Hong Kong’s former student leader Joshua Wong on Friday announced his candidacy for the city’s legislative election in September, amid fears that campaigners critical of Beijing, including himself, might be extradited to mainland China under a looming national security law.

Wong is the poster boy of Hong Kong’s pro-democracy movement and has been disqualified from previous elections for campaigning for a referendum over Hong Kong’s future. He told reporters on Friday that there was no choice but to keep fighting against all odds.

“We have no choice … It may be the last election without political screening, where Hong Kong people can freely choose their candidates,” he said.

When asked about the possibility of being disqualified again, he said: “It’s not about me being disqualified. The whole election can be disqualified with the establishment of the national security law.”

As election fever starts to heat up, the pro-democracy camp has announced its goal of winning a majority in the Legislative Council and invited candidates to take part in a primary aimed at consolidating votes for democratic candidates.

The pro-establishment camp, however, is calling on the Hong Kong government to disqualify candidates who do not support the recently proposed national security law, in order to maintain its own advantage in the de facto parliament.

Beijing is set to pass its version of national security law to be imposed in Hong Kong, raising widespread fears that it will be a nail in the coffin curtailing the freedoms of the semi-autonomous city.

Wong announced his candidacy in the Kowloon East constituency with his counterpart, Leung Hoi-ching. He acknowledged concerns that after the national security law came into effect, he might be apprehended and even extradited to mainland China before the election was held on September 6.

He vowed not to give up, saying: “We just need to fight this uphill battle.” Leung could become his replacement if he was disqualified, he said.

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