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This would be nice & all but can we please not forget all non-BNOs born after 1997 (~70% of frontline protestors) are still in limbo. Focus must be on pushing the UK govt to go further as the situation continues to deteriorate & offer *all* HKers the right to settle in the UK. twitter.com/tomhfh/status/…
177
Today’s @AppleDaily_HK leads with pics of the 7.1 march - total of ~370 arrests
Also seen unverified reports & images of the man accused of stabbing a police officer yesterday apparently being arrested at the door of a Cathay plane at 11pm attempting to board a flight to London.
178
It’s possible this video of the HK Police taking aim at a journalist with their water cannon will become one of the defining scenes of the #HongKongProtests.
The reporter was standing alone with no protestors nearby or even visible, yet the police aimed directly for their head.
179
These are idle threats from Beijing. Even if the government banned HKers from travelling to the UK, they could easily enter via a third country. In order to stop them they would literally have to ban HKers from all international travel, indefinitely.
theguardian.com/world/2020/jul…
180
HK government: Chanting or displaying the slogan ‘光復香港，時代革命’ (liberate Hong Kong, revolution of our times’) is now in contravention of the national security law as it “connotes Hong Kong independence”, which is illegal under prohibition on secession. Orwell is that you?
181
HK Justice Secretary Teresa Cheng: none of my business if Hong Kongers get sentenced to death in the mainland under the national security law.
The HK government doesn’t care about the lives of anyone in HK, and if you’re pro-democracy you’re now considered more than worthless. twitter.com/rthk_enews/sta…
182
Today’s @AppleDaily_HK runs with leading HK academics warning the National Security Law threatens free speech, intellectual & academic freedoms, as universities are subject to many of its provisions.
Meanwhile CE Carrie Lam is claiming the Law can “get HK back on track”... lol
183
Last night, under cover of darkness, a Chinese state-owned hotel in HK was transformed into Beijing’s ‘Office for Safeguarding National Security’, complete with the 🇨🇳 national emblem & flag.
A physical representation of the continued rise of creeping authoritarianism in HK.
184
Breaking: HK Police are raiding the offices of PORI - HK’s leading pollster; & also involved in the pro-democracy primaries this weekend. Some govt officials have said it is illegal & today PORI released a poll in which 60% agreed HK “is not a free city”.
hk.appledaily.com/local/20200710…
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「凡是毛主席作出的決策，我們都堅決維護；凡是毛主席的指示，我們都始終不渝地遵循」— 華國鋒
Vote in the pan-democratic primaries today & tomorrow — if anyone asks, tell them Chairman Mao told you to. 為人民服務 ✊🚩
186
Turnout looking extremely strong in the pan-democratic primary in HK - almost 60,000 have voted in the first 3 hours - despite the co-organisers being raided by police last night, an explosion in coronavirus cases & the national security law. Voting continues thru tomorrow too.
187
Benny Tai confirms 228,000 people voted in HK’s pan-democratic primary today - very high turnout in spite of the co-organisers being raided by police last night, resurgent virus cases & the National Security Law. Voting continues tmr, pro-🇨🇳 politicians will be watching in fear.
188
Though peaceful mass marches have been rendered impossible due to rampant police violence, public transport closures & the National Security Law, be in no doubt the desire for democracy among HK people is as strong as ever. Set for 500,000 votes in just the *primary*. Incredible.
189
Primary organiser Power for Democracy (民主動力) have confirmed 412,478 ballots have been cast in HK’s pan-Democratic primary as of 16:00 HKT. With just under 5 hours until polls close, turnout is set to break 500,000. Lines look longer than yesterday, too.
190
Around 610,000 people voted in HK’s pan-democratic primary yesterday, & today’s @appledaily_hk praises organiser Benny Tai for all his efforts.
Whatever your politics, it’s undeniable pro-🇨🇳 politicians could not get even 20% of 610k people to vote in a pro-Beijing primary...
191
Breaking: The results of Hong Kong’s pro-democracy primary have just been released - only currently formatted as a spreadsheet in Chinese but young radical democrats have triumphed across Hong Kong, incl. Ventus Lau in NTE & Sunny Cheung in KW. Joshua Wong tops the poll in KE.
192
Today’s @AppleDaily_HK leads with the triumph of young radical localists over more moderate democrats in the pro-democracy camp’s primary.
Also covered is CE Carrie Lam’s claim last night that the primary could constitute subversion, a crime under the new National Security Law.
193
Breaking: 🇬🇧 Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab confirms to the Commons that the UK will immediately suspend its extradition treaty with Hong Kong, & launch an arms embargo & a new "bespoke immigration route" for BNOs & their dependents, to be set out in the next few weeks. Progress.
194
The HK Police now routinely take it upon themselves to decide who is and isn’t a journalist.
Small outlet journos are fined under the gathering ban now, soon they’ll be being arrested for participating in an illegal assembly.
Press also subject to the National Security law too. twitter.com/laurelchor/sta…
195
The UK government has released the details of a new visa for the 2.9 million BNO’s (plus dependents) residing in HK, who’ll be entitled to 5 years leave to remain in the UK - providing a path to 🇬🇧 citizenship.
Huge move. A lifeline for so many people.
assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/upl…
196
That a year later it takes a British newspaper to unveil one of the culprits of the 721 triad attack - when 120+ faces were caught on CCTV - is proof enough of the HK govt’s de facto protection of them; all while protestors are pursued & jailed ruthlessly.
thetimes.co.uk/article/cambri…
197
Breaking: Professor Benny Tai (戴耀廷), one of the leaders of the umbrella movement & organiser of the pro-democracy camp’s primaries, has been fired from his job by HKU’s Council by 18 votes to 2. HK CE Carrie Lam appoints the chair so hardly a surprise.
thestandnews.com/politics/%E6%B…
198
HK01 (& other local media) reporting the HK govt will request the NPC in Beijing agree to an unprecedented postponement of September’s LegCo election for a whole year. Pandemic cited but the real reason is pro-Beijing parties are set for a crushing defeat.
hk01.com/%E6%94%BF%E6%8…
199
Grainy photos are starting to emerge on Telegram purporting to show 19-year-old Tony Chung (鍾翰林), former convenor of HK pro-democracy group @studentlocalism being arrested by state security agents (de facto secret police) on suspicion of inciting secession. 1984 is here & now.
200
Now unconfirmed reports emerging that other members of @studentlocalism have also been arrested, including former spokesperson Ho Luk-chang (何諾恆). As yet unverified, also unclear if arrested under the National Security Law or not. twitter.com/JackHHazlewood…
前蘋果日報專欄作家. Words/investigations @TheSundayTimes @Telegraph @TheEconomist @ForeignPolicy @Australian etc, docs @PopularFront_