101
Struggling to find words for this.
Overnight, most of HK’s most prominent pro-democracy politicians are now in jail under the National Security Law, along with an 🇺🇸 human rights lawyer, pollsters, @HongKongCTU chair & over 40 others.
This is why so many fled while they could.
102
Due to U.S. sanctions, Carrie Lam no longer has access to banking services, claiming “I have piles of cash at home - the govt is paying me cash for my salary because I don’t have a bank account”
Earning $5 million HKD p.a., her house must look like it’s inhabited by a drug lord.
103
For anyone wondering, Wilson has been bailed & is safe & in good spirits. twitter.com/wilsonlicc/sta…
104
A number of pro-democracy politicians, activists & groups in HK are suddenly unable to post from their FB pages amid reports Beijing is about to propose national security laws that could criminalise 'sedition'. We can only wait for the presser in Beijing. Pics: @studioincendo twitter.com/wongjiyuet/sta…
106
Excruciating photos of a brutal arrest of what appears to be a bystander outside a Bank of China branch on Hennessy Rd. He's clearly injured & in distress, yet is still wrestled to the ground, despite constituting no threat to the riot police arresting him. Pics: HKBUSU; Kathy L.
109
HK’s biggest pro-🇨🇳 newspaper Oriental Daily (東方日報) has responded furiously to a CNN piece which (accurately) said OD’s founders the Ma brothers were drug dealers. Today’s front page shows a CNN missile being launched against them by rival pro-democracy media owner Jimmy Lai.
110
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…
111
Breaking: HK pro-democracy activist Andy Li, missing after returning from mainland China, has been held at a psychiatric hospital in secret according to @AppleDaily_HK sources - who claim it’s to prevent him speaking about details of his detention in China.hk.appledaily.com/news/20210329/…
112
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…
113
Many of HK’s remaining democrats that were not arrested today under the National Security Law are now holding a press conf.
@HKDemocrats chair @lokinhei urged HKers not to give in & look out for each other; questioning why the govt felt the need to arrest the primary organisers.
114
Tong Ying-Kit (唐英傑), the first person to be charged under the National Security Law, has just been found guilty of inciting secession and engaging in terrorist activities.
115
Apple Daily reporting that the website of Taiwan’s Democratic Progressive Party, the party of Taiwanese President @iingwen, has now been censored in HK. Clear the authorities are plotting an extension of a version of China’s Great Firewall to include HK.
hk.appledaily.com/local/20210425…
116
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.
117
Latest for @AppleDaily_HK detailing the flight tracking data & leaked post-flight logs that reveal how the Hong Kong Police & Government Flying Service lured the 12 youths detained in mainland China to their fate. So many questions, so few answers. hk.appledaily.com/opinion/202010…
118
BREAKING: Citizen News (@hkcnews_com) reports former Apple Daily lead editorial writer Fung Wai-kong was arrested under the National Security Law for ‘colluding with foreign forces’ while at HK airport waiting for a flight. twitter.com/hkcnews_com/st…
119
Wrote this for @ForeignPolicy on Beijing’s fusion of inherited colonial institutions in the Hong Kong police with the Leninist hardware of the mainland to resurrect (in bastardised form) the colonial administration’s elite police unit, Special Branch. foreignpolicy.com/2020/08/11/hon…
120
Awesome shots as ever from @StandNewsHK from tonight’s protest in central. Saw scenes of police brutality as we’ve come to expect, with a decent crowd size & pro-democracy tycoon Jerome Lau Ting-sing flashing ‘5 demands not one less’ hand gestures in one of his inimitable shirts.
121
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.
122
Today’s @appledaily_hk front page carries a letter appealing to U.S. President Donald Trump to intervene & save Hong Kong.
Gives a sense of the desperation of the situation when a plea for help from the 🇺🇸 President appears on the front of the best selling newspaper in the city.
123
Gruesome Stand News photos emerging of reporters in agony after being pepper sprayed by riot police, which occurs at virtually every protest now.
The official HK Police press release claims officers "deployed the minimum necessary force to enforce the law" tonight. What a farce.
124
Breaking: @hkcnews_com reporting 47 of the 53 pro-democracy activists arrested in January under the National Security Law will be charged with subversion tomorrow. They are likely to be served with indefinite detention orders, meaning they will be locked up until their trial. twitter.com/hkcnews_com/st…
125
Update: Apple Daily has accused other white expat Hong Kong police chief superintendents including raptors director David Jordan & Vasco Williams of illegal construction on government land & theft. Rupert Dover's also been embroiled in further controversy on social media. Thread: twitter.com/JackHHazlewood…
前蘋果日報專欄作家. Words/investigations @TheSundayTimes @Telegraph @TheEconomist @ForeignPolicy @Australian etc, docs @PopularFront_