Henry Tong said he and his wife Elaine To 'never imagined' they would be arrested. 'We never thought we would need to find a lawyer, or who would take care of our dogs.'
HONG KONG - For Valentine's Day this year, Henry Tong gave his wife, Elaine To, a photo book. It holds the memories of their life together: their first date six years ago, kissing in front of a pro-democracy"Lennon wall"; the tattooed bands on their ring fingers, symbolizing a bond not easily erased; and their wedding day last year, when he vowed to her,"Not even a nuclear explosion could break us apart.
Early this year, Henry, 39, spent more than a month putting together the photo book in secret during the couple's rare times apart. He wanted Elaine, 42, to have something to remind her of him in case they were separated again, this time for years. Lam has defended the crackdown on last year's protesters, who took to the streets to oppose a bill that would have allowed extradition of people from Hong Kong to the mainland."I must urge everyone once again – don't break the law, especially young people," she said in May."There is a heavy price for breaking the law."
Story continuesElaine cried sometimes when talking about the separation she felt was sure to come – and fretted over what would happen to the couple's three dogs, who are like children to them, a source of both worry and wonder. But she said she believed it was her responsibility to stand up for Hong Kong’s future.
Their detention at the police station was one of the toughest moments in their relationship, the couple said. They've been inseparable since they started dating in 2014, when protesters paralyzed major roads of the financial hub for 79 days late that year demanding full democracy for the city. Even with a typhoon approaching the city and rain lashing down, hundreds of supporters had gathered outside Eastern Court, some of them covered only by plastic bags, to show solidarity.
They only expected four people, including the two witnesses, to come to their wedding ceremony. Henry didn't even invite his family, because the couple had received online threats that someone would gatecrash and spoil their wedding, and guests might be doxxed online. "If you want to wash away the tattoo, you need to go through a lot of pain; it's very similar to the meaning of marriage," Henry said."Although there are some obstacles in the road, I have finally become Mrs. Tong. I will go through the upheaval with you," Elaine vowed during the ceremony as she wept.
"The elements of the offense are that as soon as three or more people in an unlawful demonstration commit certain acts, that is to say a 'breach of the peace,' they are said to be riotously assembled," Fast said."Everyone present is deemed to be a party to the riot, regardless of the role he or she played."
"Most of our remaining clients are supportive of us. They told us: 'It's OK. Although you were charged, we will still come,'" Elaine said. In the days leading up to the verdict, the couple counted down their time at the gym, where they spent most of their days building their dream together. Like worried parents, they mentioned their dogs again and again when talking about the specter of imprisonment, worrying the pets would stop eating without them, like when the couple were detained at the police station.
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