There's reportedly a small cohort of Chinese mainlanders who have joined the Hong Kong protests

Hong Kong protesters on August 28, 2019.
(Image credit: Chris McGrath/Getty Images)

While many citizens of mainland China living in Hong Kong don't support the city's anti-government, pro-democracy protests, there is indeed a small cohort who have joined the demonstrations, The Wall Street Journal reports.

The decision to do so is far from without risks. Chinese authorities, for example, check travelers' smartphones as they cross the border between Hong Kong and Shenzhen, looking for evidence of participation at the rallies. But it's not only the government that is trying to ensure mainlanders don't get involved.

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Tim O'Donnell

Tim is a staff writer at The Week and has contributed to Bedford and Bowery and The New York Transatlantic. He is a graduate of Occidental College and NYU's journalism school. Tim enjoys writing about baseball, Europe, and extinct megafauna. He lives in New York City.