Hong Kong’s 2nd largest pro-democracy party disbands amid political crackdown

HONG KONG (AP) — One of the few remaining pro-democracy parties in Hong Kong has voted to dissolve itself, joining a growing list of organizations that have disbanded as authorities crack down on dissent. Civic Party chairman Alan Leong told reporters that the dissolution of the party was a “writing on the wall” as there was no one to take over. None of its members at an extraordinary general meeting on Saturday filed nominations for executive positions. The party, which was founded in 2006, was made up of mostly professionals, lawyers and academics. At its peak, it won six seats in the Hong Kong legislature during the 2012 elections, and was the city’s second-largest pro-democracy party after the Democratic Party. Several members were charged with subversion.