“It is alarming that, instead of safeguarding my right to speak and gather freely in the UK, the response shifts responsibility on to me to limit my basic freedoms in the face of China’s transnational repression,” Lau said.

“In effect, this mirrors the very outcome the Chinese and Hong Kong authorities are seeking: silencing dissent through fear and isolation. A truly democratic response should centre on protecting the rights of those targeted, not advising them to retreat from public life.”