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Via Reuters: The U.S. Department for Transportation has confirmed it is banning all Chinese airlines from flying passengers to the U.S. from this month.
Another example of Washington turning the screws on Beijing. Wonder what the response will be...
uk.reuters.com/article/uk-usa…
202
Emotional appeal for subscriptions to @AppleDaily_HK (蘋果日報) by @JimmyLaiApple following the launch of the AD English edition
If you want to secure the future of HK's largest newspaper & pro-democracy voice amidst a brutal ad embargo, read & sub today: hk.news.appledaily.com/us/20200603/EG…
203
Did an @AppleDaily_HK piece on how the HK Police’s decision to ban the 6.4 Tiananmen vigil is the latest in a catalogue of tactical errors by them. Tldr: They’ll look terrible if it’s all peaceful & even worse if they instigate violence on 6.4 of all days. s.nextmedia.com/realtime/a.php…
204
In an unprecedented move by a sitting PM, the British Prime Minister has authored an op-ed in a HK newspaper (the SCMP) outlining the UK govt’s pledge to expand BNO rights.
Now a lifeboat scheme for HK refugees *must* follow.
More to do, but v positive.
scmp.com/comment/opinio…
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Update: The all-new @AppleDaily_HK (蘋果日報) English edition can now be downloaded worldwide! Now you can get HK’s biggest newspaper & staunch supporter of the pro-democracy movement in English anywhere!
Nice swift fix @JimmyLaiApple, @HKMarkSimon!
App:
onelink.to/appledailyapp twitter.com/JackHHazlewood…
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Now the HK Police have banned the June 4th vigil to commemorate the Tiananmen Square massacre, I can’t help but think of what the police will do if people attend. But violence or bloodshed on 6.4 (a seminal date in HK’s political calendar) would be a huge tactical error for them.
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Breaking: In a move without precedence in 30 years, the HK Police have banned the annual June 4th vigil to commemorate the Tiananmen Square massacre, citing risks to public health & the gathering ban. Organisers now plan a mass candle-lighting across HK. thestandnews.com/politics/%E6%9…
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Hilarious: A passer-by goes to sign the pro-🇨🇳 camp’s petition supporting the proposed national security laws in HK, but instead writes a huge ‘屌’ on the page (literally ‘penis’, but basically the Cantonese equivalent of ‘FUCK’) 🤣😂
Gif:@lihkg_forum
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Breaking: U.S. President Donald Trump has announced the U.S. will remove HK's preferential trade & customs status along with a range of other sweeping measures to punish Beijing.
Says 1 country 2 systems has become '1 country 1 system' & China 'smothering Hong Kong's freedom.'
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BNO UPDATE:
Per @HugoGye: Home Office appears to confirm that if HK security law passes, *all* 2.9m BNO’s in HK will be able to come to UK whether or not they *currently* hold a BNO passport.
Same reasoning would apply to further concessions. Result.
homeofficemedia.blog.gov.uk/2020/05/29/med…
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All major print newspapers in HK today feature a wrap-around ad of Carrie Lam's letter to HKers, which smears pro-democracy protestors as terrorists, or other pro-🇨🇳 content. All except @AppleDaily_HK (蘋果日報), who don't take their money. Support them: hk.appledaily.com/local/20200423…
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Seriously cool idea from @s8mb. We could solve the humanitarian crisis in Hong Kong by founding a new charter city in the UK, open to all Hong Kongers and Brits who want to move there. A Hong Kong 2.0, right here in the British Isles.
Seriously, why not?
capx.co/lets-build-hon…
213
BOMBSHELL - U.K. Home Secretary confirms the British government will make provision for a path to 🇬🇧 citizenship for BNO passport holders if Beijing proceeds with plans to railroad through draconian national security laws in HK
I’m borderline weeping. Finally Britain acts twitter.com/pritipatel/sta…
214
Brilliant by @MRJKilcoyne:
“Let our people on the other side of the ocean know: as China dims the torch of freedom, that we keep it here lit for them – and that they have a home here”
Britain cannot abandon Hong Kong. Give HKers the right to live here.
telegraph.co.uk/news/2020/05/2…
215
Pretty incredible: Kazuo Shii, chairman of the Japanese Communist Party (4th largest political party in Japan), has savaged plans for draconian national security laws in HK & called for them to be dropped.
Shows the ideological diversity in the worldwide condemnation of Beijing. twitter.com/shiikazuo/stat…
216
Beijing's draconian proposed national security laws for Hong Kong have just passed the National People's Congress China’s rubber-stamp Parliament.
Votes in favour: 2,878
Votes against: 1
Abstentions: 6
The end of one country two systems as we know it, no question.
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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.
218
Bombshell announcement from Pompeo here - virtually confirms that the U.S. will revoke the special trade status afforded to Hong Kong under the successive Acts of Congress. Confirmation that Hong Kong has become a bargaining chip in the China-U.S. stand-off. twitter.com/SecPompeo/stat…
219
The Hong Kong Police have, as usual, paraded photos on Facebook of life-threatening weaponry found on arrestees.
Tonight, 2 men in WTS were arrested & found to have deadly weapons on them, including [checks notes] pliers, spray paint and gloves.
Thanks for keeping us safe 💙
220
Further to the 2 young girls in school uniform being arrested by HK riot police earlier, video has emerged from the same incident of a boy, also in school uniform, having his head grappled & being shoved into the van.
These children constitute no threat & are already in custody.
221
As often happens, a HK Police officer in full riot gear pointed his gun at journalists & passers-by while retreating in Mong Kok. Appears to be a pepperball gun.
Just shows the HK Police’s total disregard for public safety & freedom of the press. Vid: Telegram #HongKongProtests
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Collated all the images of pre-teenage children in school uniform being rounded up & arrested by the Hong Kong Police today.
Per @MTPurbrick: 'The threat to national security - primary school children'.
Vomit-inducing to look at. This is sub-human behaviour.
Pics: 星島, PSHK.
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The Hong Kong Police have confirmed they have arrested over 300 people across the city today, as part of a series of mass arrests of young people.
Among the things they are accused of is ‘running around with no regard for the safety of road users’. What a farce #HongKongProtests
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After a day relatively free of clashes due to the massive policing operation, protestors have occupied Nathan Rd in Mong Kok. Chants of 'Hong Kong independence, the only way out', a hallmark of more recent protests, went up through the crowd. Pic: Stand News #HongKongProtests
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Hundreds of young people have been rounded up & arrested in Admiralty & Mong Kok as part of an enormous policing operation, simply for being young & judged to be there to protest. Vast, vast majority unarmed.
This is what a police state looks like. #HongKongProtests
Pics: HSUSU
前蘋果日報專欄作家. Words/investigations @TheSundayTimes @Telegraph @TheEconomist @ForeignPolicy @Australian etc, docs @PopularFront_