HONG KONG – In the 1960s, John Clancey was sent to Hong Kong from a small town in upstate New York to minister as a priest to the working poor of the city. He stayed and eventually turned himself into an advocate for the powerless people of the city.
More than half a century later, the lawyer faces years in prison for his role in the pro-democracy movement in his adopted home.
Clancey was one of dozens of activists arrested last week during the rally of opposition figures – the largest since Beijing imposed a national security law on Hong Kong six months ago. Police charged those targeted with subversion after holding an unofficial primary last year as part of a plan to gain a legislative majority and derail government policy.
During an interview at his office in central Hong Kong, 79-year-old Mr. Clancey that he had been arrested for serving as treasurer for a pro-democracy group that helped organize the primaries. Now a lawyer, Mr. Clancey is the first American to be detained under the new law, underscoring his wide reach and the authorities’ willingness to exercise it on locals and foreigners alike.
Police confiscated his US passport after his arrest, Mr. Clancey said, though he believes he does not deserve special treatment as a US citizen. A spokesman for the US consulate declined to comment on his case, citing privacy laws. A spokeswoman for the Hong Kong government referred to earlier statements that the city would ensure national security and “would not tolerate any violation of subversion”.