Alex Chow facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Alex Chow
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Chow on grant of bail, 7 October 2017
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Alex Chow Wing-hong
18 August 1990 |
| Education | University of Hong Kong (BA) London School of Economics (MSc) University of California, Berkeley |
| Occupation | Social activist |
| Alex Chow Wing Hong | |||||||||||||
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| Chinese | 周永康 | ||||||||||||
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Alex Chow Yong-kang (born August 18, 1990) is a social activist from Hong Kong. He is known for his role in student movements. He is currently studying for a special degree in geography at the University of California, Berkeley. Alex Chow was once a leader for the Hong Kong Federation of Students. He also served as a Vice-President for the Hong Kong University Students' Union.
Contents
Alex Chow and Peaceful Protests
What is the Occupy Central Movement?
Alex Chow was one of the main organizers of the Occupy Central movement. This movement aimed to bring more democracy to Hong Kong. On July 1, 2014, after a large march for democracy, he helped organize a peaceful sit-in. This sit-in took place on Chater Road in the center of Hong Kong. Police later asked people to leave the area.
Alex Chow believed that simply marching each year was not enough. He felt that people needed to take stronger, but still peaceful, actions. He said that the power of peaceful protest comes from the dedication of everyone involved.
The Umbrella Movement and Student Leadership
Alex Chow was a key organizer and speaker during the early days of the Umbrella Movement. This movement was a series of protests in Hong Kong in 2014. It called for more open elections. He told protesters that it was a movement for all people in Hong Kong, not just students. He also mentioned that people might protest at government buildings.
On October 5, the student group he led agreed to talk with the government. Chow stated that these talks would stop if police tried to remove protesters by force. He explained that talking did not mean giving up their goals. He said they wanted to find solutions to society's problems.
Trying to Talk with Officials
Chow and two other student leaders, Nathan Law and Eason Chung, tried to travel to mainland China. They wanted to speak with government officials there about their concerns. However, on November 15, they were stopped from boarding their flight to Beijing. Airline staff told them that authorities had canceled their travel permits. This meant they could not travel to mainland China.
Legal Challenges and Appeals
Alex Chow, Nathan Law, and Joshua Wong faced legal challenges in 2016. This was for their part in a protest at Civic Square in 2014. This protest helped start the 79-day Umbrella Movement sit-ins.
Initially, Alex Chow received a lighter sentence. However, a year later, a higher court increased his sentence. This decision caused many people around the world to speak out. They believed the students were being punished for their peaceful actions.
In February 2018, Chow, Law, and Wong won an appeal at the highest court in Hong Kong. The court decided to overturn their jail sentences. The judges said that the previous sentences used a new rule unfairly. This meant they did not have to serve the longer jail time.
Alex Chow's Education
When Alex Chow faced legal issues, he was studying at the London School of Economics in the UK. Many people signed a petition to support him. The school also contacted both the UK and Hong Kong governments to check on his well-being.
Alex Chow had planned to start a special degree program at the University of California, Berkeley in the United States. He began his master's degree at the London School of Economics in 2016. After that, he started his special degree at the University of California, Berkeley.
Images for kids
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Chow on grant of bail, 7 October 2017
See also
In Spanish: Alex Chow para niños
