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Oriental Daily (東方日報) sources claim Beijing is considering countermeasures if the UK government proceeds with expanding BNO rights, incl. revoking the Chinese citizenship & right of abode in HK for all HKers who don't renounce BNO citizenship. Insane.
hk.on.cc/hk/bkn/cnt/new…
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Riot police just charged down Pedder Street and into an entrance to Central MTR station, barring reporters from entry and sealing off the exit. Possible there is some kind of disturbance inside the station. Vid: 恒大編委報導/HSUSU
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Horrifying development - becoming clear Beijing’s mulling a monstrous national security law-extradition bill amalgamation in which HKers could face nat sec charges in the mainland - & per pro-🇨🇳 paper 成報 - the *death penalty*. We still don’t know the details of the legislation. twitter.com/rthk_enews/sta…
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As the 6.4 Tiananmen anniversary arrives with draconian national security laws hanging over the city, HK wakes to find thousands of cops are poised to arrest anyone who demonstrates. Protestors initiating violence looks unlikely but police may provoke it.
scmp.com/news/hong-kong…
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The SCMP reports the HK government is considering allowing the indefinite detention of suspects without trial in special detention centres under the national security law.
Hong Kong is now a fully-fledged police state. #SOSHK
scmp.com/news/hong-kong…
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This is the 1989 video that former HK Chief Executive CY Leung doesn't want you to see:
"Promises made by the 🇨🇳 government, such as not sending in the army [on Tiananmen], have been empty"
"When they break their own promises, it's inevitable HK people will lose trust in them"
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So proud to have been a small part of such an amazing team. Apple Daily journalists sacrificed everything to ensure Hongkongers could access uncensored media & pro-democracy voices for as long as possible. Now that’s gone but they gave everything they possibly could. 香港人加油！
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LegCo chamber, July 1st 2019
U.S. House chamber, January 6th 2021
One was a demonstration in support of democracy. One is a demonstration against.
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HK government press release says it supports returning officers’ decision to disqualify pro-democracy candidates en masse & appears to confirm ‘expressing an objection’ to the National Security Law constitutes grounds for disqualification.
This is the new normal in Hong Kong.
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Tonight an Apple Daily editor was arrested at HK airport under the NSL. His name is Fung Wai-kong (馮偉光) & used the pen-name 盧峯.
He was my editor & would receive my columns in English & Chinese.
@DominicRaab this man was attempting to board a flight to London. Do something.
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Update: At least one pro-democracy demonstrator (guy in a brown shirt; visible on streams) has been arrested; while reporters, protestors & bystanders have been threatened with pepper spray. This is what happens in HK today when you try to get together to sing. (Pics: Stand News) twitter.com/JackHHazlewood…
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An @OfficalPSHK reporter captured some incredible shots of this incident, in which a young schoolgirl was wrestled to the ground & pinned down by heavily-armed riot police.
Yet another addition to the endless line of damning inditements of the Hong Kong Police Force. twitter.com/JackHHazlewood…
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Today’s @appledaily_hk leads with the national security law’s apparent hardening as it reaches the NPCSC - per Xinhua it will not just criminalise ‘foreign forces’ intervening in HK, but HKers ‘colluding’ with foreign forces too, amid rumours of provision for extradition to 🇨🇳.
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If you're wondering just how far the popular view of the HK Police has degenerated, watch this:
Passer-by throws a plastic bottle. Police retreat, to sarcastic applause & jeers from bystanders. IPCC report of 72.6% 'dissatisfied' with HKPF likely an underestimate. Vid: HSUHKSU
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HK01 reporting the pro-🇨🇳 legislators slept in LegCo overnight amid fears they wouldn’t be able to get in this morning due to planned protests, which haven’t materialised
Imagine sleeping on a blow-up mattress between Junius Ho & Regina Ip, for no reason
Worst. Sleepover. Ever.
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Pro-🇨🇳 lawmaker Junius Ho (何君堯) & pro-democracy legislator Lam Cheuk-Ting's (林卓廷) hotly-anticipated face off did not disappoint. Lam confronted him with photos showing Ho with triads during the triad attack on 7.21; Ho could only obfuscate & quote the IPCC report. Vid: RTHK
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Per @StandNewsHK, the HK bus driver detained during the march today for allegedly beeping his horn at police officers was arrested for ‘dangerous driving’.
You could not find a clearer case of selective enforcement/politicised policing if you tried.
thestandnews.com/politics/9-6-%…
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Another bad week for Hong Kong's goons in blue. Here's a full account of the HK Police's meth dealing, legislator & homeless guy beating, 13 year old arresting, illegal gambling, & top British cops' public shaming week. A person in detention also died from their neglect. Thread:
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Parliament Square completely full for the 6.12 protest organised by @Stand_with_HK @HKLiberty_Team @HongkongersUK @DemocracyforHK.
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The last 24 hours in Hong Kong in review: pro-democracy lawmaker assaulted by pro-Beijing legislator *inside the Legislative Council* - ends up in an ambulance & the Emergency Room. Meanwhile procedure trashed as pro-Beijing committee chair allowed to continue to sit unlawfully.
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Large crowd in Kwun Tong as people gather across HK to mark the police initiating the violence one year ago on 612.
Police have denied permission for all protests & have already raised the blue flag (warning they will use force) in MK, Central & CWB as of 20:30. Vid: Telegram
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This evening by SOGO, 8 pro-democracy activists held big character-style placards that read:
'絕望困境更需彼此' - In this time of dread we need each other more'
'寧為玉碎不為瓦全' - 'rather be broken jade than an intact block'
Tomorrow will be big. Expect a huge confrontation.
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The intended private prosecution of senior British officers in the HK Police has launched a public call for evidence.
Witnesses & evidence is being sought of:
- Assault in police custody (警署警暴)
- The CITIC Tower incident (中信大廈)
聯絡方法請見: facebook.com/13167591169070… twitter.com/lukedepulford/…
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"Hong Kongers' struggle" screams today's @appledaily_hk (蘋果日報) front page after a day which saw mass round-ups & arrests of young people - 360 in total. Clear shift in policing tactics to just arresting anyone suspected of being a protestor as the national security laws loom.
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China’s coast guard captured 12 HKers fleeing to Taiwan on a speedboat because of a tip-off from the Hong Kong Police Force, according to an Apple Daily source.
Police chief Chris Tang had denied the HKPF had any involvement in the immediate aftermath.
hk.appledaily.com/us/20200829/U3…
前蘋果日報專欄作家. Words/investigations @TheSundayTimes @Telegraph @TheEconomist @ForeignPolicy @Australian etc, docs @PopularFront_