Leung Kwok-hung

Leung Kwok-hung (Chinese: 梁國雄; Cantonese in IPA: l?ːŋ kwɔːk hʊŋ; Pinyin: Liáng Guóxióng), also known as Long Hair (長毛) (born March 27, 1956) is a Hong Kong political activist, he is currently a member of the Legislative Council of Hong Kong (LegCo) representing New Territories East.

Long Hair's Career as a Legislator

For the swearing-in ceremony of the Hong Kong Legislative Council on October 6, 2004, Leung's fellow members arrived in business attire. Long Hair, in contrast, wore a T-shirt with Tiananmen Square on the front and Che Guevara on the back. When he was called to come forward and take the oath, he raised his left fist, encircled with a black wristband, a memorial to those who died in the 1989 protests.

Related Topics:
October 6 - 2004 - Tiananmen Square

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Leung had planned to alter his oath of office, but a Hong Kong judge said such a step would make it impossible for him to serve. Instead, Leung added his own messages to the standard oath. He demanded vindication for those killed in the 1989 Tiananmen Square crackdown. He called for the release of political prisoners and an end to one-party rule on the Mainland.

Related Topics:
Political prisoners - One-party rule - Mainland

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Leung shouted at the ceremony: "Long live democracy! Long live the people!" He was then sworn in as a council member. Observers watched closely the reaction from the Mainland government, as Leung's statements touched upon a politically sensitive issue that is often in considered taboo in official public settings.

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In the aftermath of the Article 23 political storm and debate over freedom of expression, many were concerned about possible Mainland reaction to the incident. However, the Mainland government did not respond in any dramatic fashion.

Related Topics:
Article 23 - Freedom of expression

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Leung's populist and unorthodox style contrasts with the usually restrained atmosphere of LegCo. Rita Fan, the pro-Mainland LegCo chairperson, seemed more concerned that Leung was improperly dressed for LegCo meetings than any of his political opinions. One legislator commented that "Legco has to get used to Leung, and he has to get used to Legco."

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