. As I was running with a backpack weighing over 10KG every time, my knees have been severely injured; it’s as if they belonged to someone who’s in their 30s and 40s. Not only am I physically injured, I now have to leave my friends and family behind. Some might ask me whether I find all these to be worth it. I only know that I must shoulder some of the responsibilities to do what ought to be done so that I have no regrets in the future.
Exile is not the End of Resistance
I will not forget about Hong Kong even after I have gone into exile, nor will I become a “Hong Kong pig” [*3]. I will continue the resistance with different tactics , while hoping my fellow protesters will continue my legacy in Hong Kong. I will keep an eye on the development in Hong Kong abroad, while diligently producing and circulating promotional materials for the movement. At the same time, I will be the confidant of my teammates in Hong Kong to share some of their anxieties and stress. In case of emergencies, I can make use of my social network abroad to help them. Although I am a little miffed that I cannot contribute to the frontline anymore in the near future, I believe that we will all remember our original conviction, and persist until the final victory.
A lot of people believe that the movement has lost its focus: because of the pandemic, folks have gone from trying to reclaim Hong Kong, fighting for the five demands, to fighting for face masks. I understand that sentiment. Many people have been very confused ever since the district council election, and the sedge of Polytechnic University, where a lot of protesters were arrested. However, we cannot forget those who have sacrificed their lives for the resistance. We also cannot give up on those who have been arrested and trapped in legal battles. I know that our fellow protesters will continue to resist in the name of freedom. You can still catch glimpses of them on the street now. It is incredibly moving that people are still willing to step forward at this time. I believe in strength in numbers. I hope that people will continue to attend protests and events, and continue to work towards reclaiming Hong Kong.
“I am Little Shrimp, I am a HKer.”
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[*1] Final year of secondary school
[*2] Got arrested by the police
[*3] Hongkongers who do not care about politics or the movement.