Statement from Assembly of Citizen Representatives, Hong Kong (ACRHK) following the 17 January Anti China’s Mega-Embassy protest

Statement from Assembly of Citizen Representatives, Hong Kong (ACRHK) following the 17 January Anti China’s Mega-Embassy protest

Yesterday, 17 January 2026, nearly 1500 people gathered at Royal Mint Court, London to protest against the proposal to build China’s mega‑embassy on this historic site. Participants included Hongkongers, Tibetans, Uyghurs, people from Myanmar, Ukrainians, Chinese dissidents in the UK, and many local British residents who oppose the plan.

ACRHK stands in full support of this protest. We share the deep concerns that a “super‑embassy” of this scale could become a major hub for surveillance, enabling transnational repression against dissidents living in the UK. We are also worried about the broader national security risks this project may pose to Britain. More importantly, we, a group of former Hong Kong district councillors and legislative councillors, firmly believe in bottom‑up democracy. The Tower Hamlets Council has already rejected this planning proposal twice. It is deeply troubling that the Labour government moved to overturn the local decision shortly after officials visited China a year ago. This raises serious questions about transparency, accountability, and whose interests are being prioritised.

During yesterday’s demonstration, members of ACRHK and fellow Hong Kong protestors prepared to project messages onto the walls of Royal Mint Court—highlighting the dangers of the embassy plan and calling for freedom for Jimmy Lai. Police intervened, preventing the projection. Protestors then built a mobile cardboard wall to carry out their action, yet for a long period police also stopped them from projecting even onto their own materials. Only after protestors began projecting messages onto their own bodies, and local media learned of the incident, did the police finally allow the use of the temporary cardboard screen.
Projection is an entirely peaceful form of expression.
It is absurd and worrying that the police appeared to prioritise protecting the interests of the Chinese authorities over safeguarding people’s freedom of speech in the UK. Preventing protestors from projecting onto their own property crosses a line and must be questioned.

We were encouraged to see British politicians from across different parties speaking at the protest. With the supposed deadline for the UK government’s announcement on this planning decision approaching on 20 Jan, we await the outcome closely.

Should the embassy proposal be approved, ACRHK, together with other Hong Kongers across the UK, stands ready to support Tower Hamlets residents in crowdfunding for a Judicial Review. We will continue defending democratic principles, community autonomy, and the safety of those targeted by the regime of the Chinese Communist Party.

1 月17 日反對中共超級大使館行動後 —— 香港公民代表會議 聲明

2026年1 月 17 日，約1500名示威者於倫敦 Royal Mint Court（皇家鑄幣廠） 集會，反對中共政府在當地興建「超級大使館」。參與者包括：在英港人、藏人、維吾爾人、緬甸人、烏克蘭人、中共異見人士，以及反對此計劃的英國本地居民。

香港公民代表會議全力支持今次示威，因為我們預料到中共會如何使用「超級大使館」作為大型監控中心，對流亡海外的異見人士進行跨國打壓，亦擔心此工程會為 英國國家安全帶來嚴重風險。更重要是 ，我們這班前香港區議員及立法會議員，堅定支持由下而上的民主精神。Tower Hamlets 區議會曾兩度否決此項計劃，但英國工黨政府於去年訪華後，竟然推翻地方決定，使英國現任政府之透明度及問責性備受質疑。

昨日集會中，香港公民代表會議成員連同其他香港示威者原本計劃於 Royal Mint Court 外牆投影關於中共大使館計劃問題之訊息，以及要求釋放黎智英之影象，但警方介入阻止。示威者其後用紙皮自製流動投影屏幕，警方卻依然在一段很長時間內阻止他們投影於自攜物料上。直到示威者將訊息投影喺自己身上（人牆），而且把事件告知本地媒體後，警方才肯放行，允許使用紙皮作投影屏幕。

以投影方法作示威媒介，乃非常和平及常見的表達方式。英國警方如此過度保護中共官方利益、甚至連示威者投射於自身物品上都要阻撓，實在荒謬，亦明顯阻礙公眾的表達自由。

昨日集會中，亦有來自 英國不同政黨 的議員亦到場發言，反對計劃。我們現時正密切留意英國政府會於 1 月 20 日，對中共超級大使館計劃作出甚麼決定。如果最終中共超級大使館計劃被放行，香港公民代表會議會連同在英港人，全力支持 Tower Hamlets 居民啟動支援司法覆核的眾籌行動，繼續捍衛民主自治、社區利益，並保障被中共極權針對的人士之安全和自由。