As Apple Daily celebrates its 25th anniversary, the National Security Law for Hong Kong was forced upon the city. Jimmy Lai, the founder of Next Digital, called this a time of the gravest crisis. He might be sent to jail, or could face even more severe consequences. What if Apple Daily’s employees are arrested and the paper is seized? Lai said he can only play it by ear, “How would there be back-up plans, what then, an underground Apple Daily?” Author Ni Kuang once said, even if death is inevitable, Hongkongers should still fight on. Lai, who is now 72, said he will stand till the end, “We must do more amid a critical juncture, to fight back stronger.”

Lai emphasized in various interviews that if he focuses too much on the results, that will only bring him fear, which will stop him from achieving more. In an interview with Apple Daily in early June, he refused to predict the worse case scenario for himself, but admitted that there might be huge changes in the future, “Maybe I will be in jail, that will be a huge change, or maybe I will be facing much worse than imprisonment, and that will be a change I cannot foresee. Regardless, come what may, I will face what I need to head on, fearlessly.”

On the day of the interview, Lai was involved in 4 cases and facing 6 charges, including charges of participation in an unlawful assembly in last year’s protest. He was tried in court for the first time in May. People from pro-establishment organizations protested against him outside the court. At first, Lai appeared indifferent with hands in his pockets, and later mocked them by saying “time to go get paid now, clock’s ticking.” That day, the court was filled with local and foreign reporters. Prior to the hearing, some court staff asked if he needed tickets for his family to be present. Taken aback, he said “No need.”

Lai did not let his family members attend the court hearing. Reporter asked what his plans are for his family in case he is jailed. He said, he doesn’t want his family to be implicated, “I hope that my kids will not be affected and my wife will not be affected. I did everything myself, not with my wife, nor with my kids, I hope they will not be implicated.” If necessary, he plans to arrange for his family to go abroad, “If there’s no longer freedom nor rule of law, are they staying in Hong Kong to be obedient citizens? To be slaves? Nobody would accept the role of a slave.”

He stated that he, himself, will not leave Hong Kong, “I must stay till the end.” He said he owes everything he has to Hong Kong, “I came to Hong Kong when I was 12, with only 1 dollar in hand, and here I am. Everything I have, my family, my wife, my sons, my grandsons, I owe them all to this place. I am now 72 years-old, maybe it is time for me to give back to society.”

When he established Apple Daily in 1995, Lai aspired to maintain freedom of speech in Hong Kong. When it comes to 2020, the National Security Law for Hong Kong was passed, but he still yearns for Apple Daily to be a voice of Hongkongers. Recently, an English version of the Apple Daily app was launched, as inspired by a column article written by Tom Fung. Lai thinks that the purpose of the English version is to call for international attention on Hong Kong, “The more U.S. or overseas subscribers we have, the more concerns and political protections we can get from the U.S. or other foreign governments.”

Lai is frequently seen at the “international frontline”, being interviewed by a multitude of overseas media. His Twitter account was set up last month, and he already gained 72,000 followers as of June 11. Reporter asked if he knows how to use Twitter, he said he knows the basics and tweets in his own words by himself. He is not worried about being accused of “colluding with external forces”, “The more terrified they are, the more it means that we are doing the right thing and should keep going. This is a simple concept.”

Lai said he has been slaving away these days. He shot videos to call for more subscribers for Apple Daily, to call for international concerns for the National Security Law, and to plead with the U.S. President Trump to save Hong Kong. A former Apple Daily reporter said he has never seen Lai grovel so humbly, telling readers that “We need your help, we are facing difficulties in running Apple Daily.” Lai said he conducted his business all by himself back then, but now they are facing unprecedented suppression, seeking help is a practical need, “I can’t do this alone anymore. Back then Hong Kong was not under such great suppression from the CCP, I did not need to personally beg for international concerns for Hong Kong.”

Reporter asked if he had let go of his pride. He disagreed, “I have never given anyone an impression that pride is very important to me. I think that is not…a big deal, I think. I did not only seek help from readers or seek for international attention, I also seek help from my colleagues for new ideas.” Last month, Lai was reappointed to be the executive director of Next Digital, he will also remain to be the chairman to strengthen the leadership of the company.

Even if Apple Daily survived this current crisis, Lai will have to retire one day. Lai said he will continue to work for at least another 10 years, “I think that is cutting it pretty close, by then I will really have to pass this all onto my colleagues, completely.” But how? Is it through establishing a trust fund to continue the operations of Apple Daily? Lai did not specify, “I don’t know now, it is too early to determine. If I am still alive at 82 and if I am half retired or 80% retired, with 20% I’ll keep going without the trust fund. Say when I am 90 or 92, there are still 20 years to go. I haven’t thought about it in such details yet.”

On June 4, Lai lit up his candle close to the fountain of Victoria Park, and he gestured by hand “Five demands”. At the same time, citizens pushed over metal barricades to flood into the football pitches, chanting “Liberate Hong Kong, revolution of our times”, and even “Hong Kong independence, the only way out”. Lai admitted that he was changed by the anti-authoritarianism movement last year, with a weaker sense of being a Chinese and a stronger sense of identifying himself as a Hongkonger. The movement led by the younger generation has inspired the older generation, “as how we should stand with localism.”

He said, both he, himself, and the localists are in line with wanting to protect Hong Kong’s freedom and rule of law, but he doesn’t think independence for Hong Kong is feasible. Still, he wanted to convey to the localists, “Despite our different views, we are all in the same boat. Uniting as one is much more important than excluding each other. We will admit if we are wrong. We’re not ruling out that we could be wrong.”

In Hong Kong, there are many people who hate and despise Jimmy Lai. He admitted that there are people who disagree with what he does, and that he could make mistakes, but it is paramount that he stands for what he believes is the right thing to do, something his family supports, “What I want to leave for my kids isn’t the money I make, no matter how much; but if I can be an example to them, as a father, as a grandfather, to show them the kind of person I am. Being an example is worth so much more money. The example is that I walk the walk for my beliefs, regardless of sacrifices, I do what I believe in and what I think is the right thing.”

On June 4, Lai stayed in Victoria Park for only 15 minutes, he then attended a June 4 mass at the Holy Cross Church in Sai Wan Ho. He stood up from the front row, turned around and waved his hand to signal his family to come and sit with him. What a rare sight to see him by his family in public. As he was leaving Lai and his wife left separately. Mrs. Lai politely refused to be interviewed. Reporter asked Lai where he will be on June 4 next year, he chuckled and said, “Who knows, who knows what will happen next year.”

A week later, police charged Jimmy Lai, Albert Ho, Lee Cheuk-yan and Richard Tsoi with “inciting others to participate in unlawful assembly”. And here comes an additional charge against Jimmy Lai.

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