The past 12 months have not been easy on Hong Kong’s democrats. While the writing had always been on the wall, the conspicuous tightening and stringent barriers to entry placed upon the Legislative Council have left many in the democratic camp bereft of optimism. Many pan-democratic friends of mine, some of whom had once been moderate, pragmatic, and open to engaging with the political establishment, have grown increasingly frustrated over the unfolding events. Others – emboldened and radicalized by the events that have befallen the city over the past two years – find their disillusionment reaffirmed by recent changes. Indeed, many prominent figures (including some who are not typically viewed as radical or extreme) in the opposition camp have been imprisoned, for charges associated with their alleged involvement with the 2019-2020 anti-extradition protests. Hong Kong’s once-raucous political scene has certainly been cleared of its at-times disruptive, at-times boisterous dissent – yet at what cost?