The demonstration of mutual love and support among Hongkongers since last year’s citywide protests were a source of strength that they could cling on to in their hours of darkness, pro-democracy activist Agnes Chow said.

Chow believed that, after her arrest last month for allegedly violating national security laws, many Hongkongers were living in fear just like herself. To survive the darkness would require Hongkongers to persist in the mutual love and support they had shown since anti-extradition bill protests broke out in June more than a year ago, she said.

“Police can break in to arrest me any time. Every day is filled with a sense of insecurity,” she told Apple Daily during an interview after being released on bail.

“I am not the only person to face such fears. Many others share the same feelings. Since last year Hongkongers have stood united, shown love and given support to one another. I believe this love and mutual support are very important.”

Chow was arrested on Aug. 10 for allegedly colluding with foreign forces to endanger national security, a new offense created under Beijing’s national security law for Hong Kong, imposed on June 30.

The arrest sent ripples through the international community, particularly in Japan. Not only did internet users launch a “FreeAgnes” campaign on microblog Twitter calling for her release, the 23-year-old had also been crowned by Japanese netizens as Hong Kong’s “goddess of democracy” and “Joan of Arc.” The campaign was closely followed by Japanese politicians Yukio Edano and Renho Saito and artist Yoshitomo Nara, and once topped Twitter’s trends in Japan.

In her interview, the activist expressed surprise at the extent of the response to her arrest.

Hours before the controversial law took effect, Chow quit her group Demosisto and announced pulling out of international campaigning activities on the belief that she could become a target of the legislation. Referring to her arrest, she said it was wrong to accuse her of breaching national security since the law was not retrospective.

“It was wrong for China to take full control of Hong Kong, curb the city’s freedom of speech and enact the law. It was like [China] telling the world that it would not respect ‘one country, two systems’,” Chow said.

In the name of national security, Chinese authorities could decide that suspects arrested in Hong Kong over related offenses be sent to the mainland for trial. But even if officials did send her across the boundary, she would still not feel sorry about her participation in the city’s pro-democracy movement, she said.

“If the regime decides that I can endanger the whole country’s national security and so send me to mainland China, I can only say, I have no regrets for what I have done since the beginning,” she said.

“I never regretted taking part in the democratic movement. The campaign has changed my life. And as a Hongkonger, it is my honor to be part of it.”

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