Who is Hong Kong’s ‘goddess of democracy' Agnes Chow?

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Hailed by some as "the real Mulan," Agnes Chow has emerged as a key figure in Hong Kong's pro-democracy movement.

As Hong Kong dissent has grown so, too, has her profile.

Chow made headlines this week after being jailed for ten months for unlawful assembly during last year's anti-government protests.

(SOUNDBITE) (English) PRO-DEMOCRACY ACTIVIST, AGNES CHOW, SAYING: “… the police violence and abuse of power of the police and also of the Hong Kong government is still continuing..."

Chow has been politically active since she was 15 and has a strong youth following.

She played a leading role in the so-called Umbrella movement protests in 2014, striving to secure universal suffrage for the former British colony.

Later, Chow emerged as a figurehead of Hong Kong’s pro-democracy movement, alongside fellow activists Joshua Wong and Nathan Law.

The trio founded the democracy group Demosisto in 2016.

The party was dissolved hours after Beijing passed its contentious national security law in June, amid fears it could be targeted under the legislation.

In 2018, she was banned from running in a Legislative Council by-election, under rules to curb independence advocacy.

Chow said at the time: "Hong Kong Demosisto has never had a pro-independence stance but we believe Hong Kong people have the right to self-determination."

Fluent in Japanese, Chow has particularly gained traction in Japan, where she has been dubbed the "goddess of democracy" by the media.

Chow also has a sizeable social media following.

Her YouTube channel has over 325,000 subscribers.

She featured prominently in the anti-government protests last year, alongside Wong - who has been jailed for 13 months - and Law, now in exile in Britain.

Chow was arrested in August under the broad terms of the security law on suspicion of "colluding with foreign forces."