151
Great piece on press freedom in China by @MRJKilcoyne:
“Xi Jinping’s regime censors the press from a position of moral weakness [...] foreign reporters in countries ruled by dictators are essential in providing scrutiny where oppressed people can’t do so”
thetimes.co.uk/article/britai…
152
Stand News: British Superintendents of HK Police Justin Shave & Vasco Williams *PROMOTED*. Shave is infamous for ordering a tear gas canister to be fired directly at unarmed legislator Wu Chi-Wai (胡志偉); Williams for his racist 'yellow object' comments. thestandnews.com/politics/%E7%A…
153
At her press conf. today, Carrie Lam had the brass neck to quote freedom fighter Nelson Mandela to mask her view on the exam q. row.
Mandela fought for the freedom of his people.
Lam is Beijing’s implement & puppet as they launch an unprecedented crackdown on free speech in HK.
154
Apple Daily reporting how Hong Kong Police officers in Sha Tin made a blind lawyer suffer the indignity of removing her artificial eyes to 'prove she was blind' when she was attending to a client (an arrested pro-democracy protestor) in custody. Sickening.
hk.news.appledaily.com/local/20200514…
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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.
156
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
157
Firstly, the headline stats: a fat 62.3% of respondents (selected to be representative of the public) say they support the protests, with just 18% opposed. *Reminder that these are the survey results of a report that claims protestors are 'dragging HK into an era of terrorism'*.
158
Me, @BenGartside & @CitySamuel reveal the CCP membership of senior execs in major 🇬🇧 & international financial institutions for the @Telegraph. One StanChart exec encouraged party branch involvement in company affairs & was personally praised by Xi Jinping telegraph.co.uk/business/2020/…
159
The Hong Kong Police have confirmed there have been over 180 arrests as of 21:30 HKT, saying 'a large group of rioters' have 'wreaked havoc in Causeway Bay and Wan Chai under the pretext of protest'.
No mention of the police brutalising bystanders, journalists & protestors then.
160
Apple Daily reports well-known activist Grandma Wong, recently released after more than a year in detention in mainland China, was arrested (in HK) on Friday & charged with assault. Court appearance was due today, but delayed as Wong has been hospitalised. hk.appledaily.com/local/20201121…
161
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…
162
Spoke with @Jake_Hanrahan for the @PopularFrontCO podcast on the National Security Law, Beijing’s attempt to crush all dissent in Hong Kong, and where the protests could be heading long term.
> podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/a-s…
> patreon.com/popularfront
Our doc: youtu.be/MWh_EXPj9JI
163
Leaflets showing HK police officers’ names, personal details & social media were captured by @StandNewsHK
Telegram channels, the usual medium for this doxxing, are under increased scrutiny post-Nat Sec Law. Activists have discovered print-outs are seemingly a more secure method.
164
Arrested under the nat sec law, @JimmyLaiApple is still in good spirits:
“Tell us, you had some visitors to your house Monday morning?”
[...]
Jimmy: “None of them spoke Mandarin so I was kind of settled down a little bit, I knew that I wouldn’t be sent to China at least” t.co/krb4V0Jqtg
165
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.
166
HK01 reporting the NPC will announce on Saturday the disqualification of around 100 pro-democracy district councillors over breaching their oaths of office. The vacant seats will be filled by appointment, ensuring the councils return to pro-Beijing control.hk01.com/%E6%94%BF%E6%8…
167
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…
168
After being assaulted by security & pro-🇨🇳 lawmakers inside LegCo, pro-democracy legislator Ted Hui (許智峯) has confirmed on FB that he’s been hospitalised with a ‘chest wall injury’.
On what legal authority do LegCo security act on? This is assault.
m.facebook.com/story.php?stor… twitter.com/JackHHazlewood…
169
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.
170
Today in HK: First protestor convicted of 'rioting' sentenced; govt claims an exam question "hurt the feelings of the 🇨🇳 people" & the 'independent' IPCC report into police brutality largely refuses to make any criticism. Beijing's creeping authoritarianism in HK on full display.
171
Not only has IOC President Thomas Bach previously met with Peng Shuai’s alleged abuser Zhang Gaoli (張高麗), Zhang was *head of the leading group for Beijing 2022* & would’ve met extensively with IOC personnel incl. Bach for years. Huge conflict of interest — totally unmentioned. twitter.com/Athlete365/sta…
172
The HK Bar Association has issued a statement savaging Beijing’s plans to railroad through draconian national security laws in HK - argues HK’s judicial independence undermined & ‘unclear’ Beijing even has the legal authority to enact the laws. @AppleDaily_HK (蘋果日報) report 👇
173
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…
174
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
175
Hordes of riot police just mounted a charge down Hennessy Road for apparently no reason. You can see an arrest being made at the very end of the video but that can't be the reason. On a basic level it's just another case of extremely poor decision making by the HKPF. Vid: HSUHKSU
前蘋果日報專欄作家. Words/investigations @TheSundayTimes @Telegraph @TheEconomist @ForeignPolicy @Australian etc, docs @PopularFront_