Podcast: Joshua Wong and Brian Leung on Hong Kong's Pro-democracy Movement

Ever since protests gained traction in late spring, Hong Kong has been a focal point for international attention. The protests, which drew approximately two million participants at one point, have continued amid reports of police brutality and threats of mainland intervention. Although Hong Kong Chief Executive Carrie Lam stated that she will withdraw the extradition bill that spurred the protests, the protesters’ demands have grown since their inception and the demonstrations show no sign of ending soon.

Joshua Wong and Brian Leung have been two of the movement’s most vocal leaders. Wong serves as the Secretary General of Demosistō, a Hong Kong pro-democracy political party, and Leung garnered attention for removing his face mask while leading protests inside the Hong Kong Legislative Council in July 2019. In mid-September, Wong and Leung traveled to the United States to meet with U.S. officials to press their case. In this podcast, they sit down with Dr. Elizabeth Economy to discuss the roots of their political activism, their thoughts on the protest’s current status, and their goals for their tour abroad.