Hong Kong's opposition party on Saturday kicked off primary elections aimed at choosing democracy candidates for the city's upcoming parliamentary election.
The vote took place less than two weeks after China instituted a new security law that many fear will erode democracy in the semi-autonomous territory.
"The primary election is our first time to let Beijing know Hong Kongers never bow down to China," said pro-democracy activist Joshua Wong on Saturday before voting began. "We urge the world to put Hong Kong under the global spotlight."
The elections, organized by the Group Power for Democracy, seek to secure a majority of more than 35 seats — more than half of the total number — for pro-democracy candidates in Hong Kong's Legislative Council election in September. This would give democracy candidates greater power to veto pro-establishment legislation.
Police raid polling office: Last November, three million people voted in Hong Kong's District Council elections, handing a landslide victory to the pro-democracy camp, who won 17 of the 18 District Councils.
Support stemmed from opposition to a proposed extradition law that would have allowed people arrested in Hong Kong to be sent to mainland China for trial, a bill that has since been withdrawn.
The bill sparked months of violent anti-government protests, which have waned since security forcea arrested over 300 people on July 1, the day after the new national security law went into effect.
The district-wide elections, which run through Sunday, were also thrown into question on Friday when Hong Kong police raided the office of a co-organizer responsible for election polling.
Voting could violate Beijing's law Many regard the opposition's primary as a litmus test of greater resistance to the security law. Instituted by China last month, the law targets secession, subversion, terrorism and collusion with foreign forces.
Hong Kongers face uncertainty over what constitutes a violation.
In a government broadcast on Thursday, Secretary for Mainland Constitutional Affairs Erick Tsang said organizers and participants in the primary elections could be in violation of the new law.
