63-Year-Old ‘Angel’ in Exile Continues to Speak up for Hong Kong

Elsa Chan carrying a hand-made “Eliminate the CCP” banner to a rally, celebrating four hundred million Chinese quitting the Communist Party in Vancouver on Aug. 20, 2022. (Right) Elsa Chan calls for all political prisoners to be freed in Vancouver on Sept. 18, 2022. Hugo Zhao/The Epoch Times; Courtesy of Elsa Chan

Elsa Chan, a 63-year-old who calls herself an ordinary housewife, is doing what she can to stand up for Hong Kong. During the anti-extradition movement, she walked alongside young Hongkongers protesting in the streets, now exiled in Vancouver, she continues to speak up for Hong Kong.

When Chan had to leave her beloved home city, one of the things she felt the hardest to leave behind Hongkongers with whom she fought for freedom together.

For the two years after the 2019 protest, Chan would visit jailed protesters on every special occasion, hoping to bring them a bit of comfort with her familiar face. “They should not have been in prison.” Chan broke down in tears when talking about Hong Kong’s young protesters. “Before I left (Hong Kong), I tried to see everyone for the last time ... ” She told the Epoch Times.

She shared her wish for this Chinese New Year, that the Chinese Community Party would perish. “When that happens, we can revive a true democratic Hong Kong. All political prisoners will be set free!”

‘Angel’ to Imprisoned Young Protesters

Chan, dubbed an “angel” by Hongkongers, has been a regular face in Hong Kong’s pro-democracy rallies since the umbrella movement in 2014.

When the anti-extradition broke out in 2019, Chan was among the first to rush to the front line to protect the young protesters. When police mistreated them, she live-streamed the scene to the world to expose the injustice.

After 2020, many young people who participated in the movement were arrested. Chan would be in court regularly, giving silent support and visiting them at whichever prison if sentenced.

In the eyes of many prisoners, Chan is a godsend. Chan was the one who gave lone youngsters the consolation they desperately needed inside the four cold walls.

She pays close attention to the growing number of pro-democracy Hongkongers jailed under the Hong Kong National Security Law.

‘There Is No Prison for the Mind’

At an anti-extradition public event at Landmark in Central on Sept. 7, 2020, Chan had an altercation with building security. The police pressed charges, and Chan was sentenced to jail for “public misconduct” and “ordinary assault.”

“I am almost 64 years old. I have never broken the law.” Chan recalls when the judge asked if she felt guilty.

“I don’t feel any guilt for anything I have done.” Chan referred to a live stream video of the occasion that affirmed “it was evident the police were making arbitrary arrests and abusing their power.”

Despite her self-defense, the judge gave her a three-month jail term, to be served after the Chinese New Year in 2022.

Before heading to prison last year, Chan received encouraging words from fellow protesters. One of them reminded her, “even though you are locked up, your mind and spirit and time still belong to you. Do not let anything deter your will.”

Becoming Exiled

To a person who has never broken the law, prison sounds scary; but until being actually put behind bars, one could never fully appreciate the fear, suppression, and helplessness it brought.

Chan believes that’s precisely what the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) wanted. “The regime wants to dehumanize you, crush your will and feed on your fear. I came to realize I cannot let the CCP dictate me endlessly. I can’t let it consume me.”

So Chan decided to go into exile in order to be able to continue speaking up for Hong Kong.

Elsa Chan in Vancouver, Canada, in July 2022. Courtesy of Elsa Chan

“Why are people so afraid of being free?”

After being released from prison, Chan left Hong Kong for Canada on a tourist visa. In March 2022, she applied for political asylum in Vancouver.

Breathing in the air of freedom, Chan continued her mission to speak up for Hong Kong and participated in some local Hongkongers’ rallies.

She discovered that the Chinese people in Canada are fearful of talking or hearing about the Chinese Communist Party. “They would deliberately avoid the subject.” Chan sighed.

Anniversary of Yuen Long Attack

In 2022, just before the anniversary of the Yuen Long Attack, Hongkongers in Vancouver organized a screening of the documentary “The Truth of 7.21.” The film’s director Law Yan-wai was invited to speak.

The Yuen Long attack was a turning point in Hong Kong. On July 21, 2019 a large mob dressed in white indiscriminately attacked Hong Kong citizens inside the Yuen Long MTR Station, and police turned a blind eye. It triggered additional waves of protests and escalated the anti-extradition movement.

To Chan’s surprise, finding a venue proved hard for the organizers. In the end, the screening was held in a hotel lobby.

Overwhelmed while watching the documentary, Chan couldn’t figure out why it was impossible to find a venue for its screening.

“Why are people here so afraid? Why are people so afraid of being free?” She realized that CCP’s infiltration in Canada is deeper and wider than most people are aware.

Experiencing the indifferent attitude of the local Chinese, Chan became more determined than ever to continue her work in hope of awakening people’s conscience.

Awaken People’s Conscience

Elsa Chan participating in a rally “Celebrating Four Hundred Million Chinese Quitting the CCP.” in Vancouver, Canada on Aug. 20, 2022. Hugh Zhao/The Epoch Times

On Aug. 20, 2022, Chan took the initiative to join Vancouver citizens in celebrating 400 million Chinese people quitting the Chinese Communist Party, carrying her self-made banner.

Chan said she would have joined the rally despite no other Hongkongers standing alongside her. She wanted to use the opportunity to urge everyone to speak up and resist the Communist tyranny.

“In Vancouver, I realized that the (Chinese) Communist Party most severely suppresses Falun Gong members. Despite the (crime of) organ harvesting, Falun Gong members have fought (the CCP) for so many years.”

Chan stressed that people can’t be scared of the CCP and that facts should be known.

Elsa Chan (L) participating in a rally “Celebrating Four Hundred Million Chinese Quitting the CCP.” in Vancouver, Canada on Aug. 20, 2022. Hugh Zhao/The Epoch Times

Reminiscing Old Hong Kong

Chan was born in the era when Hong Kong’s economy was booming. But nothing resonated with her more than the neighborly love among the people of Hong Kong.

“I was born in 1959. My family was very poor. I worked as an office assistant before finishing Form 5 (final year of secondary school). At the time, my workplace provided us with meals. I wished to continue my education, so I enrolled myself in an evening school in Cheung Sha Wan. When my boss learned that I had to go to school after work, he arranged for the chef to cook early, so that I could leave work for school at 6:00 p.m. The company also reimbursed my book fees.”

That was how people in Hong Kong looked out for each other, of which Chan remembers fondly.

“Back then, life was fair,” she recalled. “As long as you are willing to work hard, you will be able to earn a living ... Nowadays, it is all different: life, work, housing, everything is challenging for young Hongkongers ... The regime wants the people to be slaves to their government,” she exclaimed.

CCP Showing Their True Colors

Like many Hongkongers originally politically unaware, Chan woke up after realizing the regime was chipping away at Hong Kong’s freedom.

In the early days of Chan’s participation in the fight for Hong Kong, she remembered vividly how supportive the students were at a 2012 rally against the “national education curriculum” the CCP was forcing upon Hong Kong. Students still in school uniforms gave impressive speeches on stage, clear, rational, and persuasive; others assisted people with food and water and kept the venue clean.

“Although they are still young, they understand human rights, freedom, and democracy.” The younger generation’s love for Hong Kong deeply touched Chan.

Looking back at the changes Hong Kong went through in the past decade, Chan believes humanity and kindness has always been the foundation of Hongkongers’ perseverance in resisting CCP-imposed changes and control.

Chan said, “The Chinese Communist Party has pulled down the facade and shown their true colors against Hongkongers. The younger generation bravely exposed the mistreatment they had suffered in prison: the police even forced them to drink toilet water or abuse them until their bones break ... What did Hongkongers do to deserve this?”

This Chinese New Year, Chan’s only wish is for more people to be aware of the situation in Hong Kong.

She encourages the people who had become exiles or prisoners and cannot celebrate this Chinese New Year with their families to stay strong. Chan said, “When the wait for true democracy is over, we will meet again in Hong Kong freely and have a big reunion, celebrating the Chinese New Year.”