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Now @HawleyMO’s bill has passed the Senate, @SecPompeo has announced the U.S. will impose visa restrictions on officials “responsible for eviscerating HK’s freedoms”. @HKHIIAD spox @SunnyCheungky has suggested this will include CE Carrie Lam, Sec of Justice & HK’s Police chief.
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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…
153
If you've developed a sudden urge to contract ear cancer, rabidly pro-🇨🇳 legislator Junius Ho (何君堯) has produced a horrific 'song' praising the proposed HK National Security Law for us to, um, enjoy.
It really is positively tumorous. 願榮光歸香港/Glory to Hong Kong it is not.
154
Today’s @AppleDaily_HK reports the NPC Standing Commitee will meet in Beijing to pass the HK National Security Law before the anniversary of the handover on July 1st (7.1).
Hong Kong’s reckoning awaits as we wait to see how far Beijing will go once the law is put into effect.
155
The pro-🇨🇳 camp has yet again resorted to copycat tactics by copying pro-democracy Lennon Walls that sprung up all over HK last year. Stupid to expect any kind of creativity from supporters of an authoritarian dictatorship I guess.
Compare the 2 for yourself. Vid: @limlouisa
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Finally Xinhua confirms more details re. the national security law. A Nat Sec Committee to be estab'd in HK, along with an office in Beijing. Cases will be dealt with HK except in undefined 'special circumstances' - so Beijing will have jurisdiction over certain cases. Not good.
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Today a referendum will be held in HK to determine whether HKers should launch a general strike in opposition to the draconian new national security law.
It’s organised by ‘HK on Strike’, a labour coalition comprising of over 30 trade unions & a school students organisation.
158
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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Today the HK national security law was submitted to the NPCSC for review. As already approved by the NPC (officially "the highest organ of state power" under the 🇨🇳 Constitution) it could be implemented rapidly, perhaps within days. HK's reckoning awaits. thestandnews.com/politics/%E4%B…
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HKJA survey shows 98% of Hong Kong journalists are opposed to the proposed new national security law, with 92% believing it will threaten their personal safety.
With rumours still flying over what the draft legislation might include, who can blame them?
sc.mp/x8wkp
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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…
162
Update: Top British HK Police officer Rupert Dover’s property scandals never seem to end - @AppleDaily_HK has now revealed Dover’s been illegally occupying & building on government land to connect an adjacent property to his house & construct a garden. hk.appledaily.com/local/20200617… twitter.com/JackHHazlewood…
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Carrie Lam: Opponents of the national security law are enemies of the people.
Ming Pao poll: 64% agree the law will undermine one country two systems & HK's status as an intl financial centre; 24% disagree.
...so the people are the enemies of the people?
news.mingpao.com/ins/%e6%b8%af%… twitter.com/alvinllum/stat…
164
Today marks the first anniversary since the 616 march, the largest protest in HK’s history. Organisers estimated a monstrous crowd of 2 million +1 people marched. The +1 references protestor Leung, who’s passing the day prior inspired many who would not normally protest to do so.
165
The Hong Kong government is literally instituting a secret police to enforce draconian new national security laws once they have railroaded them through LegCo.
Orwellian doesn’t cut it. One country two systems going up in smoke as Hong Kong looks into the abyss. twitter.com/rthk_enews/sta…
166
Poignant photos of mourners outside Pacific Place by student journalists from HSU. Slogans on the cards left by people include:
“May we mourn for Leung, may we mourn for freedom.”
“We will keep fighting. Justice, freedom, democracy.”
167
Large crowds have gathered outside Pacific Place to mark the first anniversary since protestor Leung's passing. On their official FB page, the HK Police have stated the gathering constitutes an illegal assembly & have warned participants to leave immediately. Pics: Stand News.
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Today’s @appledaily_hk leads with the father of protestor Leung speaking a year after his passing. He urges HK’s young people to take care & thanks those who have fought for democracy for their courage, ending with the name of the prostestors’ anthem: “may glory be to Hong Kong”.
169
Breaking: Ming Pao (明報) reports the knifeman who attacked journalists & protestors today; stabbing a pro-democracy demonstrator in the process is Kwong Sing-yu, an ex-staff member of the hardline pro-Beijing DAB, the largest pro-🇨🇳 political party in HK.
news.mingpao.com/ins/%e6%b8%af%…
170
Footage has emerged of the moment heroic protestors & bystanders apprehended a pro-Beijing knifeman who attempted to attack journalists & stabbed a man who prevented him from doing so. Going on the police’s past form there’s a good chance he won’t even face charges. Vid: Telegram twitter.com/lokinhei/statu…
171
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
172
Protestors are gathering across HK to mark police initiating the violence on 612 last year. Protests all banned so an ‘exhibition of resistance’ is underway; organisers calling for HKers to ‘遍地開花’ — ‘blossom everywhere’.
Lots of undercover police so be careful if you’re out.
173
A further 9 pro-democracy activists have been charged with ‘inciting illegal assembly’ over the 6.4 Tiananmen vigil incl. legislator Andrew Wan, Labour Party Chair Steven Kwok & the LSD’s Figo Chan.
Clear Beijing now moving to crush all dissent in HK.
thestandnews.com/politics/%E8%A…
174
Breaking: Oriental Daily (東方日報) reports Jimmy Lai, Lee Cheuk-yan, Albert Ho & Richard Tsoi have been charged with inciting illegal assembly over the banned 6.4 Tiananmen memorial vigil.
We’re truly entering an Orwellian era in HK now, be in no doubt.
hk.on.cc/hk/bkn/cnt/new…
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British HK Police officer Rupert Dover has casually admitted to the SCMP that he gave the order to use force & fire tear gas that started this entire saga on 612. Extraordinary.
A sell-out who betrayed the U.K. & turned enforcer for a brutal dictatorship.
scmp.com/news/hong-kong…
前蘋果日報專欄作家. Words/investigations @TheSundayTimes @Telegraph @TheEconomist @ForeignPolicy @Australian etc, docs @PopularFront_