Jimmy Lai says Hong Kong ‘beyond redemption’ after national security law took effect

Former media boss Jimmy Lai Chee-ying has said he abandoned his “fight for freedom” after Hong Kong adopted the national security law in 2020, as the city was “beyond redemption” while maintaining he had not done anything illegal in resisting the legislation and lobbying for sanctions.

Lai said on Wednesday he would not deliberately violate the security law because he felt the legislation had made it impossible to counter Beijing’s encroachment on Hongkongers’ freedoms.

“If the fight becomes illegal, there’s no room to fight anyway,” he told West Kowloon Court. “It’s like Hong Kong right now, who would fight?”

The 77-year-old was giving evidence for the 10th day in his high-profile national security trial, with this latest testimony focusing on an interview he gave to Washington-funded Radio Free Asia on June 8, 2020.

In the video interview, Lai described the security law as Hong Kong’s “doomsday” and declared he would “resist until the end” despite the risk of incarceration and death.

His testimony was then briefly interrupted by applause from a woman in the public gallery. She was escorted out of the court building by judiciary staff. Police officers on site did not take any immediate follow-up action.