Following the arrest in January and charging in February 2021 of dozens of pro-democracy activists and politicians, Chan continued with his activism as convener of the Civil Human Rights Front. He denied, along with former convener and imprisoned Jimmy Sham, that the CHRF was foreign-funded and said the organisation would continue its activities. In May 2021, previous to the beginning of the "subversion trial", he was accused in court of organising an unlawful assembly in 2019. Chan alleged that there was no wrongdoing and that the violence that erupted following the demonstration had nothing to do with their convening. Chan was put on trial in late May 2021 for that assembly along with activist Avery Ng and tycoon Jimmy Lai. Chan also warned that if the government does not allow peaceful demonstrations to take place, it could trigger protests similar to those in 2019 and include violence.