ABSTRACT
During the 150 years of British colonial rule, Hong Kong became one of the world's largest trading and financial centers. However, the free port has never been free, as most of the economy was in the hands of a few oligarchs, and most of the population had no political power. The negotiations on the transfer of sovereignty from the United Kingdom to China in the 1980s and the suppression of student protests in Beijing have accelerated the transformation of the city: its governance was democratized, the building of local identity accelerated, and the people started using mass protests as means to achieve political goals. The increased interference of Chinese politicians in Hong Kong's affairs in the 21st century, as well as continuous integration with China and hesitance to solve socio-economic issues in the city, fueled the creation of an explosive atmosphere. The society erupted in large protests in 2003, 2014, and finally in 2019, when millions marched in the streets and thousands clashed violently with the police. The coronavirus pandemic allowed the government to enact draconian national security legislation, which undermined judicial independence and de facto removed a large part of political freedoms.
