Hong Kong’s pro-democracy online radio station Citizen Radio aired their final broadcast on Friday, with the founder expressing hardships under “dangerous” political environment. Tsang Kin-shing, a veteran political activist, wrote in the closing Facebook post of the radio station about their difficulties faced since pro-democracy movements in the city in 2014 and 2019.

Under the stringent National Security Law imposed by the Chinese government in 2020, the station’s bank account was “frozen,” meaning the station could only afford the rent up through August. “We could do nothing but to stop the broadcasting,” said Tsang at the end of the post.

In the press conference before the final show, Tsang told reporters of the obstacles the station faced in inviting guest speakers. Tsang said, “If we invite guests, they may not be able to speak freely, because there are so many red lines.” He also commented that radio broadcasting should never be dominated by the authorities and that having civil disobedience in Hong Kong is harder than ever.

Tsang started the Cantonese radio station in 2005. It has gained nearly 8,000 followers and likes for its critical content on Hong Kong authorities and effort on striving for press freedom. The station has been operating without a license, regardless of its application for a broadcasting permit in 2005. Then, in 2016, Hong Kong’s Office of the Communications Authority raided the station for its alleged illegal radio transmission and broadcasting. Since then, Citizen Radio switched their platform to online.