#  >  > Living And Legal Affairs In Thailand >  >  > Thailand and Asia News >  >  Tens of thousands march again in huge Hong Kong anti-government rally

## misskit

Hong Kong witnessed another huge anti-government march on Sunday with seemingly no end in sight to the turmoil engulfing the finance hub, sparked by years of rising anger over Beijing's rule.


The city has been plunged into its worst crisis in recent history by weeks of marches and sporadic violent confrontations between police and pockets of hardcore protesters.



The initial protests were lit by a now-suspended bill that would have allowed extraditions to mainland China.


But they have since evolved into a wider movement calling for democratic reforms, universal suffrage and a halt to sliding freedoms in the semi-autonomous territory.


Police have fired tear gas and rubber bullets, while the parliament has been trashed by protesters as Beijing's authority faces its most serious challenge since Hong Kong was handed back to China in 1997.

MORE https://www.afp.com/en/news/3954/ten...ly-doc-1iy4rw4

----------


## Cujo

I don't believe it.
I live in a mainland city bordering Hong Kong, We even get the HK TV news channels via a feed.
Not a mention. 
The HK news does mysteriously seem to consist mostly of public service announcements though. ( Be sure to wash hands before cooking,  etc)

----------


## misskit



----------


## misskit



----------


## misskit

Can you see these, Cujo?

----------


## Cujo

Of course I believe it MK. Just making the point that it's not reported here.
And on a clear day I can see HK from my balcony.
People here haven't a clue. They big news is a street fight in England somewhere.

----------


## Cujo

Yes. I have a VPN.

----------


## Cujo

And my internet connection just got miserabled.
Change to a Japanese server to solve.

----------


## misskit

^ You didn’t put a smilie on your comment!

Can you see the YouTube’s?


Around the time of Tiananmen, I had a friend in the US who had immigrated from mainland China. Her father was a party official and a party newspaper publisher. She would send him articles clipped from the US news about China. He after a while, demanded she stop. He feared he would be punished if he were caught with the news clippings.

----------


## Cujo

Yes I get YouTube.
I don't comment on China related issues for the reason your friends father feared.
Electronic surveillance is pervasive. Especially WeChat, Which it's getting to the point you can't live without.

----------


## Looper

Shit's going down big stylee!

https://www.bbc.com/news/av/world-as...ring-broadcast

Any spoke in the wheel of the sinister CCP is good news for the world.

https://www.bbc.com/news/av/world-as...nd-riot-police

You just can't keep people down once they have tasted the sweet nectar of western freedom delivered courtesy of the British Empire!

 :UK:

----------


## Norton

> You just can't keep people down once they have tasted the sweet nectar of western freedom delivered courtesy of the British Empire!


Indeed and in spite of the 1984 joint declaration HK will never accept any sort of rule by the PRC. Things are going to get far worse in future.

----------


## Latindancer

*Hong Kong pro-democracy activists and bystanders violently attacked on subway*Investigations are underway in Hong Kong after a group of men,  dressed in white and armed with metal poles and bats, stormed a train  station and attacked commuters.
Footage from the incident, which  was broadcast live on Facebook, shows passengers screaming as they are  repeatedly assaulted by the mob, who are suspected triad gangsters.

"They caused harm not only to protesters, but to ordinary citizens, including pregnant women and the elderly."


https://www.sbs.com.au/news/hong-kon...OMMxYy-mrDQ2Is

----------


## misskit

^ That was brutal. Can’t see this situation getting any better. The protesters are likely to come armed next time.

----------


## harrybarracuda

I fear the chinkies will resort to a bit of Tiananmen Square-style "suppression of counter-revolutionary riots" or whatever bollocks they decide to call it.

----------


## misskit

*‘Triad’ attack on Hong Kong protesters sparks anger*An assault on pro-democracy protesters by suspected triad gangsters that left dozens wounded sparked a firestorm of outrage in Hong Kong on Monday, in a dramatic escalation of political turmoil plaguing the Chinese city.


Gangs of men — most wearing white T-shirts and carrying bats, sticks and metal poles — set upon anti-government demonstrators late Sunday who had been returning from a huge anti-government march.



Footage broadcast live on Facebook showed people screaming as the assailants beat multiple protesters and journalists in a subway station and in trains carriages, leaving pools of blood on the floor.


Medical authorities said 45 people were hurt, with one man in a critical condition and five others seriously wounded.


Critics accused the city’s embattled police force of taking more than an hour to reach the site and failing to arrest the attackers who stayed in the streets around the station into Monday morning.



Men in white shirts were later filmed leaving the scene in cars with Chinese mainland number plates.



– ‘Shame on the government’ –


Lam Cheuk-ting, a pro-democracy lawmaker who sustained cuts to his face and arms, criticised police for their response and accused “triad members” of being behind the attacks.


“Their very barbaric and violent acts have already completely violated the bottom line of Hong Kong’s civilised society,” he told reporters.


Furious fellow pro-democracy lawmakers told a news conference on Monday the city’s pro-Beijing leaders were turning a blind eye to the attacks.



“This is triad gangs beating up Hong Kong people,” fumed legislator Alvin Yeung. “Yet you pretend nothing had happened?”
City police chief Stephen Lo defended his officers, saying they were busy dealing with violent anti-government protests elsewhere.


“Definitely our manpower is stretched,” he told reporters, dismissing any suggestion police colluded with triads.


At a briefing around midnight Monday into Tuesday, police said six men had been arrested, including some with alleged triad backgrounds.


The violence broke out in the New Territories near the Chinese border, where criminal gangs and staunchly pro-Beijing rural committees remain influential.


Similar assaults by pro-government vigilantes against demonstrators during the 2014 “Umbrella Movement” protests were blamed on triads.



On Monday afternoon, masked protesters trashed the office of staunch pro-Beijing lawmaker Junius Ho, who was filmed shaking hands with white-shirted men in the vicinity of the attacks shortly before they started.



– China office targeted –


Weeks of marches, and sporadic clashes, have left Beijing’s authority in the city of seven million facing its most serious test since Britain handed it back to China in 1997 under a deal that allowed Hong Kongers to keep liberties including an independent judiciary and freedom of speech.


The initial demonstrations were sparked by a now-suspended bill that would have allowed extraditions to mainland China, but they have evolved into a wider movement calling for democratic reform and a halt to sliding freedoms in the territory.



The foreign minister of self-ruled Taiwan, which Beijing sees as its own territory, supported the protesters’ calls.


“The way forward is genuine democratic elections, not violence in the streets & (subway) stations,” Joseph Wu tweeted on Monday.


Asked in Washington about the violence, President Donald Trump praised Beijing’s handling of demonstrations in Hong Kong.


“China could stop them if they wanted,” Trump said, adding that President Xi Jinping had “acted responsibly, very responsibly.”



As the mob rampaged in northern Hong Kong, police battled hardcore pro-democracy protesters in the city’s commercial district.


Riot officers fired tear gas and rubber bullets, after China’s Hong Kong Liaison Office was daubed with eggs and graffiti in a vivid rebuke to Beijing’s rule.


“Actions by some radical demonstrators have affected the bottom line of the ‘one country, two systems’ principle, and that is absolutely intolerable,” foreign ministry spokesman Geng Shuang said in Beijing.


https://www.thaipbsworld.com/triad-a...-sparks-anger/

----------


## misskit

*Hong Kong Reels After Attacks on Commuters, Shoppers by 'White-Shirts'*Police in Hong Kong have made a further five arrests following Sunday'svicious attacks on Hong Kong commuters and shoppers by men wearing white shirts, amid growing calls for a public inquiry into suspected links tocriminal gangs and the Chinese government.

Police have now arrested a total of 11 men, but only on suspicion of"unlawful assembly." No-one has been arrested for assault or for carryingoffensive weapons, in spite of multiple video clips of men toting poles andbars in plain sight, with police officers present.

Meanwhile, pro-democracy lawmakers have written to the president of thecity's Legislative Council (LegCo), calling for a special meeting to discuss the attacks, as many shops in the vicinity of the attacks had remained closed in the wake of the attacks.

MORE https://www.rfa.org/english/news/chi...019144549.html

----------


## Latindancer

This is how things are done on the mainland...people who protest against the system are beaten up and it is difficult to discern between the goons and the plainclothes police.

----------


## harrybarracuda

> This is how things are done on the mainland...people who protest against the system are beaten up and it is difficult to discern between the goons and the plainclothes police.


It's done in pretty well every SEA dictatorship, too.

----------


## misskit

HONG KONG (Reuters) - More than 1,000 protesters calling for democracy and some chanting free Hong Kong converged on the Chinese-ruled citys airport on Friday as Singapore advised its travelers to avoid protest areas in the territory. 


Hong Kong airport authorities said operations wouldnt be affected, but advised passengers to arrive early given the risk of disruption. 


The former British colony, which returned to China in 1997, is embroiled in its worst political crisis for decades after two months of increasingly violent protests that have posed one of the gravest populist challenges to Communist Party rulers in Beijing. 


The demonstrations, mushrooming up almost daily, saw the defacement of Chinas main representative office last weekend, triggering warnings from Beijing this was an attack on Chinas sovereignty. 


More protests are expected on Saturday with demonstrators outraged at an attack on Sunday at a train station by armed men who police sources say included some with triad backgrounds. Some 45 people were wounded. 


Hong Kong returned to China under a one country, two systems formula, guaranteeing its freedoms, including the freedom to protest not enjoyed on the mainland, for at least 50 years.

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-h...-idUSKCN1UL0QC

----------


## OhOh

> I don't comment on China related issues


My apologies for not realising  :Smile:

----------


## misskit

HONG KONG (AFP)  Hong Kong police fired tear gas and rubber bullets Saturday at protesters holding a banned rally against suspected triad gangs who beat up pro-democracy demonstrators near the Chinese border last weekend, tipping the finance hub further into chaos.


Riot police used tear gas throughout the afternoon and evening in Yuen Long, a town close to the border, after tense standoffs with protesters, some of whom were throwing projectiles and had surrounded a police van.



Hospital authorities said nine people were injured, with five in a serious condition.


Rubber bullets were fired later in the evening to disperse remaining protesters. Battles then broke out in the towns station as officers with batons and shields swooped on demonstrators there and made multiple arrests, leaving pools of blood on the floor.


Public anger has been raging since last Sunday when a gang of men in white T-shirts, armed with poles and batons, set upon anti-government protesters and bystanders in the same station in Yuen Long.


That brazen assault  which hospitalised at least 45 people  was an escalation of seven weeks of unprecedented political violence that shows little sign of abating as the citys pro-Beijing leaders refuse to budge.



Police have been heavily criticised for being too slow to respond to Sundays violence, fueling accusations of collusion or turning a blind eye to the pro-government mob  allegations the force has denied.



 Triad links 


Hong Kong has been plunged into its worst crisis in recent history after millions of demonstrators took to the streets and sporadic violent confrontations erupted between police and pockets of hardcore protesters.


The demonstrations were triggered by a controversial bill which would have allowed extraditions to mainland China, but have evolved into a call for wider democratic reforms and a halt to sliding freedoms.


Saturdays violence compounds the political crisis with the citys leadership seemingly unable, or unwilling, to end the chaos.



Yuen Long is in Hong Kongs New Territories, a rural area where many of the surrounding villages are known for triad connections and their staunch support for the pro-Beijing establishment.


Police say they have arrested 12 people so far in connection with Sundays violence, nine of whom have known triad links.


The white shirt mob ran into two villages near Yuen Long station after their attack and later left without police making any arrests despite a large presence of officers.


These two villages became the focus of protester anger on Saturday.


The rally began peacefully. But small groups of more hardcore protesters, many in helmets and carrying shields, confronted police outside the villages and accused them of protecting triads.


Tensions quickly rose with projectiles hurled. Soon tear gas rounds were arcing through the air and a now-familiar pattern of running battles between police and protesters began.


On one road, a parked Lexus that was found to have wooden sticks and clubs similar to those used in Sundays attacks inside it  as well as a Samurai-style sword  had been trashed.



By late evening only some 200 protesters remained around the main station who were then charged by riot police.



 Pokemon Go and shopping sprees 


In a rare move, police banned Saturdays rally saying they feared reprisal attacks against villagers from protesters, a decision that only heightened anger towards a force already perceived to be protecting pro-government aggressors.


Social messaging channels used to organise the largely leaderless movement filled with calls for people to go on a shopping spree in Yuen Long or play the popular mobile game Pokemon Go there.


One female protester surnamed Cheung said she wanted to show we are not afraid and that Hong Kongers wont cower in fear.


The police and (the government) are together suppressing peoples freedom to express their views, she added.



 Few concessions 


Weeks of unprecedented protests with huge turnouts  as well as frequent clashes and the sacking of parliament  have had little luck persuading Beijing or Hong Kongs leaders.


Beijing has issued increasingly shrill condemnations in the last fortnight, but has left it to the citys semi-autonomous government to deal with the situation.


City leader Carrie Lam has shown no sign of backing down beyond agreeing to suspend the extradition bill.


On Friday thousands held a 10-hour protest at the airport arrival hall in a bid to educate visitors about their movement  especially those on the Chinese mainland where news is heavily censored.


The protest was peaceful and there was no disruption to flights.


Protesters also plan to march on Sunday through a district where riot police fired tear gas and rubber bullets at projectile-hurling protesters the week before.




https://www.thaipbsworld.com/police-...-triad-attack/

----------


## harrybarracuda

The chinky stooge is making no attempt at appeasing the protesters. It's almost like she's been told to create an excuse for Chinastan to send the troops in....

----------


## OhOh

> making no attempt at appeasing the protesters


The HK courts will be full of "protesters" who broke HK laws

As the HK jails will become overloaded, the sentences of the convicted HK criminals will be carried out in mainland prisons

Unfortunately that might mean being sent to the "prisons" in western China

They are of course under used due to the lessening numbers of "terrorists', those having already served their own sentences

Win/Win for HK and mainland China

Win for HK, less criminals on it's streets, win for the western Chinese prisons - fully utilised  :Smile:

----------


## harrybarracuda

I don't think Chinastan jails have the room for all those HK protestors. They full of fucking Uighurs innit.

----------


## Latindancer

No...it won't happen, as those released will come back and tell all about the conditions and so on....Hong Kong people are closer to the Western media than oppressed minorities in the mainland.

----------


## misskit

HONG KONG (Reuters)  Hong Kong on Monday bore the scars of another night of violent protests with hard hats, umbrellas and water bottles littering some central streets, as Beijing was set to make an announcement on the Asian financial centers worst crisis since 1997.


In a highly rare move, the Hong Kong and Macau Affairs Office in Beijing, which has cabinet-level authority over the former British colony, is due to hold a press conference at 0700 GMT regarding the unrest gripping the former British colony.


The move comes after another weekend of fierce clashes between protesters and police, who again fired rubber bullets and tear gas as the demonstrations grow increasingly violent.


Police on Sunday sought to defend Chinas main representative office in Hong Kong from protesters for the second consecutive weekend, with the building near the heart of the financial center fortified with barricades.


Police said they had arrested at least 49 people in relation to Sundays protests for offences including unauthorized assembly and possession of offensive weapons.


Millions have taken part in street protests against a now-suspended extradition bill that would have allowed criminal suspects in Hong Kong to be sent to China to face trial in Communist Party-controlled courts.


The protests, which saw hundreds storm the citys legislature on July 1, are the most serious political crisis in Hong Kong since it returned to China 22 years ago, and pose the greatest popular challenge to Chinese leader Xi Jinping since he came to power in 2012.


Hong Kong returned from British to Chinese rule in 1997 under a one country, two systems formula that promised wide-ranging freedoms denied to citizens in mainland China.


Many fear Beijing is increasingly chipping away at those freedoms.


What began as a movement to oppose the extradition law has taken on broader demands. 

They include the resignation of Hong Kongs Beijing-backed leader Carrie Lam, calls for full democracy and an independent inquiry into what some say has been excessive police force against protesters.


Lam has so far refused to accede to any of the demands.


The protests have at times paralyzed parts of the financial district, shut government offices and disrupted business operations across the city. Officials have also warned about the impact of the unrest on Hong Kongs economy.

https://www.thaipbsworld.com/after-w...g-kong-unrest/

----------


## Looper

It even kicked off in OZZIE.

The CCP sponsored overseas chinks are ultra touchy about any perceived slight on the image of their great nation no matter where it occurs on the planet!



https://www.abc. net.au/news/2019-07-24/uq-student-protest-anger-over-hong-kong-chinese-minorities/11343130

----------


## OhOh

> Hong Kong people are closer to the Western media


One wonders why then that the pro isolationist have never won a HK election? They do appear to have held a few democratic elections, no?

Is it possibly due to the mass vote of the HK citizens for the current government?

----------


## harrybarracuda

> One wonders why then that the pro isolationist have never won a HK election? They do appear to have held a few democratic elections, no?
> 
> Is it possibly due to the mass vote of the HK citizens for the current government?


No, because the election of the revolting chinky stooge was not a "mass vote", but one limited to fellow chinky stooges.

I've told you this before but you keep ignoring it like the snivelling chinky sycophant you are.




> She won 777 votes out of the 1,194 eligible to be cast to become the citys first female leader. Her tally was more than double that of runner-up Tsang. The election was the first for the top job since pro-democracy protests gripped the former British colony in 2014.
> 
> Sundays result was a widely expected victory for Beijings anointed candidate. _Only 0.03% of Hong Kongs registered voters are able to cast a ballot, with the election committee comprised mostly of elites loyal to Beijing._


https://www.theguardian.com/world/20...china-meddling

----------


## harrybarracuda

In continuing the protest against Chinas totalitarian plans for Hong Kong, the protesters are doing the people of their city, as well as Macau, China, and really, the rest of the world an enormous service. The tiny territory thats part of Chinas one country, two systems policy is showing the world what courage looks like in the face of the totalitarian dictatorship that China has become.

And the world is not only taking note of Hong Kongs plight, but is also taking a close look at what China is doing through proxies or threatening to do itself. Hong Kong has come to symbolize the freedom in a region of the world that has become dominated by Chinas financial bullying and military threats.

In an earlier post, we explored the possibility of the Hong Kong protests ending in a way similar to that of the Tiananmen Square massacre. But Hong Kongs outcome remains to be seen. Regardless, the symbolic importance of the city is undeniable. The risks that these protesters are taking today is no less than those taken by pro-democracy protesters thirty years ago in Tiananmen Square.

Recall that in the spring of 1989, one nameless young studentforever known to the world as Tank Manblocked the path of tanks exiting Tiananmen Square in the aftermath of the massacre of thousands of his fellow students by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP). Those students were demonstrating against the corruption of the CCP and for the establishment of democracy in China. The Hong Kong protesters of today are trying to prevent the rights and freedoms they have from being taken away.

The Tiananmen Massacre was a stark demonstration of both the evil legacy of the CCP and its evil future, as well as the inhumane nature of those who lead it. The valiant but obscure Tank Man became a symbol of defiance and moral courage in the face of the overwhelmingly evil forces of tyranny that were brought against him and his country by the CCP.

Thirty years later, much has changed in China, but also, much hasnt. In 1989, China was a weak but growing nation, benefitting from vast amounts of capital and technological investment from the West.

Despite the massacre at Tiananmen Square, the United States did everything it could to preserve the U.S.-China relationship and help China progress in its economic development. Former U.S. President George H.W. Bush even wrote former CCP leader Deng Xiaoping a personal letter to that end. The expectation was that more political openness would come with economic development.

Western investment would fuel Chinas growing wealth and power over the next three decades.

Today, one can see the naivete of thinking that the CCP would mellow as China grew wealthier.

China is a rich nation, with the second largest economy on Earth. But the CCPs essential nature hasnt changed. Chinas development has only allowed it to become even more oppressive and tyrannical toward its people. And, as the world is now learning, under the rule of the CCP, China has become a much more dangerous and destructive force, not only against its neighbors, but around the world, too.

Fortunately, unlike 1989, Americas attitude toward China has completely changed. With President Donald Trump in office, China faces a much different America. Unlike past presidents, this one sees China for the geopolitical and economic adversary that it truly is, not for what hed like it to be.

Trumps policies are clearly and unmistakably intended to thwart Chinas goal of replacing the United States as the global leader. For example, the trade war is a response to Chinas adversarial trade practices and theft of U.S. technology. Banning Huawei and other firms is to stop the spread of spyware technology in the country. And expanding U.S. military aid to Taiwan is a direct response to Chinas plan to take it over as early as 2020, even by force if necessary.

Even though Taiwan is at the top of Xis agenda, Hong Kong is now the primary symbol of resistance to Chinese expansionism. The world sees its very visible and non-violent marches as they happenjust as theyre witnessing the violent responses by CCP proxy forces. The dangers that come with re-unification and the falsity of the one country, two party narrative are no longer theoretical abstractions; theyre real.

But just as importantly, Xis relatively moderate response to the demonstrations against his rule and the CCP exposes Chinas deep financial vulnerability. Xi knows that China needs Hong Kong intact in all respects. Its stellar global reputation as one of the most important financial centers in the world is irreplaceable.

Chinas dilemma, therefore, is how to strip Hong Kong of its freedoms and bring it squarely under the heel of the CCP without losing the benefits of Hong Kongs critical economic and financial clout. Its in this very global, confrontational and high-stakes struggle that the Hong Kong protests have come to symbolize much more than when they began.

If Xi Jinping orders the Peoples Liberation Army (PLA) to do to Hong Kong what it did at Tiananmen Square, he will certainly have won Hong Kong, but will have lost much more.

https://www.theepochtimes.com/hong-k...a_3020854.html

----------


## misskit

*Surge in false online videos of Chinese military crackdown in HK*HONG KONG: Videos falsely claiming to show a Chinese military crackdown against pro-democracy protesters in Hong Kong have flooded social media over the past week, according to an AFP investigation that has debunked multiple posts.


The videos, which have been viewed millions of times, have compounded fears about China's potential intervention into a two-month crisis that has seen increasingly violent confrontations between protesters and Hong Kong's police.


Some of the false posts appeared shortly after a Chinese defence ministry spokesman last week highlighted during a press conference a law that allows troops to be deployed across Hong Kong at the request of the city's government.


The People's Liberation Army (PLA) has maintained a garrison in Hong Kong since the former British colony was returned to China in 1997.


A Hong Kong government fact sheet on the law, which includes an estimate of 8,000-10,000 PLA troops in Hong Kong, is available online.

But those troops generally keep a low profile and are rarely seen in uniform in public.




And while various senior Chinese government officials and Hong Kong's leaders have voiced outrage at the protesters, city authorities have also repeatedly denied that PLA troops have been deployed.


AFP has, however, detected posts on Facebook, Twitter, Weibo and other social media platforms with millions of views or interactions that claim to show masses of Chinese soldiers on foot and in tanks across Hong Kong.


"For your own safety all the HK residents are asvised (sic) not to go to public places and sea sides for next 48 hrs and avoid gatherings as PRC army is taking control of HK," said one purported Hong Kong government announcement posted on Facebook five hours after the Chinese defence ministry's comments on July 24.


The Hong Kong government has issued no such announcement. And the video used in the post to purportedly show the crackdown was actually of Chinese military vehicles driving through the Hong Kong city of Kowloon in 2018.


In another piece of misinformation that emerged within hours of the Chinese defence ministry spokesman's comments, a tweet shared footage of PLA troops walking at a train station alongside a claim they were "entering Hong Kong".


By Tuesday afternoon, the video had been viewed more than 1.4 millions times.


AFP found the video was actually filmed in the Chinese mainland.


Other videos posted on July 24 had the same claims of Chinese troops "entering Hong Kong" while using video from other situations to mislead.



Here are some of the debunks done by AFP's Fact Check service:
*- Tanks, tanks, tanks -*Footage of armoured vehicles rolling through the streets of Kowloon was shared on July 24 with a claim that "Communist Party's troops entered and garrisoned Hong Kong," -- but the video was from 2012 and actually shows a routine PLA troop rotation.


AFP's fact check on this can be seen here.


- Garrison forces -
Video of uniformed police expertly subduing a flag-waving "mob who rushed into a military camp". But the old footage shows a South Korean riot police training.


AFP's fact check on this can be seen here.


- 'Public Announcement' -
A fake public announcement urged Hong Kongers to "stay inside your homes" as the PLA take control of the city. But the video used in the misleading posts was filmed in November 2018 and showed PLA vehicles with a Hong Kong police escort in Jordan in Kowloon.



AFP's fact check on this can be seen here.


- Troops on a train -
Amateur video of PLA soldiers in camouflage uniforms walking through a large transport terminus was shared alongside breathless claims that: "Chinese People's Liberation Army has entered Hong Kong". But geolocation proved that the footage was, in fact, filmed at a railway station in the southern Chinese city of Guangzhou.


AFP's fact check on this can be seen here.


Hong Kong's Basic Law, which outlines the situations under which PLA troops can be deployed in the city, can be seen here.


The Hong Kong government fact-sheet with the estimate of PLA troops in the territory is available here.

----------


## harrybarracuda

Try and scare them from going out protesting.

Of course there is a thing called social media on which people can quickly exchange messages showing that it's all bollocks.

Which means banning social media is probably the next tactic by the horrible chinky bastards.

----------


## harrybarracuda

Hundreds of protesters in Hong Kong blocked access to commuter trains on Tuesday, causing widespread disruption during the morning rush hour.
Activists prevented trains from leaving across the city. Some blocked doors while others sounded emergency alarms.
Crowds of passengers were left stuck on subway platforms and services were badly delayed for much of the morning.
Anti-government protests have rocked the city in recent weeks and are causing ongoing disruption.
The demonstrations began over a controversial bill that would have enabled extraditions to mainland China, but they have since morphed into a broader movement focused on democratic reform.


"I think my work and meeting could wait," one commuter told the BBC. "But our freedom, safety [and] human rights are being taken away and that can't wait - so I'm OK with it."
"I think it's OK because the government should respond to the demands of the citizens," another said.


There were some scuffles between protesters and commuters, who were advised by travel companies to seek alternative forms of transport.
Some travellers grew frustrated. "It's so inconvenient and annoying," one 64-year-old man told Reuters news agency, "I am in a hurry to work, to make a living."
But one masked protester said: "It's not our intention to inconvenience people, but we have to make the authorities understand why we protest.
"We don't have a leader, as you can see this is a mass movement now," she told Reuters.

Rail company MTR Corp said trains had resumed by 11:30 local time (03:30 GMT).
"We understand some people want to express their view but we regret that their actions affected train services and other passengers," a spokesman for the company said.
It followed a similar protest last Wednesday, when dozens of demonstrators brought trains to a halt during rush hour.


Hong Kong has seen eight consecutive weekends of anti-government and pro-democracy demonstrations. Some have been marred by violent clashes between protesters and the police.
While the government has paused work on the controversial extradition bill, protesters now want it withdrawn completely, as well as an independent inquiry into police violence, and democratic reform.


They want the territory's leader, Carrie Lam, who is not directly elected by voters and whose handling of the crisis has been widely criticised, to resign.
"She doesn't co-operate with the people of Hong Kong or respond to their demands," commuter Jason Lo, 31, told Reuters.

Some protesters have also expressed their anger at the mainland Chinese government, which they say has been eroding freedoms in Hong Kong.

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-china-49161816

----------


## misskit

*China's People's Liberation Army Shown Quelling Hong Kong-Like Protests in Video*China's People's Liberation Army (PLA) on Thursday released a propaganda video showing its soldiers practicing dispersing a crowd dressed to look like Hong Kong anti-extradition protesters, and warning them to disperse in Cantonese, the city's lingua franca.

The video, which was released by the PLA's Hong Kong garrison to mark the army's 92nd anniversary on Aug. 1, showed soldiers engaged in an "anti-riot" drill, shouting at the crowd "take the consequences at your own risk!" in Cantonese.

Soldiers are also seen advancing on the crowd with shields, carrying a red flag similar to that used by Hong Kong police to disperse protesters.

Troops are also shown shooting at and blowing up cars, including one that looks like a Hong Kong taxi.

The shots are rounded off with interviews with people praising the PLA in Cantonese, saying that the Chinese army is "integrated" with the people of Hong Kong.

Beijing has called on authorities in Hong Kong to take rapid steps to punish anyone who has broken its laws following weeks of angry protests over plans to allow extradition to mainland China.

Chinese officials have declined to comment on whether Beijing will order its People's Liberation Army (PLA) garrison to intervene in Hong Kong, referring only to the city's mini-constitution, the Basic Law, which allows for that possibility if the request is made by the Hong Kong government.

Financial workers protest

The video was released as thousands of financial workers braved the tail end of a tropical storm to gather in downtown Hong Kong to call on the city's government to meet the five demands that protesters have put forward since the civil disobedience movement began on June 6.

Chanting "Go Hongkongers!" and "Protect Hong Kong!", the workers huddled under umbrellas, lit up by phone flashlights in the torrential rain, before dispersing quietly into the nearby International Finance Center mall.

The protest was aimed at supporting growing calls for an independent commission of public inquiry into the government's handling of planned amendments to the city's Fugitive Offenders Ordinance that would allow the extradition of alleged criminal suspects to mainland China, where they would stand trial in a judiciary that is wholly loyal to the ruling Chinese Communist Party.

Hong Kong's normally conservative Law Society chimed in with calls for an inquiry on Thursday, saying prolonged violence would affect law and order in the city and threaten the rule of law.

The Independent Police Complaints Council has already announced a probe into allegations of police abuse of power during anti-extradition protests, and the authorities are investigating a violent attack in Yuen Long on July 21 in which armed men in white t-shirts chased and beat up people indiscriminately.

But the Law Society said the inquiry should have a much broader scope.

It recommended the panel be composed of a retired judge sitting with other members chosen from a cross-section of society, with anonymity for witnesses, and should make recommendations to avoid similar situations in future.

'Violent incidents'

Meanwhile, Hong Kong garrison commander Chen Diaoxiang hit out in an anniversary event at "violent incidents" in recent weeks that had threatened public safety, government broadcaster RTHK reported.

These "violent incidents" had challenged the rule of law and social order and threatened the safety of people’s lives and properties, Chen told an official anniversary event attended by chief executive Carrie Lam and the director of Beijing's liaison office in Hong Kong, Wang Zhimin.

Hong Kong political commentator Liu Ruishao said the PLA's video was definitely a response to weeks of mass anti-extradition protests in recent weeks.

But he said he doesn't expect to see military intervention any time soon.

"If they deployed the PLA to deal with an internal matter in Hong Kong, Beijing would be effectively announcing the death of 'one country, two systems'," Liu said, in a reference to Hong Kong's continued status as a separate legal jurisdiction and trading entity following the 1997 handover to Chinese rule.

"But Beijing still needs Hong Kong in many ways, including its international financial status," he said. "A lot of members of China's political and financial elite need Hong Kong as a way to launder money."

On Wednesday, video appeared online of seven members of China's Kunlun Red Star youth ice hockey team surrounding and beating up five members of their Hong Kong opponents, with scant interest from mainland Chinese refugees.

According to their coach, who described the attacks as "despicable," "dirty," and "a violation of sportsmanship," the Hong Kong team had been leading 11:2.

The China Ice Hockey Association said the footage was of a "collision" during play, and that no beatings were involved, in spite of the attacks being clearly visible in the video clip.

Charged with rioting

Authorities in Hong Kong charged 44 people with "rioting" following clashes between police and anti-extradition protesters in the city's Western district on Sunday.

Seven of the defendants are teenagers, with one as young as 16, while most are in their twenties. Fourteen told the court they are still in college, while one defendant is a pilot with Hong Kong's flag-carrier Cathay Pacific. Others gave their occupations as nurse, teacher, or clerk.

The arrests come as more than 1,000 civil servants from 52 government departments signed up to take part in a strike on Monday initiated by staff at the University of Hong Kong.

The strikers will be calling on the government to meet the five main demands of protesters: to formally withdraw proposed amendments to the Fugitive Offenders Ordinance that would allow extradition to mainland China; to grant an amnesty for all arrested protesters; to withdraw official accusations of rioting; to set up an independent inquiry into police behavior during the crisis; and fully democratic elections.

Healthcare workers have also offered public support to the protest movement, and have called on the government to meet protesters' demands or risk irreparable damage to Hong Kong society.

London-based rights group Amnesty International has said the police are largely to blame for protester violence, because they have a tendency to use tear gas, pepper spray, rubber bullets, and batons to attack the crowd, and that police justification that the protests hadn't received prior approval wasn't in line with international human rights standards.

Public anger began to spiral after a gang of triad-linked men in white shirts attacked train passengers at Yuen Long MTR station on July 21.

Nobody was arrested at the time, and police took around 40 minutes to move in on the attackers, who left dozens of people hospitalized, one in a critical condition. 

Media footage of the incident has shown a number of police vehicles passing groups of white-shirted men gathering on the street prior to the attack, carrying rods and sticks, without taking any action.


https://www.rfa.org/english/news/chi...019105858.html

----------


## harrybarracuda

If the protesters were going to back down under the threat of the chinky troops marching in, they would have done it by now.

There will be no more Tiananmen secrecy in this day and age.

----------


## misskit

*Hong Kong protesters defy China warnings with weekend rallies*Anti-government protesters in Hong Kong kicked off a new mass rally on Saturday as they defy increasingly stern warnings from China over weeks-long unrest that has plunged the city into crisis.


The semi-autonomous southern Chinese financial hub has seen two months of protests and clashes triggered by opposition to a planned extradition law that quickly evolved into a wider movement for democratic reforms.



Authorities in Hong Kong and Beijing this week signalled a hardening stance, including with the arrests of dozens of protesters, and the Chinese military saying it was ready to quell the “intolerable” unrest if requested.


But protesters have remained unyielding, vowing to hold multiple rallies and marches throughout the weekend and into next week, sending tensions soaring once more.


Thousands of protesters filled a park in the densely populated neighbourhood of Mongkok, which has previously seen clashes between police and demonstrators, listening to speeches and shouting slogans.


Police initially denied activists permission to march through the neighbourhood but later allowed it after an appeal.


Two marches are also planned for Sunday — one on Hong Kong island and the other in the Tseung Kwan O district — as well as a city-wide strike on Monday and rallies in seven locations.


The call for strike action appears to be gaining more traction than previous walkouts, with a host of organisations and unions vowing to join.



– Sliding freedoms –


Hong Kong has witnessed eight consecutive weekends of huge rallies — often followed by violent clashes between police and small groups of hardcore protesters.


Under the terms of the 1997 handover deal, the city has rights and liberties unseen on the mainland, including an independent judiciary and freedom of speech.


But many say those rights are being curtailed, citing the disappearance into mainland custody of dissident booksellers, the disqualification of prominent politicians and the jailing of pro-democracy protest leaders.


Public anger has been compounded by rising inequality and the perception that the city’s distinct language and culture are being threatened by ever-closer integration with the Chinese mainland.


The past two weekends have seen a surge in violence used by both protesters and police, who have repeatedly fired rubber bullets and tear gas to disperse projectile-throwing crowds.


A mob of pro-government thugs also attacked protesters, putting 45 people in hospital.


Hong Kong’s police have increasingly adopted tougher tactics, including this week charging 44 protesters with rioting — an offence that carries up to 10 years in jail.


Hong Kong chief executive Carrie Lam has made few concessions beyond agreeing to suspend the extradition bill and has made few public appearances.


Protesters are demanding her resignation, an independent inquiry into police tactics, an amnesty for those arrested, a permanent withdrawal of the bill and the right to elect their leaders.


On Friday evening, thousands attended a rally organised by members of Hong Kong’s usually tight-lipped civil service — a remarkable development as they called on their paymasters to meet the protesters’ demands.


Many civil servants wore surgical masks to hide their identities after the government warned that employees should show “total loyalty” and could be punished for attending.


Thousands of pro-government supporters also held a rally in a separate park on Saturday, many waving Chinese flags.


https://www.thaipbsworld.com/hong-ko...ekend-rallies/

----------


## harrybarracuda

It's not going to go away until that chinky stooge fucks off like she should.

----------


## misskit

*Hong Kong police fire teargas in clashes with protesters*Demonstrators in Hong Kong clashed with riot police on Saturday evening as the city entered its third day of consecutive mass protests.


As night fell after a peaceful march earlier in the day, thousands of protesters had occupied roads in Kowloon, where they built barricades out of dismantled metal traffic barriers and handed out hard hats, goggles and gas masks. 


Police fired multiple rounds of teargas outside a police station after protesters had thrown rubbish and traffic cones into the compound. Some of the protesters tried to protect themselves with plastic shields while some ran toward the canisters of teargas and put them out with bottles of water. Some shined lasers at the police while others beat on their shields with umbrellas.


The demonstrators clad head to toe in black, carrying umbrellas and orange helmets, handed out water and bread. Some scrawled phone numbers of lawyers on their arms in permanent marker in case they were arrested. Riot police were seen outside nearby police stations.


Protesters had defied police orders, deviating from a pre-approved route in Mong Kok and pushing south to Tsim Sha Tsui, a district popular with tourists and where they believed the police were not expecting them.

By the evening, demonstrators occupied main roads and intersections, and blocked the entrance to a tunnel where a group of protesters threw a Chinese flag into the sea. The police issued a statement that all protesters were “participating in an unauthorised assembly, an illegal act”.

MORE https://www.theguardian.com/world/20...ith-protesters

----------


## harrybarracuda

Looks like the scary video didn't work again.

----------


## harrybarracuda

If the chinky stooge has any sense, she will accede to the peoples demands and keep her job.

But of course her rulers in Beijing won't stand for that.




> HONG KONG (Reuters) - Thousands of civil servants joined in the anti-government protests in Hong Kong on Friday for the first time since they started two months ago, defying a warning from the authorities to remain politically neutral.
> 
> Protests against a proposed bill that would allow people to be extradited to stand trial in mainland China have grown increasingly violent, with police accused of excessive use of force and failing to protect protesters from suspected gang attacks.
> 
> 
> Chanting encouragement, crowds turned out to support the civil servants at their rally on Friday evening which halted traffic on major roads in the heart of the city’s business district.
> 
> 
> “I think the government should respond to the demands, instead of pushing the police to the frontline as a shield,” said Kathy Yip, a 26-year-old government worker.
> ...

----------


## Latindancer

There is a weird kind of circular reasoning going on in the whole affair.

They can't accede to the HK peoples' demands because it would be counter to the Communist party's principles.

_BUT_ 

The HK people are the people....


The same kind of reasoning was present at Tiananmen.

----------


## misskit

*Hong Kong braces for largest citywide strike in decades as 14,000 people from 20 sectors vow to join industrial action to protest against government*https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/...-decades-14000

----------


## harrybarracuda

> There is a weird kind of circular reasoning going on in the whole affair.
> 
> They can't accede to the HK peoples' demands because it would be counter to the Communist party's principles.
> 
> _BUT_ 
> 
> The HK people are the people....


I'm sure once the chinkies decide to wade in, they will be "terrorists" or some other manufactured malarky.

----------


## Latindancer

_Off to the gulags with them for "re-education" !_


Now where is that sardonic smiley ?

----------


## docmartin

Gotta admire the kids and others for having the courage of their convictions to rumble with the police.
Even assuming that they don't facilitate a Tiananmen-like 'squish-pop' sound as the APCs roll over them they'll struggle to get work in China.
No doubt the Trumpet will open the border and let them in.

----------


## misskit

*Hong Kong prepares for transport nightmare as citywide strike against extradition bill crisis targets MTR stations, harbour tunnels and bus depots*https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/...itywide-strike

----------


## misskit

*Protesters shatter at least 20 windows at Tseung Kwan O police station*Dozens of protesters from the 150,000-strong rally in Tseung Kwan O besieged the police station, hailed bricks, eggs and other objects which shattered at least 20 windows, left after police warned of imminent operation to disperse them.


The protest was one of the few that succeeded in obtaining a letter of no objection from the police recently, and the assembly on the football field at Po Tsui Park placed water barriers to enclose Tseung Kwan O police station to prevent protesters from charging in the morning.


Tens of thousands of citizens wearing black T-shirts arrived at Po Lam station via the MTR by 1pm and made their way to Po Tsui Park.


Ng Wai-hang, the organizer of the protest, said he had arranged enough supervisors to prevent clashes from taking place, and added that he wouldn’t lead people to Central and Western District, where another assembly started at 5pm.



Besides the five demands anti-fugitive bill protesters have been chanting, some also proclaimed: “Monday! Strike! Calling for fellows to join the strike today.”


They also chanted slogans that targeted the police, such as “Hong Kong police knowingly breaks the law.”
Some protesters joined the march when the congregation was passing through Po Lam Road North.


As protesters walked by Tseung Kwan O police station, they wrote “triads” on the wall as they believe the police colluded with the men in white T-shirts that violently attacked protesters and citizens in Yuen Long on July 21.


Protesters started surrounding the police station after 3.30pm, and occupied both lanes of Po Lam Road North.


Some protesters threw eggs at the police station, which attracted almost 30 riot police equipped with batons and shields to rush out past the water barriers.


However, they soon retreated back to the police station. Some citizens also assembled at Po Lam MTR station, and removed iron fences before tying them together into triangles to form barricades.


About 100 protesters, some of whom wore masks and headgear, assembled outside the police station and chanted “triads” before throwing eggs, soft drink cans and bricks.


At least 20 windows were broken by the bricks that were hurled.


At 6.10pm, the police issued a release criticizing the protesters for breaking the windows and added that officers would conduct a dispersal operation shortly.


Soon afterwards, the protesters began to disperse and only reporters were left outside the police station.


Ng said about 150,000 people joined the protest, and admitted that the number exceeded his expectations.


He also said if the government refuses to respond to protesters' demands, he might arrange another protest in the future.




Protesters shatter at least 20 windows at Tseung Kwan O police station | The Standard

----------


## OhOh

All quotes from mk's post 


> Hong Kong


_"Hong Kong braces for largest citywide strike in decades as 14,000 people from 20 sectors vow to join industrial action to protest against government"_

The population of HK is allegedly *7,428,887
*
14,000 alleged by the organiser, who are normally a factor of 10 out, will protest tomorrow

Even 14,000 is only 0.18% of the HK population

Are you advocating all governments must meet all demands by groups of citizens which exceed 0.18% of the population?

"nine people, many of them wearing masks, said in a press  conference 

Why are they masked, are they afraid, if so state their fears, is it because they commit illegal, according to HK laws, acts of violence?
_
"But business leaders have warned the employees of a government and an economic backlash."_

Here's me thinking HK is a democratic capitalist bastion

_"Police  said on Saturday they had received applications for rallies from six  districts and issued no-objection letters for Admiralty, Wong Tai Sin  and Tuen Mun."

_One hopes they are peaceful protests and the organisers understand the HK rules/laws governing protest marches and that they are legally responsible for any disruption, damage, injuries etc

_"A  spokesman for the strike’s organising committee who gave his name only  as Chan, said they were left with no option but to go on strike as the  government “did not pay heed to people’s demands

“Various sectors have expressed their views in most peaceful ways.

 But, the government did not listen to them,” he said."

_One presumes the invisible "they" could form a political party, canvass for support and stand in democratic elections or have they already tried that and failed miserably?

I believe the HK government  withdrew the proposed legislation, yes?

_“A  lot of protesters were attacked with violence"

_People committing crimes in HK were arrested by HK police or are you suggesting standing aside and watching physical violence on your paid law enforcement agencies?

_"When society has become like this, we need to paralyse it  temporarily to force the government to face the problems.”

_That sounds like a political statement from somebody's manifesto, let them stand for democratic election on that pillar and allow the HK voters decide,

Oh dear they have already tried that and failed miserably, twice?

But please reply if you are able to offer a more "educated" answer

----------


## aging one

So oh oh you would like to see China just stop all democracy in Hong Kong?  Take away their rights? Ship them off for trial in Beijing if arrested?   Seems very much so. You are having fun joking around,  but the reality is you support total Chinese rule over Hong Kong. In addition you would like to see the protests stopped in typical Chinese fashion?

----------


## OhOh

> So oh oh you would like to see China just stop all democracy in Hong Kong?


No, HK has a democratically elected parliament in accordance with the China/UK agreement of 1997

What we are witnessing is a miniscule number of foreign trained and backed criminals, under the cover of a number of duly authorised by the HK authorities protest marches by a small % of HK citizens, originally boasting millions, which were duly reduced to 150,000, of those a miniscule % acting criminally, as defined in HK laws

They do not adhere to the as authorised routes of the agreed protest marches, they attack HK public buildings, police stations, transport links, airports, rail stations etc, they attack HK law enforcement officers carrying out their lawful duties

All of which are criminal offences under HK law

All being organised and acted upon by HK citizens so far, not mainland Chinese army etc

Although Chinese mainland politicians are voicing their opinions, ensuring sufficient assets are available and will obviously move if requested by the HK legislators

HK is officially part of the peoples republic China and the mainland Chinese authorities will defend all of it's citizens from foreign regime attempts




> Ship them off for trial in Beijing if arrested?


If and when the HK legislators pass the necessary laws, it's up to HK to define under what circumstances any criminals will be moved to mainland Chinese jurisdiction, not foreign regimes and their local assets and currently, not mainland Chinese authorities




> the reality is you support total Chinese rule over Hong Kong


As far as I am aware HK was transferred back to China by a negotiated agreement with the then occupying power, the UK,

The agreement was agreed between the UK and China, not HK, as the original 99 year lease of HK, from the then China government to the then British government had expired

So yes, subject to the 1997 agreement, China has sovereignty over HK, as it has had for many centuries




> you would like to see the protests stopped in typical Chinese fashion?


From the evidence available to me, via MSM, there appears to be a number of protest marches being agreed by the HK authorities and the march organiser 

The numbers of marches originally quoted by the march organisers as "millions" were recognised even by a biased BBC witness as only 150,000 marchers

Of these marchers a few, possibly a handful  of thousands have acted in many criminal ways, as defined by HK laws

According to MK's last "factual" report the numbers of criminals are now in the dozens and the protestors are 150,000 according to the march organisers 

I am assuming the march organisers are still the same and were those who claimed 10 times the actual number 1,400,000 when others suggested 150,000

The HK police who have managed these marches have acted as many other countries do, forming police lines, etc trying to manoeuvre the marches back onto the agreed route 

For the violent criminal regime changers they have taken tougher steps, firing tear gas, snatching ring leaders whilst try to protect HK citizens and HK public buildings

Some of those apprehended have been charged and await trial, in HK, under HK laws, I believe

Both side have had face to face stand-offs, the police I believe have resorted to tear gas, used by many countries to disperse the criminals, they have also withdrawn back from the criminals

The criminals have utilised missiles fired from home made catapults, thrown rocks from the road, illegally blocking roads, illegally smashing windows in buildings, defaced public property inside public buildings, stopped trains form being used, stopped planes from landing at airports, stopped traffic from using roads

Of the two parties IMHO the HK law enforcement officers have reacted very similar to many countries LEOs, the miniscule number of criminals have utilised regime change tactics as utilised in previous regime change attempts around the world, taught no doubt by foreign governments, their vassals and their financed thugs

I look forward to receiving your reply

----------


## misskit

*Thais in Hong Kong asked to avoid protest sites*HONG KONG, 5th August 2019 (NNT) - The Royal Thai Consulate General in Hong Kong has posted updated information about the protests in Hong Kong on its Facebook page, advising that protesters this morning attempted to disrupt MTR metro operations on various lines and block road traffic, shutting down public bus stations at Kowloon Bay and Lai Chi Kok stations, and shutting down the Hong Kong - Kowloon tunnel. 


The consulate general was also informed that protesters would escalate the protest from 1 p.m. local time today by staging strikes and rallies in seven key areas, namely Admiralty, Mong Kok, Wong Tai Sin, Sha Tin, Tsuen Wan, Tuen Mun, and Tai Po.


In the Facebook post, the Royal Thai Consulate General advises Thai people in Hong Kong to consider avoiding travelling to or through protest sites and neighboring areas, as well as allowing extra travel time for all modes of transportation, including travel to the airport, due to widespread road blockages and public transit disruptions.


Hong Kong International Airport has declared special operational circumstances as airline staff staged strikes today, resulting in flight cancellations. Passengers who are scheduled to travel to and from Hong Kong International Airport today should verify their flight status with the airline before travelling to the airport.

National News Bureau Of Thailand

----------


## misskit

*Hong Kong leader says city on brink, protesters cause travel chaos*Hong Kong’s pro-democracy protesters are close to creating a “very dangerous situation”, the city’s leader warned Monday as train travel and international flights in the global financial hub were thrown into chaos.


The efforts to lock down Hong Kong’s transport sector on Monday were part of a rare general strike, which the protesters pushed to emphasise they still had broad public support following two months of increasingly violent unrest.



In a rare public appearance since the crisis began, chief executive Carrie Lam warned protesters she would not buckle under the growing pressure.


“(They) have seriously undermined Hong Kong’s law and order and are pushing our city, the city that we all love and many of us helped to build, to the verge of a very dangerous situation,” Lam said.


She later referenced chants by protesters for a “revolution”, describing this as a challenge to the ‘one country, two systems’ framework under which Hong Kong has been ruled since it returned from British to Chinese rule in 1997.



“I dare say they are trying to destroy Hong Kong,” said Lam, who was appointed by a pro-Beijing committee.


She spoke shortly after activists descended on subway stations during the morning rush hour, deliberately keeping open doors to stop trains departing and paralysing large parts of a network that millions of people use daily.


Simultaneous rallies were on Monday afternoon launched across Hong Kong — the most spread out day of protests yet — with crowds filling up parks, public squares and a shopping mall.


Police said they used tear gas to disperse one group of protesters in a residential district, with more violence expected in the evening.



– Flights cancelled, shops closed –

The strike — a rare occurence in a freewheeling finance hub where unions traditionally have little sway — hit the vital aviation sector.


More than 160 flights at the city’s airport — one of the world’s busiest — were listed as cancelled on Monday afternoon.
Many disrupted flights were with Cathay Pacific.


The carrier did not give a reason for the cancellations, but its flight attendants union confirmed some of its members had walked out.



“Over the last 50 days, the government has been ignoring the demands of the people and using only police force to try to suppress voices, causing countless Hong Kong people to despair,” the union said in a statement on its Facebook page.
Some key roads were also blockaded, causing gridlock.


Many shops across the city were shuttered, including fashion outlets in the central commercial district such as Topshop and Zara.


The strike led to some scuffles between angry commuters and protesters at crowded subway lines, while various other scenes circulated across social media highlighting tensions throughout the city.


One video, verified by AFP, showed a car smashing its way through a protester roadblock in the northern town of Yuen Long.


But while some commuters were angered by the disruptions, others said they supported the action.


“As long as the government doesn’t respond then for sure the movement will escalate,” a civil servant, who gave his surname as Leung, told AFP as he tried to make his way to work.




– China warnings –


The past fortnight has seen a surge in violence from both sides, with police repeatedly firing rubber bullets and tear gas to disperse increasingly hostile projectile-throwing crowds.


A group of men suspected to be linked to triads — Hong Kong’s notorious gangsters — also attacked demonstrators, putting 45 people in hospital.


Dozens of protesters have been charged with rioting, which carries a jail term of 10 years.


“Support for the political strike today seems strong and it’s been bolstered further by the escalating violence between the police and protesters,” political analyst Dixon Wong told AFP.



The protests were triggered by opposition against a planned law that would have allowed extraditions to mainland China.


It quickly evolved into a wider movement for democratic reform and a halt to eroding freedoms.


Under the terms of the 1997 handover deal with Britain, Hong Kong has rights and liberties unseen on the Chinese mainland, including an independent judiciary and freedom of speech.


But many say those rights are being curtailed.


Chinese authorities have in public largely left Hong Kong’s government to deal with the crisis, although they have begun to issue their own warnings.


China’s military last week described the unrest as “intolerable” and released a propaganda video showing a drill of troops quashing a protest in Hong Kong.




https://www.thaipbsworld.com/hong-ko...-travel-chaos/

----------


## Norton

> Thais in Hong Kong asked to avoid protest sites


So as not to mistaken for




> foreign trained and backed criminals

----------


## aging one

Again young Thai professionals and students are following the HKG developments with great interest.  Getting kind of fed up with authoritarian rule as well...

----------


## misskit

> I look forward to receiving your reply


This is a developing NEWS story. It is not Speakers Corner where you can argue.

----------


## misskit

*Hong Kong police say 420 arrested, 1,000 rounds of tear gas fired since June 9*HONG KONG (Reuters) - Hong Kong police have arrested 420 people since June 9, they said on Monday, after protests in recent months that rocked the former British colony and plunged it into its worst political crisis in decades. 


Police have also fired 1,000 rounds of tear gas and about 160 rubber bullets since June 9, they added. 


The news comes as a general strike on Monday plunged Hong Kong into fresh chaos, paralysing transport and bringing the city to an unprecedented standstill for much of the morning.

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-h...-idUSKCN1UV0QS

----------


## misskit

*Beijing to announce ‘something new’ on Hong Kong in second press briefing*Beijing will announce “something new” on Hong Kong on Tuesday, when its top office on the city’s affairs holds a press conference for a second consecutive week in the capital.



It comes after the Hong Kong and Macau Affairs Office (HKMAO) under the State Council – China’s cabinet – last week broke its silence on the protests and violent clashes since June, giving its first media briefing on the city since its return to Chinese sovereignty in 1997.



On Monday, Hong Kong media were invited to another briefing, hours after Hong Kong Chief Executive Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor issued a stern warning over the escalating social unrest in the city.



A source familiar with the matter, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the office would make a “new announcement” but refused to elaborate further.




Another official with knowledge of the situation told the South China Morning Post that Beijing’s position on Hong Kong remained largely unchanged.



“Hong Kong will not have the same strategic value to China if the chaos continues. If things come to that, even if the central government wants to save Hong Kong, there is not much it can do,” he said.



The Post will carry live coverage of the press conference from 2.30pm.











MORE https://www.scmp.com/news/china/poli...press-briefing

----------


## harrybarracuda

> So oh oh you would like to see China just stop all democracy in Hong Kong?  Take away their rights? Ship them off for trial in Beijing if arrested?   Seems very much so. You are having fun joking around,  but the reality is you support total Chinese rule over Hong Kong. In addition you would like to see the protests stopped in typical Chinese fashion?


The agreement to leave Hong Kong alone only lasts until 2047 anyway, at which point they can do with it what they please.

However they are trying to accelerate the process because they are afraid the pro-democracy movement will gather steam into a pro-independence movement.

They should have just told their chinky stooge to pull the law, but I don't think they saw the outrage coming.

Now it appears they are engineering it into an excuse to wade in and silence any opposition.

OhOh would wet his pants if this happens, he loves licking the arse of Winnie the Pooh and would cheer another Tiananmen as "restoring order" or some such bollocks.

----------


## harrybarracuda

> China’s South China Morning Post newspaper reported that Beijing is set to announce “something new” for Hong Kong tomorrow.


Dumping the chinky stooge and removing all trace of their absurd new law would be a step in the right direction.

----------


## OhOh

> Again young Thai professionals and students are following the HKG developments with great interest. Getting kind of fed up with authoritarian rule as well...


Allegedly advised by the same group of foreign "regime change" experts, it apears that both the "young Thai professions and students" and the HK "black shirts" are being advised by the same




> It is not Speakers Corner where you can argue.


Thank you for your post

Please advise me when* we at TD are all,*  as opposed to just me, allowed to post our opinions of your cut and pastes




> Police have also fired 1,000 rounds of tear gas and about 160 rubber bullets since June 9, they added.


If we sum up the alleged "protesters" joining the marches in the same period from the march organisers numbers of say  5,000,000 that means one TG canister per 5,000 "protesters, is that a large number by international standards?




> The agreement to leave Hong Kong alone only lasts until 2047


Thanks for the info




> because they are afraid the pro-democracy movement will gather steam into a pro-independence movement.


Bollocks, the "pro-independence movement" have failed at two HK elections to make any impact and have been laughingly ignored by the HK voters




> Now it appears they are engineering it


By "they" I presume your a referring to the HK government?

----------


## harrybarracuda

> Allegedly advised by the same group of foreign "regime change" experts, it apears that both the "young Thai professions and students" and the HK "black shirts" are being advised by the same


Only on your stupid pro-chinky bullshit propaganda sites.




> By "they" I presume your a referring to the HK government?


Does a question that utterly stupid even merit anything but a pisstake?

You still haven't grasped that the chinky stooge wasn't elected by the people of Hong Kong but an elite bunch of your fellow chinky sycophants.

----------


## Little Chuchok

> The agreement to leave Hong Kong alone only lasts until 2047 anyway, at which point they can do with it what they please.
> 
> However they are trying to accelerate the process because they are afraid the pro-democracy movement will gather steam into a pro-independence movement.



Not only that, they are frightened as fuck that this doesn't spread to parts of China. Social media might have them , no matter how many times they try and block it.

----------


## OhOh

> they are frightened as fuck that this doesn't spread to parts of China.


Care to inform us of why you perceive that the Chinese people are up for a rebellion?




> no matter how many times they try and block it.


I'm sure the "national security" card has been available for some time

----------


## OhOh

*Violent Chaos Breaks Out In Hong Kong: Police Stations Set On Fire, Triads Beat Protesters, City Paralyzed*_"The situation in Hong Kong is rapidly deteriorating, with violence  breaking out in seven locations Monday afternoon as the citywide strike  crippled transportation._ 



White shirted 'triad' members beat protesters (via _SCMP)_ _What were supposed to be peaceful sit-ins in different districts  turned into riots, "with Wong Tai Sin and Harcourt Road seeing the most  intense confrontations as protesters kneel instead of flee, to shield  themselves while tear gas rounds and sponge grenades rain on them,"  according to SCMP. 
_
_VIDEO:  Hong Kong police launch  rounds of tear gas and try to clear pro-democracy protesters who had  gathered near a police dormitory in the working-class district of #WongTaiSin #HongKongProtests pic.twitter.com/GkuCBM0DCV_

_ — AFP news agency (@AFP) August 5, 2019__Protesters threw a suspected gasoline bomb at police after first being attacked by bricks._
_20:00 A suspected gasoline bomb was  thrown by protesters to the police who were resting on Tai Po Tai Wo  road near the crossroad with Nam Wan Rd. The police were attacked  suddenly first by bricks from the protesters and then the bomb. #antiELAB pic.twitter.com/hyv8YLhKxH_

_ — Karen Zhang (@karenised) August 5, 2019
__Riot police used crowd control measures in at least five locations -  targeting those filing the streets. 82 people were arrested for offences  including rioting, unlawful assembly, assaulting a police officer, obstructing police and possession of offensive weapons. 
_
_Tear gas in Admiralty #anyielab pic.twitter.com/zSWxuV87lm_

_ — Neil Taylor (@mrneiltaylor) August 5, 2019__Fighting broke out between protesters and local residents, while  reports of 'white shirted' men believed to be triad gang members began  beating protesters as the evening devolved._ 

_#LIVE: A group of white-shirted men brandishing rods are attacking protesters in North Point https://t.co/4zOXMH4fU9 #HongKongProtests pic.twitter.com/ipmIct6zXV_

_ — SCMP News (@SCMPNews) August 5, 2019__BREAKING - Fighting has broken out at North Point between Protesters and local residents. #HongKongProtests #HongKong pic.twitter.com/6MarDFjeAP
_
_ — Michael Zhang 張雨軒 (@YuxuanMichael) August 5, 2019__Here's the aftermath. Protesters  chased the men with sticks up the hill and broke the windows of a  residential building. To clarify, unclear if men with sticks are  residents. Overheard some speaking in Cantonese and some speaking  Mandarin. #HongKong pic.twitter.com/aN0bFZoaHH_

_ — Michael Zhang 張雨軒 (@YuxuanMichael) August 5, 2019_Via _CNN_ _Protesters also started a fire at the Tuen Mun police station after spray painting its wall with profanities:_ 




 
_#LIVE__: Protesters set fires at and besiege police stations, throw national flag into water as chaos reigns across Hong Kong https://t.co/4zOXMH4fU9 #HongKongProtests pic.twitter.com/lVesmONDUt
_
_ — SCMP News (@SCMPNews) August 5, 2019
__One woman was paraded through the streets after her underwear had been either removed or fallen off during her arrest._







https://www.zerohedge.com/news/2019-08-05/hong-kong-unravels-flights-canceled-police-stations-set-fire-and-triads-are-back

It appears that the exabisionists are rampant in HK protest marches, flight prices have been reduced to encourage the global sex trade, allegedly

No Iranian passports found on any "protestors", yet

----------


## AntRobertson

> It appears that the exabisionists are rampant in HK protest marches, flight prices have been reduced to encourage the global sex trade, allegedly
> 
> No Iranian passports found on any "protestors", yet


Huh??  :Sad:

----------


## cyrille

Yeah, even by his standards...

 :Omfg:

----------


## harrybarracuda

> Yeah, even by his standards...


Which are nothing short of dire.

----------


## harrybarracuda

> Not only that, they are frightened as fuck that this doesn't spread to parts of China. Social media might have them , no matter how many times they try and block it.


It's why the protesters are making a point of meeting at transport hubs to tell visiting chinky tourists what is really going on.

You're right, Winnie the Pooh is terrified that the people he so gleefully subjugates might actually find out that they can protest.

It's precisely why he's told his stooge in HK not to back down, he's terrified that people might think they can actually effect change by protesting.

----------


## OhOh

> they can actually effect change by protesting.


Care to cite times, when a counties citizens peaceful protests, have change the government's position on the topic being protested about, in any country?

----------


## aging one

I believe blacks can now ride on the bus without sitting in the back.. Oh and eat in restaurants and use the public bathrooms.

"I have a dream"

----------


## AntRobertson

> Care to cite times, when a counties citizens peaceful protests, have change the government's position on the topic being protested about, in any country?


The Civil Rights movement;
The Temperance movement;
Woman's Sufferage;
Boston Tea Party;
Salt March;
...

Need more?

----------


## Little Chuchok

> Care to inform us of why you perceive that the Chinese people are up for a rebellion?




So you think that all Chinese are happy with the Communists that rule the country?

----------


## misskit

*148 arrested in Hong Kong during Monday's protests*Hong Kong police on Tuesday said 148 people were arrested during running battles with protesters the day before, the largest daily toll since huge pro-democracy protests kicked off two months ago.


On Monday Hong Kong buckled under a general strike followed by the most widespread and sustained clashes so far with tear gas fired at least a dozen locations against increasingly violent protesters.


"During the operation yesterday, the police arrested 148 people consisting of 95 males and 53 females, aged between 13 and 63-years-old," superintendent John Tse told reporters.


Over the last two weeks both police and protesters have resorted to increasingly confrontational tactics, plunging the city into a crisis.


At Tuesday's press conference police revealed that they fired some 800 tear gas rounds on Monday -- almost as many as the 1,000 rounds they said they had fired throughout the whole of the last two months.


Riot police also discharged 140 rubber bullets and 20 sponge rounds.


The press conference revealed details of how widespread Monday's battles were against the police, who have become a lightning rod for public anger and are derided by protesters as Beijing's enforces.


Police stations came under attack from protesters hurling stones, eggs, bottles and using slingshots that fired bricks.
An apartment complex that houses police officers and their families also came under attack.


Tse said a total of 21 police stations were "affected" by Monday's protests -- although it was unclear if all of them were besieged.


Media documented tear gas being fired in at least a dozen districts on Monday.


"Within two short months, the rioters have recklessly destroyed the rule of law. Their acts have seriously hampered public safety," Tse said.


Protesters have countered that police have long been using excessive violence against their movement -- accusations the force denies.


They also say they were forced to adopt more confrontational tactics after peaceful rallies failed to win any concessions.

Reporters covering the press conference staged a brief protest at its start, repeatedly tapping thir pens on tables and helmets and donning high-visibility vests used in the field as a fellow journalist read out a statement.


"We strongly condemn police for abusing their force and obstructing the reporting by journalists," a reporter said on behalf of the Hong Kong Journalists Association.

The group released a statement earlier on Tuesday saying "police have continued to obstruct reporting by aiming high beam lights at cameras... intentionally chase-beating them and aiming tear gas cannisters directly at them".


"The situation is growing increasingly out of control," it added.

https://news.yahoo.com/148-arrested-...101113015.html

----------


## OhOh

> Need more?


No that's sufficient for me, thanks




> So you think that all Chinese are happy with the Communists that rule the country?


I doubt it, I would suspect most counties have fair proportion of "unhappy" citizens, don't you? 

I do suspect the 30 million Chinese or so allegedly raised from abject poverty are happier, don't you?

I  suspect the millions in ameristan that either can't find a job,  allegedly 40+% of the available workforce or those having to continue to  work at 65 + years old  aren't too happy, don't you? 

The many homeless people either living under bridges or in their cars are unhappy, don't you?

The millions of South Americans who trudge up to the ameristani border are an unhappy lot, don't you?

The  millions of people forced out of ME/African countries due to  ameristan's failure to bring a better life and bomb their cities/water  supply pipes and electricity generators to dust are pissed, don't you?

I suspect the % of UK citizens who voted to remain in the EU are unhappy, Don't you

I suspect there are many ameristani soya bean farmers pretty pissed off, don't you

I've  had so far, a great life, wives, children, some boys toys, dogs, horses  even a few cats, foreign travel, lived in moderate climates, hot sandy  climates, cold snowy climates and now a tropical climate some enjoyable  careers, but very few unhappy periods, long may it continue 

I believe one makes one's own happiness, always controlled my own life, took some risks but nothing too serious occurred

----------


## Looper

> I've had so far, a great life, wives, children, some boys toys, dogs, horses even a few cats, foreign travel, lived in moderate climates, hot sandy climates, cold snowy climates and now a tropical climate some enjoyable careers, but very few unhappy periods, long may it continue
> 
> I believe one makes one's own happiness, always controlled my own life, took some risks but nothing too serious occurred


Give us the good oil on your suspiciously strange chinese cheerleading ohoh.

Is it just the usual run-of-the-mill western self-flagellating psychopathic hatred of the USA - and the enemy's enemy is my fiend?

Or is there something specific about the Chinky regime itself that gives you a rock hard little stiffy?

----------


## harrybarracuda

> Care to cite times, when a counties citizens peaceful protests, have change the government's position on the topic being protested about, in any country?


Poland.

Bulgaria.

East Germany.

Czechoslovakia.

Hungary.

Tunisia.

India.

The Phillippines.

I'm bored now, you dumbarse.

----------


## harrybarracuda

> Give us the good oil on your suspiciously strange chinese cheerleading ohoh.
> 
> Is it just the usual run-of-the-mill western self-flagellating psychopathic hatred of the USA - and the enemy's enemy is my fiend?
> 
> Or is there something specific about the Chinky regime itself that gives you a rock hard little stiffy?


I think it's a bit of both.

----------


## AntRobertson

I've wondered the same myself on occasion.

Definitely seems to be some sort of admiration for repressive / non-democratic systems of govt. going on there.

----------


## OhOh

Very simple

As of 9:05 7/8/19, who knows what will happen in an hours time, China has delivered it's promises to it's people

Unlike most countries

 ::chitown::

----------


## AntRobertson

> China has delivered it's promises to it's people


To deprive them of liberty and freedom?

----------


## aging one

> China has delivered it's promises to it's people
> 
> 
> 
> Unlike most countries


So to Tibet, we will fuck you over and make your life miserable. Yup done just a grand job..   Damn dude...

----------


## OhOh

Where, oh where, to start






> To deprive them of liberty and freedom?


Note the date:



*Texas police sorry for mounted officers leading handcuffed black man by a rope*


Published time: *6 Aug, 2019* 12:02 Edited time: 6 Aug, 2019 13:18 


_"Police Chief Vernon Hale confirmed that the officers clipped a “line”  to Donald Neely’s handcuffs after he was arrested on a misdemeanor  criminal trespassing on Saturday.  They were leading the suspect to a  mounted patrol unit staging area."_

_“First and foremost I must apologize to Mister Neely for this unnecessary embarrassment,”_ Galveston Police Chief Vernon Hale said in a statement. _“Although  this is a trained technique and best practice in some scenarios, I  believe our officers showed poor judgement in this instance and could  have waited for a transport unit at the location of the arrest.”

https://www.rt.com/usa/465884-galves...ead-black-man/


__




 Originally Posted by aging one


I believe blacks can now ride on the bus  without sitting in the back.. Oh and eat in restaurants and use the  public bathrooms.

"I have a dream"







 Originally Posted by AntRobertson


The Civil Rights movement;


_
Delivery of reality, not fake old wives tales

----------


## AntRobertson

You see that's what is known as a red-herring or strawman.

I always get the two confused but the point is the same: both are logical fallacies, you're ignoring the question and attempting to shift the focus.

Also your example doesn't even actually back-up the point you're trying to make and obfuscate from.

----------


## aging one

> Delivery of reality, not fake old wives tales





> You see that's what is known as a red-herring or strawman.


The act that oh oh committed. But oh oh himself would be called as asshole for that reply.   How many pictures can be put up documenting Chinese human rights abuses?   Brainwashed is what he is.

----------


## harrybarracuda

I won't even post the pictures of the students who had been run over by tanks in Tiananmen Square.

And I'm pretty certain the chinkies have never published them.

OhOh is a dimwit.

----------


## Farang Ky Ay

I don't want to 0artake in the argument about China being the current Us-designated arch-evil along with Iran...until they found a new enemy. I actually support HK people's will not to be judged on mainland, but it's hard to keep a balanced point of view when you think about HK getting back into to China and therefore the later has some claim to judge it's people (like any countries can whit it's people from remote yet dependant territories, thinking Porto rico, virgin island or Samoa for the US).

I don't think contemporary mass protests are better handled in "democraties" , occupy wal street or protestsagainst police violence in the US, yellow jackets in France, any G7/G20 meetings...in some of them and in a significant number of protests listed as being successful in bringing changes in various countries, foreign influence has been blamed too.

----------


## harrybarracuda

OPINION POLITICS & PROTEST

*Hong Kong’s protests: The political bill for impunity must be paid sooner or later*

7 August 2019 17:03
Sharon Hom


It is becoming progressively clear that Party-state leadership suffers from a complete inability to understand Hong Kong people.

The People’s Liberation Army (PLA) Hong Kong garrison propaganda video released last week may play well to mainland Chinese fans of Wolf Warrior one and two (two wildly popular action movies), but the crude nationalism and military might on display will only reinforce Hong Kong people’s distrust, anger and resolve to defend the city’s autonomy. Hong Kong will never become just another Chinese city.

During the July 29 press briefing by the Hong Kong and Macau Affairs Office (the first since 1997 when the United Kingdom returned Hong Kong to China), spokesperson Yang Guang predictably condemned the actions of protesters, expressed support and sympathy for the Hong Kong police and their families, and reaffirmed the central government’s support for Chief Executive Carrie Lam.

Yang emphasised the government’s bottom line – safeguarding One Country Two Systems, and urged Hong Kong people to uphold the rule of law. He pointed to Hongkongers’ lack of understanding of the mainland’s legal system as fuelling public panic and blamed the usual suspects – “outside forces” – as intent on stoking unhappiness in the city while undermining Beijing.

But Hongkongers understand the mainland legal system all too well: Beijing’s “rule the country by law” (依法治国) is not the rule of law.

The massive crackdowns on human rights lawyers in mainland China in 2015, the abductions of Hong Kong booksellers in 2016, and the subordination of law to the Communist Party of China (clearly and officially reiterated in policy pronouncements) are clear warnings that Hong Kong must protect its rule of law and fundamental rights against Beijing’s encroachment.

The actual targets of the politicised and discriminatory campaign of “swift punishment,” endorsed by Beijing, as a further warning are revealed in the arrests made since the start of the Hong Kong protests: over 500 demonstrators and counting. But so far only six men with gang links related to the horrific Yuen Long attacks on passersby and demonstrators on July 21 have been arrested. What actions are being taken to regulate the police?

As the sabre rattling becomes louder, with China’s PLA holding military “drills” just across the border, water canon trucks have been displayed and tested to “reclaim the ground” and re-establish “order.” Hong Kong people must persist in countering threats of state-sanctioned violence with non-violence to truly uphold the city’s values.

On the discursive front, we need to expose rhetoric that erases existing power imbalances and ignores the responsibility and accountability of those who wield state power. This is especially critical to counter language used as part of China’s “discourse power” (话语权) strategy and promotes official narratives of control.

For example, references to both “sides” when framing the escalating violence misses what is at stake. The myriad of violent demonstrators are participants in a decentralised movement of overwhelmingly peaceful actions involving millions of people. Despite having shared demands, they are not monolithic, and claims of outside manipulation are insulting to the diverse and expanding groups – including students, educators, parents, airline personnel, civil servants, social workers, and pro-democracy legislators.

In contrast, the Hong Kong police, dressed in tactical gear, with rubber bullets, guns, tear gas, pepper spray, and batons, wield the coercive power of the state, with the clear backing of the central government. In carrying out their duty to maintain public safety, they must be held to a standard of professional conduct in accordance with international law.

Unlike China’s “stability maintenance” (维稳) tactics that aim to protect the state’s interests at any and all costs, the Hong Kong police are accountable to the public, in ways that include complicity with non-state violence, such as the suspected triad-related attacks in Yuen Long.

The current escalation of police violence is not the first time that excessive use of force by the police has generated international concern. As I wrote recently in HKFP, the UN Human Rights Committee, an independent body of experts, in its April 2013 report of Hong Kong’s implementation of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, expressed concern about reports of excessive use of force by the Hong Kong police and recommended training officers in line with international law, while stating that the HKSAR government should take steps to establish a fully independent mechanism mandated to conduct independent, proper and effective investigation into complaints about the inappropriate use of force or other abuse of power by the police.

The HKSAR government had an opportunity to follow the recommendations put forward by UN experts, but instead, the world watched in 2014 as the police used excessive force against civilians during the Umbrella Movement.

To move beyond the current political crisis, the central authorities in Beijing and the HKSAR government must demonstrate compliance with their international human rights obligations. However, while that might be like asking the tiger for its skin, the bill for impunity must be paid sooner or later.

As with all social justice movements, it will be the persistence and courage of citizens engaged in peaceful principled resistance – despite facing state-sanctioned violence and politicised prosecutions— that will promote accountability and the lasting protection of rights.

The international community can play a critical role in limiting and mitigating the inevitable human costs.  So to Hong Kong people facing even more fierce storms ahead, add oil (加油)!

https://www.hongkongfp.com/2019/08/0...-sooner-later/

----------


## Norton

> He pointed to Hongkongers’ lack of understanding of the mainland’s legal system


Au contraire. Hongkongers know exactly how the legal system works. Hence the protests.

----------


## misskit

*Interview: Why China Won't Deploy Its Army in Hong Kong Before National Day*Veteran journalist and political commentator Willy Lam spoke to RFA's Cantonese Service on Tuesday about why the ruling Chinese Communist Party hasn't cracked down on Hong Kong yet, in spite of escalating protests against amendments to the city's extradition law that could see alleged criminal suspects sent to face trial in mainland Chinese courts:

https://www.rfa.org/english/news/chi...019143335.html

----------


## harrybarracuda

> Au contraire. Hongkongers know exactly how the legal system works. Hence the protests.


So he lied then.

Who'da thunk it?

 :rofl:

----------


## misskit

*Hong Kong facing worst crisis since handover: senior China official*HONG KONG (Reuters) - Hong Kong is facing its worst crisis since it returned from British to Chinese rule in 1997, the head of China's Hong Kong and Macau Affairs office said on Wednesday, as more anti-government protests rocked the Asian financial hub.


"Hong Kong's crisis ... has continued for 60 days, and is getting worse and worse," Zhang Xiaoming, one of the most senior Chinese officials overseeing Hong Kong affairs, said during a meeting in the southern Chinese city of Shenzhen.


"Violent activities are intensifying and the impact on society is spreading wider. It can be said that Hong Kong is now facing the most severe situation since its handover," he said.


Hong Kong has faced months of sometimes violent protests that began with opposition to a now-suspended extradition law and which have evolved into a direct challenge to the government of embattled leader Carrie Lam and calls for full democracy.


Hong Kong's protests, which continued on Wednesday, pose a major challenge to Chinese President Xi Jinping who is grappling with a trade war with the United States and a slowing economy.


Zhang held a forum on Wednesday to discuss the political crisis in Hong Kong which included Hong Kong delegates to China's parliament, the National People's Congress and China's main consultative body, the CPPCC. No opposition democratic figures or protest representatives were invited.


Speaking after the meeting, several attendees said Zhang cited speeches by former Chinese paramount leader Deng Xiaoping in 1984 and 1987 in which he said if "turmoil" occurs in Hong Kong, "the central government must intervene".

MORE https://news.yahoo.com/hong-kong-fac...025640857.html

----------


## harrybarracuda

Surprised the SCMP is allowed to be so candid, but I suppose it is a veiled threat.




> Yang said Beijing was firmly behind Lam and her government. In reality, Lam is now no more than a figurehead. She is not allowed to quit; it’s a signal to the protest movement and the opposition that there will be no more compromises, only harsh measures from now on.


https://www.scmp.com/comment/opinion...uppress-unrest

----------


## Norton

^"I am scared by the latest one held on Tuesday"

I have a couple former Hong Kong business collegues I speak with on a regular basis. They too are scared and based on the mood of the people fear this is going to get far worse before it gets better.

----------


## Dragonfly

about fooking time Beijing takes over that silly place, and teach those idiots what China is all about

----------


## Klondyke

*Chinese reports on U.S. diplomat in Hong Kong 'have gone from irresponsible to dangerous': State Department

*WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Official Chinese media reports about a U.S. diplomat who met with student leaders of Hong Kong’s pro-democracy movement “have gone from irresponsible to dangerous” and must stop, U.S. State Department spokeswoman Morgan Ortagus said on Friday.

“Chinese authorities know full well, our accredited consular personnel are just doing their jobs, just like diplomats from every other country,” Ortagus added in a tweet.

She did not elaborate on the nature of the reports, but said: “This must stop.”

On Thursday, Ortagus called China a “thuggish regime” for disclosing photographs and personal details of the diplomat, identified by a Hong Kong newspaper as Julie Eadeh of the U.S. consulate’s political section.

“I don’t think that leaking an American diplomat’s private information, pictures, names of their children — I don’t think that is a formal protest ... That is not how a responsible nation would behave,” she told a briefing.

The Hong Kong office of China’s Foreign Ministry on Thursday asked the United States to explain reports in Communist Party-controlled media that U.S. diplomats were in contact with student leaders of protests that have convulsed Hong Kong for nine weeks.

The denunciations from the State Department are unusually sharp and have come as tensions between Washington and Beijing surge over an expanding trade war and military rivalry in the western Pacific, among other disputes.

The Hong Kong newspaper Ta Kung Pao published a photograph it said showed Eadeh talking with student leaders in the lobby of a luxury hotel. It appeared under the headline “Foreign Forces Intervene”.

The State Department has not identified the diplomat and has not elaborated on what kinds of private information or children’s details were disclosed.

In subsequent tweets on Friday, Ortagus said “foreign diplomats in the United States, including Chinese ones, enjoy open access to all elements of American politics, civil society, academia, and business.”

“China has a long record of broken commitments; it’s their duty under the Vienna Conventions, to which China is a party, to treat our diplomats and consular officers with due respect and take all appropriate steps to prevent any attack on their person, freedom or dignity,” she said.

China has accused foreign powers, particularly the United States, of fomenting the demonstrations in Hong Kong.

Earlier on Friday, U.S. President Donald Trump said he was not ready to make a deal with China and even called a September round of trade talks into question, reviving concerns in financial markets that the bilateral dispute is unlikely to end anytime soon.

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-h...-idUSKCN1UZ2HK

----------


## misskit

*Thousands rally in Hong Kong as marchers defy police ban*HONG KONG: Thousands of Hong Kong protesters rallied on Sunday, defying a police ban on marches in the Chinese-controlled territory and continuing a restive weekend of demonstrations which saw police fire teargas overnight.


Anti-government protests took place in different locations across the Asian financial hub, including one at the city's international airport for a third day.


Increasingly violent demonstration have plunged Hong Kong into its most serious political crisis for decades, posing a serious challenge to the central government in Beijing which has taken an increasingly tough line.


By Sunday afternoon, over a thousand black-clad protesters peacefully swarmed the airport arrivals hall, chanting "Liberate Hong Kong, Revolution of our time."

MORE https://www.bangkokpost.com/world/17...efy-police-ban

----------


## Saint Willy

> his is going to get far worse before it gets better.


That's absolutely clear, China cannot and will not back down on this. The question is how much does China need HK (in it's current state?) They wont give it away, but perhaps they will destroy it rather than lose.

----------


## misskit

*Hong Kong’s airport shut down after thousands protests*All flights in and out of Hong Kong were cancelled on Monday after thousands of pro-democracy protesters flooded the city’s airport to denounce police violence.


The abrupt shutdown at one of the world’s busiest hubs came as the Chinese government signalled its rising anger at the protesters, denouncing some of the violent demonstrations as “terrorism”.


The developments marked yet another dramatic escalation in a 10-week crisis that had already become the biggest challenge to Chinese rule of Hong Kong since the 1997 British handover.


A crowd of protesters that authorities said numbered more than 5,000 descended on Hong Kong airport on Monday carrying placards and chanting slogans denouncing police violence at previous rallies.


Although other rallies had been held over the previous three days, the airport authority said Monday’s one had caused significant chaos.


“Airport operations at Hong Kong International Airport have been seriously disrupted as a result of the public assembly at the airport today,” it said in a statement.


“Other than the departure flights that have completed the check-in process and the arrival flights that are already heading to Hong Kong, all other flights have been cancelled for the rest of today.”


It warned that traffic to the airport was “very congested” and the facility’s car parks were completely full.


“Members of the public are advised not to come to the airport.”


At the airport, protesters held signs reading “Hong Kong is not safe” and “Shame on police”.


They were responding to allegations that police were using increasingly violent tactics to suppress protests.
Over the weekend police fired tear gas into subway stations.


Protesters were also enraged at police apparently dressing in the black T-shirts worn by the pro-democracy movement to infiltrate the rallies and make surprise and violent arrests.


Protesters responded on the weekend by hurling bricks and spraying riot police with fire extinguishers and water hoses.


A government official said 45 people were injured in the clashes, including two who were in serious condition.


Among them was a woman who suffered a serious face injury, reportedly after being hit by a bean bag round, with rumours circulating that she had lost her vision in the incident.


Images of her lying on the ground with blood pouring from her face quickly went viral and featured on posters calling for new demonstrations.


It was the 10th consecutive weekend that protesters have taken to the streets in a movement that began over opposition to a bill allowing extradition to mainland China.


The protests have morphed into a broader bid to reverse a slide of democratic freedoms in the southern Chinese city.
In Beijing, authorities slammed violent protesters who had thrown petrol bombs at police officers and linked them to “terrorism”.


“Hong Kong’s radical demonstrators have repeatedly used extremely dangerous tools to attack police officers, which already constitutes a serious violent crime, and also shows the first signs of terrorism emerging,” said Yang Guang, spokesman for the Hong Kong and Macao Affairs Office of the State Council.


“This wantonly tramples on Hong Kong’s rule of law and social order.”



https://www.thaipbsworld.com/hong-ko...ands-protests/

----------


## misskit

*THAI cancels 3 flights from Bangkok to Hong Kong*Following the demonstrations and cancellation of all flights not yet checked in by Monday afternoon (August 12) by Hong Kong’s Airport Authority, Thai Airways has announced the cancellation of three Bangkok-Hong Kong flights.


The affected flights are:

TG606 (16.00hr-19.45hr)TG602 (18.30hr-22.15hr)TG607 (20.45hr-22.25hr)

“Other than departures that have completed the check-in process, and the arrival of flights already heading to Hong Kong, all other flights have been canceled for the rest of today,” the Hong Kong authorities said in a statement.


Updated at 16.45hr

https://www.thaipbsworld.com/thai-ca...-to-hong-kong/

----------


## misskit

*Cathay Pacific shares plunge after China warning on protests*HONG KONG: Shares in Hong Kong's flagship carrier Cathay Pacific plunged more than four percent on Monday, after Beijing banned airline staff supporting Hong Kong protesters from flights going through the mainland.


Cathay shares lost 4.37% to HK$9.85 by the break in Hong Kong, with the carrier's parent company Swire Pacific Ltd plunging 5.26% to HK$77.50.


The nosedive comes as the airline is caught up in pro-democracy proteststhat have rocked Hong Kong for more than two months.


On Friday, Beijing's aviation regulator ordered Cathay to submit a list of the identities of staff working on flights to the mainland or passing through its airspace.


It warned any staff members involved in "illegal protests" would be banned from such flights.


Cathay's CEO Rupert Hogg said in a message to staff on Saturday that the airline was obliged to comply with the new rules set out by the Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC).


"Cathay Pacific Group's operations in mainland China are key to our business. In addition to flying in and out of mainland China, a large number of our routes both to Europe and to the USA also fly through mainland China airspace," Hogg wrote.


"We are therefore legally required to follow CAAC regulations and, as is the case with any notices issued by any regulatory authority having jurisdiction over us, we must and will comply."


Cathay appears to have become a target of Beijing's ire after some of its crew joined protests and media reported one of its pilots had been charged with rioting.


The carrier's chairman John Slosar has defended his staff's right to freedom of thought, saying "we certainly wouldn't dream of telling them what they have to think about something".


But Hogg cautioned staff about their behavior.


"Though people may share different views, it is essential that we all respect each other, our customers and members of the public," he wrote.


Cathay has suspended a pilot who has been accused of rioting after allegedly participating in the Hong Kong protests.


And it said Saturday that it had fired two airport ground staff, without specifying why. Local media reported that they were accused of leaking the travel details of a Hong Kong police football team that was travelling to the mainland.

https://www.bangkokpost.com/world/17...tests#cxrecs_s

----------


## misskit

*Threats to Family of Chinese Student Who Attended Protest Spark Concern Over Beijing's Influence*Threats from the Chinese authorities aimed at a mainland Chinese student who supported Hong Kong's anti-extradition movement during a campus protest in Australia have sparked further concern over Beijing's overseas influence campaign.

The family of a Chinese student who participated in protests at the University of Queensland in Brisbane was warned by the authorities of the potential consequences of political dissent, the Sydney Morning Heraldnewspaper reported this week.

"The apparent intimidation tactics suggest the Chinese government was monitoring the demonstration at the University of Queensland to record who attended," the paper said.

The student, who took part in a show of support for anti-extradition protests in Hong Kong and to condemn Beijing's repression of minority Muslim ethnic groups in Xinjiang, told the paper that his mother had warned him not to attend any more gatherings.

It said other students who attended the protests had also complained of intimidation and harassment online, including death threats.

Feng Chongyi, associate professor in China Studies at Sydney's University of Technology, said the reports were in keeping with the Chinese Communist Party's operating methods among Chinese groups overseas, including students.

"This could mean they they are using informants ... not necessarily professional spies, to report things of benefit to them," Feng said. "Some of the Chinese students will voluntarily take on the job of reporting on students and monitoring their mental state."

"They don't just report on students, but also on their teachers," he said.

The Australian government passed legislation last year banning foreign governments from secretly interfering with Australian politics.

The law was widely seen as a way to address concerns over growing Chinese influence in Australian political and intellectual life.

"It was a transparency law for foreign agents, which means that if you do political work on behalf of foreign governments without registering, you are breaking the law," Feng said.


Widespread infiltration

Wu Lebao, a Chinese student currently studying in Australia, said that mainland Chinese political infiltration is now widespread in the country's colleges and universities, with certain student organizations believed to be funded by the Chinese government.

"I don't believe that they are independent Chinese student organizations, as they claim," Wu said. "They are completely controlled by the Chinese Embassy."

"They will report any anti-China speech to the Chinese Embassy."

While the University of Queensland said the university wouldn't tolerate behavior that impeded freedom of speech, Wu said students from the People's Republic of China are too lucrative a source of income for overseas universities to crack down on such attempts to influence public debate.

In April, U.K. lawmakers called on the government to "recalibrate" its China policy in the light of the power held by President Xi Jinping, who began an indefinite term in office in March 2018.

In a report titled "China and the Rules-Based International System," the House of Commons foreign affairs committee said that China does not intend to reform the rules-based international system "but rather intends to subvert it, by promoting an alternative version of human rights which stresses economic development at the cost of the universality of individual civil and political freedoms."

The Chinese Communist Party's United Front Work Department is tasked with developing allies and influence outside party ranks, including overseas, and has been linked to a number of reports on growing Chinese influence in liberal democracies.


https://www.rfa.org/english/news/chi...019141917.html

----------


## misskit

Live stream at Hong Kong International 

watch?v=xbmv2oWbRzE

----------


## Farangrakthai

young  hong kong people standing up against mighty china is very impressive.

----------


## misskit

Oh, no!

*China media says Hong Kong protesters are ‘asking for self-destruction’ as military assembles nearby*Chinese propaganda outlets warned on Tuesday that protesters in Hong Kong are “asking for self-destruction,” as they released a video showing military vehicles amassing near the border of the city.


Meanwhile, the city’s embattled leader, Carrie Lam, told the news media on Tuesday that “lawbreaking activities in the name of freedom” were damaging the rule of law and that the Asian financial hub’s recovery from anti-government protests could take a long time.


Her comments came after Beijing said widespread anti-government protests in the semi-autonomous city showed “sprouts of terrorism,” and such violence must be severely punished, “without leniency, without mercy.”


The Hong Kong Airport Authority said that airport operations on Tuesday were “seriously disrupted” by a large rally of protesters whom the riot police held back with pepper spray. Protesters blocked passengers from continuing to immigration checkpoints, and some police cars were blocked during heated encounters with police.


Hong Kong’s airport had reopened earlier Tuesday after airport authorities canceled all flights on Monday, blaming demonstrators’ disruption to regular operations.

MORE https://www.cnbc.com/2019/08/13/hong...es-nearby.html

----------


## buriramboy

As with most countries in the world, things were better when the British ruled.

----------


## misskit

https://mobile.twitter.com/globaltim...es-nearby.html

----------


## Klondyke

^ Tell it to people in India, Africa, a.o.  Just recently my post to a Wiki link has been democratically removed...

BTW, such demolitions in H.K. during British rule would be welcome"?

----------


## Farangrakthai

^^^  my hk video link is live.


China in the end Will look like a bully because they will have to show their hand. 

 :Wiggle:

----------


## buriramboy

> ^ Tell it to people in India, Africa, a.o.  Just recently my post to a Wiki link has been democratically removed...
> 
> BTW, such demolitions in H.K. during British rule would be welcome"?


Just think if America was still under British rule today they would have free healthcare for all, gun control and of course the Queen as head of state. As to HK was great under British rule, if you ask all native HK people obviously not the mainlanders living there who they would rather have rule over them the Chinese or British, they would choose the British by  a large majority.

----------


## Norton

> Oh, no!


Oh yes. Been on the phone near daily with a close friend and citizen of Hong Kong. He has since day one predicted this. He mentioned dissension in the police force is also on the rise. There is strong support of protests by the average HK citizen so we are looking at a situation that is going to escalate to the point where the international community will be forced to take action.

This is going to get far worse before it gets better.

The above, my friends observations, not mine. He is not actively involved in protests but a grandfather of 6 who is concerned for the future of HK and his family.

----------


## headhunter

this could be a repeat of tiananmen square.latest this morning thai news channel showed TANKS ON THE WAY.once they get all passengers out of the airport,then it will BEGIN.

----------


## bowie

> Oh, no!
> 
> China media says Hong Kong protesters are ‘asking for self-destruction’ as military assembles nearby




https://en.wikipedia.org/.../People%27s_Liberation_Army_at_the_1989_Ti...





During the 1989 student demonstrations in Beijing, the *Chinese* People's Liberation *Army* ..... By the night of June 2, over 10,000 *troops* of the 65th had *assembled* in the Great Hall.

----------


## Saint Willy

WASHINGTON: China has denied a request for two US Navy warships to visit Hong Kong in the coming weeks, US officials said on Tuesday (Aug 13), as the political crisis in the former British colony deepened.
The officials, speaking on the condition of anonymity, said the transport dock ship Green Bay had requested to visit later this month, while the guided-missile cruiser Lake Erie had requested to visit in September.

One of the officials said a specific reason was not given, but such a move is not unprecedented.
*READ: Violence will push Hong Kong down 'path of no return': Carrie Lam
*The last time China denied a port visit to Hong Kong was for the assault ship Wasp in September 2018. The amphibious command ship Blue Ridge made a port visit to Hong Kong in April.
The move comes as police and demonstrators protesting against Beijing's growing influence in Hong Kong clashed at the international airport on Tuesday after flights were disrupted for a second day.

In Washington, President Donald Trump said the Chinese government was moving troops to the border with Hong Kong and he urged calm.
Trump said the situation in Hong Kong was tricky but he hoped it would work out for everybody, including China, and "for liberty" without anyone getting hurt or killed.

https://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/asia/china-denies-hong-kong-port-visit-for-us-navy-ships-amid-tensions-11806596v

----------


## OhOh

> Au contraire. Hongkongers know exactly how the legal system works. Hence the protests.


One suspects that, if what you suggest is true,  the HK citizens have had ample opportunity to elect a government that reflects their view post the China/UK agreement being signed

 Allegedly they chose the current government, who have been elected under the agreed system from it's colonial days, against the will of the democratic majority, 

Unless of course the previous governments, all duly democratically elected, gerrymandered the numerous results

Which nobody, so far, has been accused of, in the media reports I've read

One wonders what he airport has to do with a "protest" to "denounce police violence?

More "stunning" pictures, more harassed HK'rs trying to get too and from various destinations, more foreigners to scare away from HK, allegedly one of the prime destinations in the world

A soft target which has now received a HK court order allowing the airport authorities backed by HK police, to take the obvious and necessary steps to stop such illegal acts of violence on the travelling public
*
HK airport resumes operation after halt*

HK airport resumes operation after halt - Chinadaily.com.cn

Some may remember the army taking over Heathrow, tanks and armed guards, rightfully denounced at the time, are you really wanting a rerun of the Irish problem in HK?

Are you really suggesting other countries police forces would not act in a similar and in some places far more violent way , once they received a legal order?

As the HK government leader has suggested the end result, if the protest continues, will not be good for all HK citizens, not just the regime change puppets

I hope the majority of HK citizens will see the abyss plainly and step back from it




> Protesters were also enraged at police apparently dressing in the black T-shirts


"apparently", alleged by whom?




> a woman who suffered a serious face injury, reportedly after being


"reportedly", published by whom?

*Condemnation pours in over brutal attack on GT reporter*


Condemnation pours in over brutal attack on GT reporter - Chinadaily.com.cn




> you're ignoring the question and attempting to shift the focus.


I replied to a post suggesting that you made regarding




> To deprive them of liberty and freedom?


 is the norm in for all in a particular country

The example of a black citizen being  paraded through a Texas street, this month, whilst others receive a judicial pass, or are quietly "disappeared" from public view

It may not be your view of justice, but to some, it is quite acceptable

As you are well aware "justice" is served to most, but "others" are granted a plea bargained slap on the wrist




> How many pictures can be put up documenting Chinese human rights abuses? Brainwashed is what he is.


Do you really want an illustrated competition on human rights abuses through the ages?

Do you really want a competition of which country has been in the most wars during it's duration? The most horrific actions? The most people killed in an afternoon? The most people killed because, "It was worth it" ?

----------


## headhunter

seems the bloodshed has been avoided,only a few demo's left at the airport.

----------


## Klondyke

That's what the friends are for...
*
Trump called on the “great” Xi Jinping to discuss Hong Kong rioting*




US President Donald Trump said that Chinese President Xi Jinping can humanely solve the Hong Kong problem and offered him a meeting. The corresponding post appeared on Twitter .

“I know Chinese President Xi very well. He is a great leader who respects his people very much. He is also good at "tough deeds." I have NO doubt that if President Xi wants to quickly and humanely resolve the Hong Kong problem, he will do so. A personal meeting? ”Wrote the US leader.

Earlier, Chinese Ambassador to Russia Zhang Hanhui said that the situation in Hong Kong is a "color revolution", which the West is trying to implement to contain China. Prior to this, Trump said that US intelligence confirms that the Chinese authorities sent troops to the border with Hong Kong.

On August 12, Yang Guang, spokesman for the Hong Kong and Macau State Council of China, said that "sprouts of terrorism" began to appear during the riots in Hong Kong.

On July 1, protesters in Hong Kong completely took control of parliament. Then the Hong Kong police freed the building from them. The protests began on the 22nd anniversary of the transfer of power to China over Hong Kong, the former British colony.

In June, more than a million Hong Kong residents protested because of the government’s plans to sign an extradition agreement with China, Taiwan, and Macau. On June 15, authorities suspended the consideration of the draft, and three days later, Hong Kong leader Carrie Lam apologized to her citizens and assured them that only those involved in the killings and rape were planned to be extradited.

Hong Kong from 1842 to 1997 was a British colony. Currently, it is part of China as a special administrative region.

https://lenta.ru/news/2019/08/15/xijinping/

----------


## OhOh

> You're under no obligation to answer


When you suggest a country across the pacific, has given all of it's countries citizens, "liberty and freedom", I illustrated, how in my opinion, some are still, today, treated with inequality

Possibly in Texas, they are immune to the appearance of a person being hauled through the streets, by a rope, held by a law officer on horseback and it's an everyday occurrence




> Hong Kong from 1842 to 1997 was a British colony. Upon the termination of the UK's lease on China's land, it was retuned to China as a special administrative region, as agreed between China and UK legislators. Which as 'arry points out has an agreed end date


Where HK's election procedures were carried over from the colonial days and the ramifications are still considered divisive

 Clarity? I hope so

Two pieces which may be interest, one of which includes some clarity on the UK legislator makeup, along with the author's opinions of the situation:*

Violent Protests In Hong Kong Reach Their Last Stage*
_
"In 1993 Hong Kong's share of China's GDP was 27%. It is now less than a  tenths of that and the city is now more or less irrelevant to mainland  China."




https://www.moonofalabama.org/2019/08/violent-protests-in-hong-kong-reach-their-last-stage.html#more


_and the second, on the history and affect of one of it's legislators members:*

'Whenever Theres Trouble He Rushes There.' Meet Legislator Roy Kwong, the God of Hong Kong Protests*



https://time.com/5628021/roy-kwong-hong-kong-protests/


I have no idea who "Time" is or what their agenda is

----------


## Cujo

Now trump's linked trade talks to the HK issue.
He really doesn't have a clue.
https://www.theguardian.com/world/20...-kong-humanely

----------


## Dragonfly

Brilliant of Trump to use HK as bargaining chip for a new trade deal, I bet the Chinese didn't see that one coming

Trump, the great disruptor !!!

----------


## Farangrakthai

> Brilliant of Trump to use HK as bargaining chip for a new trade deal, I bet the Chinese didn't see that one coming
> 
> Trump, the great disruptor !!!


hk  is  full of old school briit/yank spooks  who likely helped spark the latest protests at the right time. 

 :Wiggle:

----------


## OhOh

How long ago was the last HK democratic election and was it held under the procedures as agreed in the China/UK Agreement?

----------


## misskit

*Hong Kong Police Criticized Over Use of Tear Gas in Densely Populated Sham Shui Po*Community leaders in Hong Kong hit out at the city's police force on Thursday over the firing of dozens of tear gas canisters in Kowloon's Sham Shui Po district.

Police fired 35 canisters of tear gas and one rubber bullet in the streets of Sham Shui Po after protesters gathered there to burn spirit money bearing the faces of Hong Kong officials including chief executive Carrie Lam.

Residents said tear gas was unnecessary given that the streets were already mostly empty when riot police arrived to disperse protesters late on Wednesday.

Ronald Tsui, community director for the political party the Association for Democracy and People's Livelihood, said the use of tear gas in such a densely populated residential area was dangerous.

"Police have repeatedly ignored the safety of residents in the past and have applied a large amount of tear gas to the elderly," Tsui said, adding that children, including those with respiratory diseases like asthma, were at risk from the use of tear gas.

Chief Superintendent Tse Chun-chung said that police had used the minimum force necessary to clear the area.

"We are aware that some members of the public are concerned about the use of tear gas in residential areas," he said. "I hope they understand that the police never wish to use tear gas or deploy any kind of force."

Police injured

Tse said more than 170 police officers have been injured during anti-extradition protests that have gripped Hong Kong since June 9, and that a total of 748 people have been arrested in the protests since that date.

According to police, the nearby Sham Shui Po police station, a colonial-era building surrounded by high walls, barbed wire and guarded gates, has been attacked by protesters four times in recent weeks.

Police have meanwhile rejected an application by the Civil Human Rights Front to stage another mass march in support of the protesters' five demands.

These include the formal withdrawal of planned amendments to laws that would allow extradition of alleged criminal suspects to face trial in Chinese courts, an amnesty for arrested protesters,  an end to the description of protesters as rioters, an independent inquiry into police abuse of power, and fully democratic elections.

The march organizing group had planned to march from Victoria Park in Causeway Bay to the Chater Road pedestrian precinct in Central district, but police have only permitted a static gathering in Victoria Park.

Vice-convenor Bonnie Leung said the police decision was unreasonable.

"It would create chaos and even danger of a stampede so this decision is not only unreasonable but also dangerous for public safety," she told government broadcaster RTHK.

Speculation mounts

Meanwhile, speculation continues to mount over whether Beijing will deploy a detachment of People's Armed Police currently gathered a few kilometers away in the border city of Shenzhen.

A Chinese military commentator who gave a pseudonym, Li Feng, said the equipment shown in state-run media photos was evidence that a paramilitary force was prepared to enforce the law.

"If the other party uses barricades to block the road, this equipment can quickly push the obstacles away," Li said. "If they are facing a crowd, on the one hand, they can use the water cannon."

"[Such forces] would disperse crowds by means of deterrence and attack," Li said. "Of course, this will also involve carrying non-fatal violent equipment, which means beating people, to put it bluntly."

"The armored vehicles are equipped with a dozer blade at the front, which is typical disciplinary equipment; they even have a crane on board," Li said. "This is so that if there is something heavy blocking the road, and the bulldozer can't push it out of the way, then they can use the crane to lift it away."

"There is also lighting and broadcasting equipment, water cannons, camera forensics and a lot of canopy trucks of the kind used to transport troops ... it looks like they would have great strength of numbers," he said.

The vehicles and equipment were shown occupying Shenzhen Bay Stadium, only a 10-minute drive from the border with Hong Kong.

Frighten, deter

Chieh Chung, a research fellow at the National Policy Foundation on the democratic island of Taiwan, said the gathering of paramilitary forces in Shenzhen is intended to frighten and deter protesters.

But he said it didn't yet mean that Beijing has decided to deploy them.

"In the past when they have dealt with issues involving sovereignty, their leadership must make a big show of strength," Chieh said. "The Chinese Communist Party can't afford to be criticized for weakness or inaction."

Article 14 of Hong Kong's mini-constitution, the Basic Law, states that the Central Government of China is responsible for the defense of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, and that the Hong Kong government may, when necessary, request assistance from the People's Liberation Army to help maintain public order or to help with disaster relief work.

In Taiwan, a spokeswoman for the administration of President Tsai Ing-wen called on Beijing not to deploy force against anti-extradition protesters in Hong Kong.

"We don't recognize the description of this mass movement in Hong Kong as a 'riot' or a 'disturbance'," spokeswoman Kolas Yotaka told a regular news briefing in Taipei.

"Neither do we accept any repressive measures that involve harming the people of Hong Kong."


https://www.rfa.org/english/news/chi...019135400.html

----------


## misskit

*Teachers join latest Hong Kong march*Protesters gather in rain in critical test of movement's resolve and China's patience


HONG KONG: Several thousand Hong Kong teachers and supporters braved thunderstorms on Saturday to start a weekend of anti-government protests, despite fears that police could adopt tougher tactics to drive activists off the streets.


Following the escalation in violence during the past few days, the demonstrations this weekend will provide a test as to whether the protest movement can retain the broad support that it has appeared to enjoy.


Demonstrators say they are fighting against the erosion of the “one country, two systems” arrangement that enshrined some autonomy for Hong Kong since China took it back from Britain in 1997.

MORE https://www.bangkokpost.com/world/17...ong-kong-march

----------


## misskit

Hong Kong protesters rally in Victoria Park to show 'peaceful' credentials after chaos

HONG KONG: Tens of thousands of Hong Kong activists gathered on Sunday (Aug 18) afternoon for a major rally in Victoria Park to show the city's leaders their protest movement still attracts wide public support despite mounting violence.

The rally stretched to a small march outside Tin Hau MTR station near Victoria Park, with protesters holding up placards and chanting.



Sunday's protest was described as a "rational, non-violent" demonstration by organisers the Civil Human Rights Front (CHRF), the driving force behind record-breaking rallies in June and July that saw hundreds of thousands of people hit the streets. 


Police have given permission for the rally to go ahead but banned a proposed march.


Protesters flouted that order, flooding the streets on Sunday afternoon as they marched through the heart of Hong Kong Island despite driving rain.

Read more at https://www.https://www.channelnewsasia.com/news...ceful-11818978.com/news/asia/hong-kong-protests-rally-march-victoria-park-police-peaceful-11818978MORE peaceful-11818978

----------


## Klondyke

However, there are also prostesters who protest against the protesters. Who are not happy about the destruction and riots. 
It seems that they are not so much referred about, are they?

----------


## misskit

^ Link? Photos of counter-protesters?

----------


## Bettyboo

> ^ Link? Photos of counter-protesters?


Before or after they leave the army barracks?

----------


## aging one

> Before or after they leave the army barracks?


But you forgot to give the original silly question from Klondyke.




> However, there are also prostesters who protest against the protesters. Who are not happy about the destruction and riots. 
> It seems that they are not so much referred about, are they?

----------


## Klondyke

> ^ Link? Photos of counter-protesters?


Perhaps, when looking on few more channels than of the "recognizable media", you can see it too. In my case on TRT World, seeing crowds of older people, speaking to the reporter how unhappy they are about the riots.

When one comes into contact with HK people - mostly young ones - can see how they are very proud to be HK people, since organizing business for mainland companies, they feel to be very important, sometimes very arrogant, feeling superior grade over the mainland plebs, so they surely do not want to be associated with them...

----------


## misskit

*Chinese state media pump up the jam to slam Hong Kong protests*“Get those foreign agents outta town”, roars a music video by a patriotic Chinese rap group, one of a slew of creative efforts by Beijing attacking Hong Kong’s pro-democracy movement as violent and spurred on by overseas governments.
The rap video, overlaid with clips of protesters clashing with police and breaking into Hong Kong’s legislative offices, is being shared by Chinese state media on its overseas and domestic social media accounts.



“Hey democracy! Once I heard you be found in the Middle East, people were throwing bombs across the city streets,” runs the English-language rap by nationalistic Chinese group CD Rev.


“If that’s what you want sorry I can’t agree, get those foreign agents outta town then we can talk about it.”


Eleven weeks of demonstrations have seen millions of people take to Hong Kong’s streets in the biggest challenge to China’s rule of the semi-autonomous city since its 1997 handover from Britain.


In turn, Beijing has intensified its rhetoric — decrying the “terrorist-like” actions of a violent hardcore minority among protesters — while accusing Western governments of inciting the pro-democracy rallies.


The CD Rev song also features a soundbite of US President Donald Trump saying “Hong Kong is a part of China”.
Another video, which was shared by CCTV and China Daily, warned against the financial hub becoming a “paradise for violence”.


“Girls screaming, shops smashed, are you still bragging about justice?” raps musician Gang Qilian, switching between Mandarin and Cantonese, the language spoken in Hong Kong.



– ‘Remain silent’ –


It is not the first time Beijing has used the arts or the popularity of rap music as a vehicle for propaganda.


In March China’s official news agency, Xinhua, released a rap video to celebrate the annual meeting of the country’s rubber-stamp parliament and top political advisory body.


And CD Rev previously worked with the Communist Youth League to release “This is China” — a party-approved song bursting with national pride.


But state media upped the ante over the weekend with a poem that compared demonstrators to Nazis.


On Saturday, state broadcaster CCTV tweeted a post that was written in the style of a well-known poem by Martin Niemoller, an outspoken critic of Hitler.


“First they hurled bricks and iron barriers… and I did not speak out, because they were young and should be forgiven”, read the online flyer that was titled: “Hong Kongers are you going to remain silent?”.


“And then they came and attacked me, and there was no one left to speak for me and protect me.”


Such brazen messaging may not yield the results desired by Beijing, however.


Beijing’s propaganda campaign has been “relatively successful in persuading Western media that public opinion in mainland China is massively hostile to Hong Kong”, said Sebastian Veg, a contemporary Chinese history and politics professor at the School of Advanced Studies in Social Sciences in Paris.


But some of its propaganda is “bound to backfire”, Veg told AFP, referring to CCTV’s tweet.
“Such messaging will no doubt be seen as deeply repulsive [to] governments and public opinion in Europe and around the world and hardly endear them to Beijing’s views,” he said.


https://www.thaipbsworld.com/chinese...kong-protests/

----------


## misskit

Heavy rain failed to keep hundreds of thousands of protesters from swarming Hong Kong streets Sunday as pro-democracy demonstrators rallied against the slowly tightening grip of the Beijing government.

A section of downtown was paralyzed when protesters, crowded out of a park that had been the protest's focal point, marched through the streets despite a government ban on such marches.


The demonstration was as massive as it was peaceful. No police clashes were reported, in contrast to a string of previous protests that saw angry crowds dispersed by tear gas. The Civil Human Rights Front, which has helped organize the heavily attended rallies over the past two and a half months, estimated the crowd at more than 1.5 million people. Police said that estimate was high but did not provide a number.


MORE https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/...cy/2046098001/

----------


## misskit

*Three nights of tear gas-free protests as Hong Kong’s anti-government movement gives peace a chance*

Hundreds of thousands of anti-government protesters braved torrential rains on Sunday as they marched along the main thoroughfares of Hong Kong Island, determined to show the movement could regain its peaceful moorings despite the recent escalation of violence.



By night’s end, the city had wrapped up its eleventh consecutive weekend of protests, without any tear gas being fired. Groups of protesters, however, dipped into their standard toolkit to hurl insults and hard objects at police and shine laser beams at the force’s headquarters in Wan Chai.



Nonetheless, Hong Kong recorded three straight days of demonstrations that ended with no physical clashes between protesters and police, in a break from the troubling pattern of the past few weeks, which had prompted condemnation from the central and local governments.




Organisers from the Civil Human Rights Front estimated 1.7 million people were at the core of the march, as volunteers counted the numbers just in the areas closest to the starting rally in Victoria Park, between Causeway Bay and Fortress Hill.




Organisers estimated 1.7 million people attended the rally in Victoria Park. Photo: Sam Tsang


“There were large numbers of people from Causeway Bay to Central that we were unable to take into account, so I believe the actual turnout is much larger than 1.7 million,” the Front’s convenor, Jimmy Sham Tsz-kit, said. Police put the estimate at 128,000 as the rally peaked.


MORE https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/...ong-kongs-anti

----------


## Saint Willy

Government must act to reduce oligarchs' control in face of protests

If ever billionaires faced a no-win situation, this is it for Hong Kong tycoons.
For two months, the elite stayed eerily silent about the biggest protests in the city's history. Crossing political benefactors in China could be bad for their fantastically profitable monopolies.
There is also risk in appearing to oppose the democratic aspirations of young Hong Kongers. Becoming targets of popular ire in the long run may be worse than stomaching a short recession.

Now, Hong Kong's overlords are beginning to speak up, and it is no surprise they are siding with their political contacts in Beijing. Money talks.
Property magnate Peter Woo last week said protesters should not "purposely stir up trouble" and called for an end to demonstrations. Sun Hung Kai Properties, Kong Kong's biggest developer by market value, issued a statement condemning violent protests a day later. So did other property bigwigs, looking toward Xi Jinping rather than in the mirror.


They probably fear the fate of Cathay Pacific Airways. Earlier this month, Cathay came under intense pressure to stop aircrew from supporting protests and suspend those who were.
Now China Inc. has closed ranks. On August 13, Industrial and Commercial Bank of China (ICBC), China's biggest lender, slapped a "strong sell" rating on Cathay shares, citing "management's poor crisis management."
The shares fell to a 10-year low last week as executives struggled to balance the conflicting demands of protesters, its own staff and China. Then, on Friday, CEO Rupert Hogg fell on his sword, resigning "to take responsibility as a leader of the company in view of recent events."
Cathay's Hong Kong employees might have expected to be able to express their views in an unfettered manner -- "unfettered" has long been Hong Kong's raison d'etre. It routinely shows up in the Heritage Foundation's accolades when, year after year, the right-wing Washington think tank names Hong Kong the world's freest economy.
Of course, Hong Kong topping its Index of Economic Freedom is an exercise in compartmentalization. With its leader chosen by Beijing, a pegged currency, a government-backed Disney theme park and a rigidly controlled property market, Hong Kong's economy is actually as oligarchic as they come.
Yet that arrangement is backfiring. Economist Andy Xie, the former Morgan Stanley bigwig, has argued that the tycoons "are the problem" underlying the tensions tearing Hong Kong apart.
"The Hong Kong government is not really in charge [even though] most people think that they need to listen to Beijing, but perhaps more importantly, they are really influenced by the big property tycoons," the Shanghai-based Xie told CNBC on August 14.
Like all Hong Kong leaders, Chief Executive Carrie Lam will probably eventually be replaced by another pro-Beijing apparatchik. But the tycoons who profit from engineering sky-high property values will still be acting in ways that worsen inequality. "This is crazy," Xie said. The tycoons, he noted, "think that people will just take it lying down forever, but eventually it blows up."
Though Singapore has housing affordability problems, the government does not coddle a handful of billionaires. In Taiwan, the people can vote out any leader acting against their interests. By sharp contrast, Xie argued, Hong Kong is "in between -- just a bunch of businesspeople calling the shots."
Hong Kong rents have been racing ahead of wages for many years now. Since 2003, residential property prices have risen more than 300%, according to the Centa-City Leading Index. Real estate company CBRE ranks Hong Kong the world's priciest real estate market. It is no coincidence that Oxfam last year warned Hong Kong has a "particularly severe" rich-poor divide.
The irony is that Hong Kong could do with some of the unfettered competition it claims to champion. Breaking up property monopolies and democratizing bidding processes are good first steps. Legislators should devise clear and firm antitrust laws to reduce the concentration of assets. Comprehensive competition laws also would level the playing for smaller entrants.
Hong Kong could cap mainlanders' ability to own flats -- or at least increase stamp duties to reduce speculative buying. The government should raise land-reclamation ambitions to create affordable housing. This goes, too, for corporate offices: exorbitant rents price tech startups out of the city.
All it takes is a jolt of political will. None of this will be easy. But if Hong Kong's leaders do not address the causes of discontent, they will intensify.
Hong Kong could also, finally, take Li Ka-shing's advice -- not the expressions of love and peace he expressed in newspaper ads last week, but on taxes.
In 2014, the last time protesters made global headlines, the city's richest man began advocating Heritage Foundation heresy: higher taxes. In 2016, he told Bloomberg that Hong Kong should "tax companies an extra one or two percent, then a lot of the poor would benefit. The most important thing the government needs to think about are the options made available to young people."
Only Hong Kong's leaders are not thinking about them. It means that however today's giant protests end, by truce or force, the anger behind them will live to fight another day -- over and over again. If the tycoons and their Beijing benefactors do not think this is bad for business, what is?

https://asia.nikkei.com/Opinion/Hong-Kong-s-billionaires-should-give-up-power-to-save-the-city

----------


## Klondyke

How they see it in Beijing:

*Four key organizers of protests in Hong Kong named in Beijing

*The Central Government of China named the main figures who stand behind the incitement of protests in Hong Kong. An article published on the portal of the Political and Legal Commission of the Central Committee of the Chinese Communist Party states that the riots are directed by representatives of the United States.

An article on the Zhongguo Changyangwang website says that the “leader of the gang” behind the riots in Hong Kong is media mogul Jimmy Lai (Lee Jiying), who owns the opposition newspaper Pinggo Ribao, which often criticizes the Chinese authorities, TASS reports .

According to the publication, Lai, through his American assistant Mark Simon, maintains close ties with the US political elite. So, in early July, he was received in Washington by US Vice President Mike Pence and Secretary of State Michael Pompeo.

In addition to him, the list of key organizers of the protests included the leader of the Democratic Party of Hong Kong, Martin Lee, an influential former civil servant Anson Chan, who in English colonial times held the post of chief secretary ("person number two") of the local administration, as well as the chairman of the Hong Kong Alliance in support of a patriotic democratic movements in China by Alberta Ho.

Hong Kong protests have been  going on  since June. Demonstrators occupied the roadway, many of the city’s roads are paralyzed. The response to anti-government protests was patriotic rallies. So, on Saturday, the rally, the participants of which condemned the radical activists for the provocations, violence and unrest that they did, gathered up to 476 thousand people.

https://vz.ru/news/2019/8/18/992999.html

----------


## misskit

*Information operations directed at Hong Kong*By Twitter SafetyMonday, 19 August 2019 
We are disclosing a significant state-backed information operation focused on the situation in Hong Kong, specifically the protest movement and their calls for political change.






What we are disclosing

This disclosure consists of 936 accounts originating from within the People’s Republic of China (PRC). Overall, these accounts were deliberately and specifically attempting to sow political discord in Hong Kong, including undermining the legitimacy and political positions of the protest movement on the ground. Based on our intensive investigations, we have reliable evidence to support that this is a coordinated state-backed operation. Specifically, we identified large clusters of accounts behaving in a coordinated manner to amplify messages related to the Hong Kong protests.


As Twitter is blocked in PRC, many of these accounts accessed Twitter using VPNs. However, some accounts accessed Twitter from specific unblocked IP addresses originating in mainland China. The accounts we are sharing today represent the most active portions of this campaign; a larger, spammy network of approximately 200,000 accounts — many created following our initial suspensions — were proactively suspended before they were substantially active on the service.

MORE https://blog.twitter.com/en_us/topic...Hong_Kong.html

----------


## misskit

*Pro-China Supporters 'Bully' Those Showing Support For Hong Kong Protests Globally*A wave of pro-China demonstrations is gathering pace in cities around the world, wherever supporters of the Hong Kong anti-extradition movement gather, prompting concerns over violence and freedom of expression.

Canadian police escorted around 80 worshippers from a church inVancouver on Sunday after the church was surrounded by around 100shouting pro-China protesters and vehicles that had earlier been seen at the Chinese consulate.

A woman seen directing protesters outside the Tenth Church -- which had been holding a prayer service for Hong Kong -- declined to speak to the media or to identify herself.

The protesters’ actions were described by an organizer of the prayers as "intimidation" and "bullying," Hong Kong's English-language South China Morning Post reported.

Chris Chiu told the paper that the incident had left him shaken and fearing for the worshippers’ safety, although 20 police officers were called to the scene.

The standoff came as rallies in support of Hong Kong protesters attracted counter-protests from China-backed demonstrators waving their national flag and roaring the Chinese Communist Party anthem to drown out the sounds of the Hong Kong rallies in more than a dozen cities over the weekend. Protests are quickly snuffed out in China, with organizers often receiving stiff jail terms.

In Toronto, hundreds of protesters faced off outside Old City Hall during a rally for Hong Kong, with shouting matches between both groups, with police intervening to keep the peace, local media reported.

And around 500 pro-China protesters rallied in Sydney, holding up abanner that read "Say no to the Hong Kong riots!" and singing the Chinese national anthem, the March of the Volunteers.

"We don't want violence, only peace," one participant told RFA. "We love China, and we want to build a peaceful China and a peaceful world."

"China's handling of Hong Kong has been excellent, and we want the people of Hong Kong to know that," he said.
Bad for China's image
Chinese who get their information from official state media are receiving a vastly different account, censored and spun to support Beijing's version of events, than those witnessing protests in Hong Kong.  

Australia-based scholar Feng Chongyi said that there is huge unspokenpressure on Chinese nationals overseas to demonstrate their loyalty to the ruling Chinese Communist Party, which has ramped up its official rhetoric around the Hong Kong anti-extradition movement in recent weeks, styling the protesters "rioters" who are being incited and manipulated by hostile foreign forces.

"These so-called protest leaders have long been in close contact with the Chinese embassies and consulates," Feng said. "They are obliged to come out and carry out the political tasks given to them by the Chinese Communist Party, at crucial points in time."

"The benefits are multi-faceted. They get business opportunities in China, while community groups get to go on all-expenses-paid trips to China," he said.

Feng said many Chinese also feel a sense of personal honor in servingChinese national interests, even if they are resident elsewhere.

"They want to win the trust of the regime, which they think will give them personal status and position, as well as an invite to the consulate banquet come Chinese New Year," he said.

Feng said he had attended a pro-Hong Kong rally on Sunday in Melbourne, and spoken to a number of Australian nationals who had been shocked at the obscenities hurled by the pro-China group at the Hong Kong supporters.

"They all expressed their disdain for these Chinese students and forpatriotic overseas Chinese," Feng said. "They thought they were barbaric and that they were going international."

"This has a very negative impact on [China's] international image," he said.

Anthem and obscenities
The rally Feng attended was disrupted by crowds of people singing theChinese national anthem and hurling obscenities at those showingsolidarity with the anti-extradition movement in Hong Kong, to chants of "Support the Hong Kong police"" & 'Hong Kong separatists are dumb asses."

Australia-based dissident cartoonist Badiucao posted video that appeared to show a China nationalist attacking an ABC news reporter in Melbourne. "He escaped after the attacking," he wrote in an unconfirmed report.

Meanwhile, China state news agency Xinhua has taken out at least fiveadvertisements on Facebook since Sunday including a video clip of anAustralian national angry over the recent shutdown of Hong Kong'sInternational Airport by thousands of anti-extradition protesters, Gizmodo news reported.

One ad calls on Democratic House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, who has hit out at Beijing's "cowardly" handling of the Hong Kong protest movement, to "fly to Hong Kong to see what the true facts are."

Another says Hong Kong’s economy has been hit by the protests, claiming that the majority of citizens want someone to "restore order" in the city.

Some 1.7 million people took to Hong Kong's streets on Sunday in thelatest in a string of mass, peaceful protests against plans to allow the extradition of alleged criminal suspects to face trial in mainland China.

Anti-extradition protesters published advertisements in 11 majornewspapers on Monday calling for international support for Hong Kong in 10 countries.

“Amid tear gas and rubber bullets, this once vibrant and safe metropolis is at a crossroads," the protesters wrote. "Since the protests against the controversial extradition bill started in June, Hong Kong’s autonomy and freedom have been eroded beyond recognition. This is the ugly truth that the Hong Kong government does not want you to know: Hong Kong is becoming a police state."

“Instead of implementing political reform as promised, the Hong Konggovernment has turned into an apparatus of repression. Police brutality, endorsed by both the Hong Kong and Chinese governments, has now become part of our daily lives,” they added.

The anti-extradition protests that have gripped the city since early June are making five key demands of the administration of chief executive Carrie Lam: the formal withdrawal of planned amendments to extradition laws; an amnesty for arrested protesters;  an end to the description of protesters as rioters; an independent inquiry into police abuse of power; and fully democratic elections.

https://www.rfa.org/english/news/chi...019150902.html

----------


## Little Chuchok

> Perhaps, when looking on few more channels than of the "recognizable media", you can see it too. In my case on TRT World, seeing crowds of older people, speaking to the reporter how unhappy they are about the riots.
> 
> When one comes into contact with HK people - mostly young ones - can see how they are very proud to be HK people, since organizing business for mainland companies, they feel to be very important, sometimes very arrogant, feeling superior grade over the mainland plebs, so they surely do not want to be associated with them...



I know plenty of people in Hong Kong, both gweilo and Chinese. None of them want violence, but all think that protesting is needed. None of them are arrogant IMO. None of them trust the Chinese Communist party.

You sound like you have been listening to a brainwashed mainlanders.

----------


## Latindancer

Hong Kong people are largely Cantonese. They are a volatile people.

----------


## misskit

*Hong Kong protests spread to subway as bank warns of economic fallout*HONG KONG (Reuters) – A major bank warned on Wednesday that weeks of protests in Hong Kong could hit the economies of the Chinese-ruled city and mainland China itself as demonstrators prepared a sit-in at a subway and site of a mid-summer mob attack.


Hong Kong-based Bank of East Asia Ltd (BEA) posted a 75% slump in first-half net profit after it wrote down loans in China because of a downturn in commercial property markets outside China’s top cities.


It also warned that social unrest in Hong Kong and a trade dispute between China and the United States could affect the economies of China and the former British colony.


“The tense atmosphere (in Hong Kong) is likely to weigh on consumer and business confidence, and on in-bound tourism, if there is no resolution soon,” it said in a statement.


Some Hong Kong companies have been dragged into controversy after 11 weeks of sometimes violent clashes between police and pro-democracy protesters, angered by a perceived erosion of freedoms.


Pilots and cabin crew at Cathay Pacific Airways described a “white terror” of political denunciations, sackings and phone searches by Chinese aviation officials.


BEA and its rivals have closed branches in the vicinity of protests on a number of separate occasions.


“The recent situation in Hong Kong causes signs of concerns for the local SMEs (small and medium-sized enterprises),” bank co-chief executive Adrian Li told reporters. “It is because you see that if the current condition continues, (it) shall affect tourism, retail trade as well as investors’ confidence. Nevertheless, our Hong Kong asset quality remains very healthy.”


Protesters were preparing to gather on Wednesday at the suburban Yuen Long mass-transit rail station, one of a series of running demonstrations over 11 weeks that have sometimes turned violent, including the storming of the legislature and havoc at the airport.


On the night of July 21, about 100 white-shirted men stormed the station hours after protesters marched through central Hong Kong and defaced China’s Liaison Office – the main symbol of Beijing’s authority over the city.


The men attacked black-clad protesters returning from Hong Kong island, passers-by, journalists and lawmakers with pipes and clubs, wounding 45 people.


Anger erupted in June over a now-suspended bill that would allow criminal suspects in Hong Kong to be extradited to mainland China for trial. Hong Kong leader Carrie Lam said again on Tuesday the legislation was dead.


*CONSULATE WORKER DETAINED*But the unrest has been fueled by broader worries about the erosion of freedoms guaranteed under the “one country, two systems” formula put in place after Hong Kong’s return to China in 1997, including an independent judiciary and the right to protest.


In the most recent cause for concern, China said on Wednesday a Chinese staff member of the British consulate in Hong Kong was under “administrative detention” in China for violating Chinese law.


The staff member, Simon Cheng, did not return to work in Hong Kong on Aug. 9 after visiting the neighboring mainland city of Shenzhen the previous day, Hong Kong news website HK01 reported, citing his girlfriend and family.


The protests have prompted sharp reactions from Beijing, which has accused foreign countries, including the United States, of fomenting unrest. China has also sent clear warning that forceful intervention is possible, with paramilitary forces holding drills in neighboring Shenzhen.


U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo reiterated U.S. calls for China to honor its “one country, two systems” commitment.


Speaking to CBS This Morning, Pompeo highlighted weekend remarks by President Donald Trump           warning against a crackdown like Beijing’s suppression of pro-democracy protests in Tiananmen               Square in 1989. Trump said this would make reaching a deal he has been seeking to end a trade war        with China “very hard”.


In an editorial on Tuesday, China’s influential state-run tabloid, the Global Times, called comments by U.S. Vice President Mike Pence on Monday linking the trade talks to the Hong Kong protests “outrageous”.


U.S. tech giants Twitter Inc and Facebook Inc said on Monday they had dismantled a state-backed social media campaign originating in mainland China that sought to undermine the Hong Kong protests.


Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Geng Shuang declined to comment directly on the Twitter and Facebook actions, but defended the right of Chinese people to make their voices heard.


The protests are already exacting a toll on Hong Kong’s economy and tourism, with the Asian financial hub on the verge of its first recession in a decade.


Aside from seeking Lam’s resignation, demonstrators have five demands – complete withdrawal of the extradition bill, a halt to descriptions of the protests as “rioting”, a waiver of charges against those arrested, an independent inquiry and resumption of political reform.


“The Hong Kong economy is facing the risk of downturn,” Lam said. “We can see this from the data in the first half. Actually, I think the data in the first half has not fully reflected the seriousness of the problem.”


https://www.thaipbsworld.com/hong-ko...nomic-fallout/

----------


## misskit

*Hong Kong protests: man arrested over stabbing of journalist and two other victims at Lennon Wall in Tseung Kwan O tunnel*A man was arrested on Tuesday at a border checkpoint in Lo Wu, Hong Kong, after a knife attack on three people at a “Lennon Wall” in Tseung Kwan O left a journalist in critical condition.



After the attack at 1.30am, the 50-year-old male suspect, a Hong Kong resident, left for Shenzhen before daybreak, according to a police source, who added that officers were told the man was drunk at the time.



The suspect was arrested at about 3pm when he returned to the city. Authorities were still investigating why he came back to Hong Kong.




“An initial investigation showed his earnings could have been greatly affected by recent protests,” the source said without revealing the suspect’s occupation.











The man was suspected of stabbing his victims, two women aged 26 and 35, as well as a man, 24. Witnesses earlier said he acted after talking to the women and hearing their views on the anti-government protests rocking the city.



The 26-year-woman, a reporter with the Hong Kong Economic Journal, was left in a critical condition with wounds to her hands, left shoulder and back following the assault, while the other woman suffered injuries to her head. The third victim required seven stitches for a head wound and suffered cuts to his left arm.


The trio were treated at Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Yau Ma Tei, and at Tseung Kwan O Hospital, a spokeswoman for the Hospital Authority said.



According to police, the attack took place in a tunnel between Hau Tak Estate and Chung Ming Court in Tseung Kwan O.

MORE 
https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/...box=1566280288

----------


## Norton

History of Hong Kong protests: riots, rallies and brollies
https://multimedia.scmp.com/infograp...ity/index.html

A bit of historical perspective. Worth a read.

HK citizens never really agreed with the 1997 agreement between China and the UK. These recent protests are further evidence of this. Can't blame them given HKers consider themselves unique and independent of both the UK and China. Reckon I would be resentful as well if folks I considered foreigners tried to impose their laws on me.

Could HK pull off a Singapore move and become a successful independent city state?  

I think so given the chance. Odds are low they will be given the chance so expect the protests will continue and worsen up to and after hand over to China.

----------


## misskit

> Could HK pull off a Singapore move and become a successful independent city state?


Of course they could if allowed to do so.

----------


## docmartin

They’re more likely to sprout wings and fly off to sparkly unicorn land than to get a bon voyage card from Winnie.

----------


## Cujo

Twitter has shut down thousands of accounts associated with the mainland Gov't even though Twitter's banned here and Facebook have shut down many accounts along the same lines.

----------


## Looper

> Could HK pull off a Singapore move and become a successful independent city state?


Would be wonderful to watch the fracturing and collapse of the CCPs sinister grip on a democracy loving free state if HK could somehow pull this off.

It would put the CCP on notice that their sneaky authoritarian underhand repressive modus operandi has no future in a world evolving in the direction of western democratic freedom.

It would embolden Taiwan and really tighten the screws on winnie the poohs walnuts.

----------


## harrybarracuda

Chinky wankers at it again.




> Hong Kong (CNN)The family of a Hong Kong citizen working for the British consulate, who has not been heard from for more than two weeks, have described reports that he was detained in China for soliciting prostitutes as a "joke."
> 
> Simon Cheng, 28, is being held for 15 days under administrative detention, China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) confirmed Wednesday, although they didn't specify a reason.
> 
> On Thursday, China's state-run tabloid Global Times reported that Cheng had been detained for "solicitation of prostitution." The report attributed the information to police in the Luohu district of the Chinese border city of Shenzhen, where Cheng had been traveling on business on August 8 in his role as a trade officer.
> 
> CNN has reached out to Luohu police who declined to comment.
> 
> But a Facebook page run by Cheng's family dismissed the report late Thursday. "Soliciting prostitution, everyone continues to see it as a joke," said the comment.
> ...

----------


## harrybarracuda

Chinky wankers still at it.




> Google announced yesterday that it had disabled 210 YouTube accounts for attempting to spread misinformation related to the ongoing protests in Hong Kong. The protests, which kicked off in March, are in opposition to an extradition bill that would allow local authorities to extradite people in Hong Kong — which has a different governance system than the rest of China — to other countries that it does not have extradition agreements with.
> 
> “Earlier this week, as part of our ongoing efforts to combat coordinated influence operations, we disabled 210 channels on YouTube when we discovered channels in this network behaved in a coordinated manner while uploading videos related to the ongoing protests in Hong Kong,” Shane Huntley, an exec within Google Security’s Threat Analysis Group, wrote in a blog post. “This discovery was consistent with recent observations and actions related to China announced by Facebook and Twitter.”
> 
> Huntley writes that YouTube discovered virtual private networks (VPNs) being used to disguise the origin of the accounts in question, which is a common tactic with respect to coordinated influence operations. The content on Twitter appeared to be state-backed, that platform surmised, with content that compared protesters to terrorists and portrayed them as violent extremists, according to The New York Times. Some of the social content also alleged that they were being funded by foreign interests.
> 
> https://www.tubefilter.com/2019/08/23/youtube-disables-210-accounts-hong-kong-protests/

----------


## misskit

*Thai Consulate-General advises Thais to avoid Hong Kong protests on 24-25 August*The Royal Thai Consulate General in Hong Kong has advised Thai people living or travelling in Hong Kong to avoid protest sites on 24th-25th August, allow extra travel time for both cars and the MTR metro, and register themselves as Thais abroad.


The Royal Thai Consulate General in Hong Kong has posted an advisory on its Facebook page regarding potential protests in Hong Kong today, and Sunday 25th August 2019.


According to the post, protestors are expected to attempt to shut down road traffic to Hong Kong International Airport. The Consulate General has recommended that passengers plan travel options, whether by car, taxi, or the Airport Express train to access the airport.


On Sunday, 25th August 2019, a rally is expected on Hong Kong island starting at 2 p.m. at Edinburgh Place in Central, and continuing through to the Office of the Chief Executive, and the Hong Kong Police Headquarters in Wan Chai. Another rally in the New Territories is expected to start at 2:30 p.m.


The Royal Thai Consulate General is asking Thais living in or travelling to Hong Kong on the affected dates to avoid being at protest sites or in surrounding areas, as well as allowing extra time for travel by road or on the MTR metro.


Thai expatriates and tourists in Hong Kong are advised to register themselves on the Royal Thai Consulate General website, to receive communications in case of emergencies. The Royal Thai Consulate General in Hong Kong can be reached by calling (+852) 6821-1545, (+852) 6821-1546, or by contacting the Department of Consular Affairs Call Center (+66) 2-572-8442 to provide emergency assistance.


National News Bureau Of Thailand

----------


## misskit

*Hong Kong police use tear gas to counter protest petrol bombs*HONG KONG (Reuters) – Hong Kong police used tear gas to break up anti-government protests in a gritty industrial suburb on Saturday after some activists threw petrol bombs and bricks, as China freed a British consulate worker whose detention helped fuel tension.


Four MTR subway stations were closed around Kwun Tong, a densely populated area of the Chinese-ruled city on the east of the Kowloon peninsula, but thousands packed the streets anyway, most carrying umbrellas against the sun.


Police used tear gas after some protesters threw Molotov cocktails and bricks and others tore up “smart” lamp posts equipped with surveillance cameras. Others had set up roadblocks with bamboo scaffolding.


It was the first use of tear gas in 10 days after a series of mostly peaceful demonstrations in the former British colony.
There were no immediate reports of injuries.


“Give me democracy or give me death,” was spray-painted on a wall, an illustration how the demands of the protesters have expanded from the withdrawal of a bill that would have allowed extraditions to China.


The government said in a statement the protesters “posed a serious threat to the safety of everyone” at the scene.


“After repeated warnings to the protesters went futile, police officers have deployed tear gas and minimum force to disperse protesters,” it said.


The airport and the roads and railways leading to it were operating normally despite plans by protesters to implement a “stress test” of transport links after weeks of unrest.


The airport was forced to close for part of last week after protesters thronged the main terminal for several days, grounding around 1,000 flights and occasionally clashing with police.


The wider calls for democracy have plunged the city into an unprecedented crisis posing a direct challenge for Communist Party leaders in Beijing.


Demonstrators say they are fighting the erosion of the “one country, two systems” arrangement that enshrines a high degree of autonomy for Hong Kong since it was handed back from British to Chinese rule in 1997.


Hundreds took part in an “anti-fake news” protest, with people waving the bauhinia Hong Kong flag outside government-funded broadcaster RTHK’s headquarters.


“RTHK has become more biased in recent years,” businesswoman Michelle Tse said. “Almost 90% of its programs have been badmouthing China, saying the country has no democracy or freedom.”


A spokeswoman for the station said RTHK has taken note of the opinions raised, it said on its Facebook page. “She said staff follow the station’s charter and producer guidelines, and are obliged to deliver objective programming.”


*CONSULATE WORKER FREED*British consulate staffer Simon Cheng was detained for 15 days for violating public security management regulations, police in Shenzhen, across the border from Hong Kong, said on their Twitter-like Weibo account.


Police said Cheng was released as scheduled on Saturday and that his legal rights and interests had been observed. 

They also said Cheng had confessed to accusations against him, a commonly used comment by Chinese police, even though Cheng was not given a chance to defend himself in court.


Cheng had now returned to Hong Kong, his family said on his Facebook page.


No details were given of his detention, with the Facebook post asking the “media and friends to give them some time and space, and we will explain more later”.


Some protesters in recent days had demanded Cheng be released. Britain said it welcomed the news.


Cathay Pacific Airways, which has become the biggest corporate casualty of the protests after China demanded it suspend staff involved in the demonstrations, protested against a planned rally by the Hong Kong Confederation of Trade Unions around the airport’s “Cathay City” HQ on Monday.


“We have also reiterated to our employees that there is a zero-tolerance approach to any support for or participation in illegal protests, violent activities or overly radical behavior,” it said in a statement.


There is no sign of a let-up almost three months after the anti-government demonstrations began. On Friday night, thousands of chanting protesters formed human chains around the city in a peaceful protest dubbed the “Hong Kong Way”.


Authorities have so far refused to meet any of the protesters’ five key demands, including calls for an independent inquiry into police brutality, a full withdrawal of the extradition bill, and full democracy.


Organizers are planning a host of protests in the coming weeks including a mass march, a city-wide strike and class boycotts at universities.


https://www.thaipbsworld.com/hong-ko...-petrol-bombs/

----------


## misskit

*China Wages Overseas Information War on Hong Kong, While Clamping Down at Home*



Google says it has taken down more than 200 YouTube channels that werelinked to the Chinese Communist Party's disinformation campaigntargeting the Hong Kong protests.

"Earlier this week, as part of our ongoing efforts to combat coordinated influence operations, we disabled 210 channels on YouTube when we discovered channels in this network behaved in a coordinated manner while uploading videos related to the ongoing protests in Hong Kong," the company, which owns YouTube, said in a post on its official blog.

It said the discovery was "consistent with recent observations" made by Facebook and Twitter, which also shuttered a number of China-linkedaccounts.

"We found use of VPNs and other methods to disguise the origin of these accounts and other activity commonly associated with coordinatedinfluence operations," Google said.

Google said it cooperates with "industry partners and law enforcement"when carrying out investigations into influence campaigns using itsplatforms, as well as making use of third-party intelligence.

"These actions are part of our continuing efforts to protect the integrity of our platforms and the security and privacy of our users," it said.

In Beijing, foreign ministry spokesman Geng Shuang said he didn't knowthe specific details of Google's action.

"But everyone should know what 1.4 billion Chinese people think about the current situation in Hong Kong," he said.

'Deceptive tactics, including the use of fake accounts'
Earlier this week, Facebook and Twitter both said they had taken steps to remove coordinated posts they had linked to the ruling Chinese Communist Party, after the accounts had engaged in "deceptive tactics, including the use of fake accounts."

Meanwhile, in London, the U.K.'s Foreign and Commonwealth Office issued a warning to travelers that their devices could be searched while crossing the border from Hong Kong to mainland China.

"In light of ongoing protests and demonstrations in Hong Kong, there are reports of greater scrutiny from mainland authorities at border crossings between the mainland and Hong Kong," the travel warning said.

"This includes reports that travellers’ electronic devices have been checked at border crossings," it said.

The checks are believed to be part of a concerted campaign to ensure that no unedited news of the Hong Kong anti-extradition protests is able to reach residents of mainland China, as Beijing tries to promote its view of the protests as an attempt by foreign powers to stage a "color revolution" in China far beyond its borders.

U.S.-based legal scholar Teng Biao said the administration of President Xi Jinping has succeeded in suppressing any form of free speech in mainland China in recent years.

"The Chinese government completely suppresses freedom of speech byshutting down accounts and deleting posts for the slightest thing," Teng said.

"Many people have been detained for something they posted online,sentenced to prison on trumped-up charges like incitement to subversion or picking quarrels and stirring up trouble, or have just 'disappeared'," he said. "Meanwhile, the 50-cent army cooks up fake news online."

Spending to boost followers
And mixed martial arts (MMA) fighter Xu Xiaodong said he had beenreported on social media and threatened by the authorities after speaking out in support of the Hong Kong anti-extradition movement.

"Hong Kong people are Chinese and I am also Chinese. That’s why I loveHong Kong people," he said in a YouTube broadcast for which he was later forced to apologize.

"Someone asked me if I know what’s going on in Hong Kong and queried my right to make any comment. They may be right, but I want to ask why we don’t know what’s exactly happening in Hong Kong. Why?" he said in the video.

He told RFA that he had since come to an arrangement with the authorities.

"My attitude is very good right now," he said. "My attitude is great. Any of you people monitoring the internet, anyone who is listening in, I can tell you that Xu Xiaodong hasn't broken any laws."

"They wanted me to describe [the Hong Kong protesters] as a rebelliousmob, but I wouldn't, and I refused to leave YouTube as well," he said. "I'm still doing live streams, but I know where the lines are drawn. I'm not going to mention anything to do with Hong Kong any more."

RFA's Cantonese Service reported earlier this week that a top newsorganization run by the ruling Chinese Communist Party has hired twospecialist social media and data management firms to boost their Facebook fans and followers on Twitter.

The China News Service, the second largest state-owned news agency inChina after Xinhua, is run by the Overseas Chinese Affairs Office, which was absorbed into the United Front Work Department—the externalinfluence and outreach agency—of the Chinese Communist Party in 2018.

Two official procurement documents seen by RFA for Twitter and Facebook specialists respectively offered contracts worth up to 1.3 million yuan each to companies that can boost their follower counts on those platforms by more than half a million.


https://www.rfa.org/english/news/china/hongkong-socialmedia-08232019160244.html

----------


## misskit

*Hong Kong government warns of great danger after weekend of violence*HONG KONG (Reuters) - Illegal violence is pushing Hong Kong to the brink of great danger, the city government said on Monday, after a weekend of clashes that included the first gun-shot and the arrest of 86 people, the youngest just 12.

Police fired water cannon and volleys of tear gas in running battles with protesters who threw bricks and petrol bombs on Sunday, the second day of weekend clashes in the Chinese-ruled city. 


Six officers drew their pistols and one officer fired a warning shot into the air, police said in a statement, adding that 215 rounds of tear gas and 74 rubber bullets were fired over the two days. 


“The escalating illegal and violent acts of radical protesters are not only outrageous, they also push Hong Kong to the verge of a very dangerous situation,” the government said in a statement.


The protests began in mid-June over a now-suspended extradition bill that would have allowed Hong Kong people to be sent to mainland China for trial. 


But the demonstrations have evolved over 12 straight weeks into a broad demand for greater democracy in the financial hub that was promised a high degree of autonomy under a “one country, two systems” formula when it was handed to China by colonial ruler Britain in 1997. 


More demonstrations are planned in the days and weeks ahead, including a rally at Hong Kong’s Cathay Pacific Airways (0293.HK) headquarters on Wednesday to protest against perceived “white terror”, a term used to describe anonymous acts that create a climate of fear. 


Cathay has emerged as the biggest corporate casualty of the protests after China demanded it suspend staff involved in, or who supported, the anti-government demonstrations that have plunged the city into its biggest crisis since 1997.


On Saturday, activists threw petrol bombs and bricks in the gritty industrial district of Kwun Tong, on the east of the Kowloon peninsula. Some protesters cut down “smart” lamp posts equipped with surveillance cameras. 


*GRAVE CHALLENGE*The protests pose the gravest popular challenge to Chinese President Xi Jinping since he took power in 2012, with his government keen to quell the unrest ahead of the 70th anniversary of the founding of the People’s Republic of China on Oct 1. 


Protesters again adopted cat-and-mouse tactics on Sunday evening, gathering then quickly dispersing, only to reappear in other places. 


They also set up barricades to block some roads, following a largely peaceful rally earlier in the day. 


Police said the 86 arrested people were aged 12 to 52, and they were suspected of offences including unlawful assembly, possession of offensive weapons and assaulting police officers. 


Twenty-one officers were injured in the violence, they said. 


The weekend clashes marked a return to violent unrest after days of calmer demonstrations. 


The protests have occasionally caused serious disruption including forcing the closure of the airport. 


China has denounced the protests, warned of the damage to Hong Kong’s economy and complained of outside interference. 




It has also sent a clear warning that forceful intervention is possible, with paramilitary forces holding drills in Shenzhen, just over the border from Hong Kong in mainland China.The protesters say they are fighting the erosion of the “one country, two systems” arrangement under which Hong Kong returned to China with the promise of freedoms, not enjoyed on the mainland, for 50 years. 


But the turmoil is taking a toll. 


The world’s biggest equity deal this year was to unfold in Hong Kong later this month but it has been put on hold. Banks are issuing unprecedented profit warnings, while hotels and restaurants are half-empty. 


Several major conferences and trade fairs have been postponed and economists say retail sales could drop by 20%-30% this year. 


Hong Kong's benchmark Hang Seng Index .HSI closed down 1.9% on Monday, in line with regional markets, as the latest salvo in the Sino-U.S. trade war rattled investors.

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-h...KCN1VG01H?il=0

----------


## Farangrakthai

> The protests pose the gravest popular challenge to Chinese President Xi Jinping since he took power in 2012, with his government keen to quell the unrest ahead of the 70th anniversary of the founding of the Peoples Republic of China on Oct 1.


of course, hk  didn't have the democratic freedom that brits have when under  british rule. 

though, they had the british traditions like rule of law.

good to see hk  people standing up against china and a  good time to do it:  when the u.s. is standing up to china over its abuse of the world economic order.

----------


## misskit

*Hong Kong violence becoming more serious, but government in control, says Lam*HONG KONG (Reuters) – Violence in Hong Kong’s anti-government protests is becoming more serious but the government is confident it can handle the crisis itself, the city’s embattled leader said on Tuesday.


Carrie Lam was speaking in public for the first time since demonstrations escalated on Sunday, when police fired water cannon and volleys of tear gas in running battles with protesters who threw bricks and petrol bombs.


The Chinese-ruled city is grappling with its biggest political crisis since its handover to Beijing in 1997 and Communist Party authorities have sent a clear warning that forceful intervention is possible to quell the violence.


Hong Kong’s Beijing-backed leader said she would not give up on building a platform for dialogue, although the time was not right to set up an independent inquiry into the crisis, one of the cornerstone demands of protesters.


“We should prepare for reconciliation in society by communicating with different people … We want to put an end to the chaotic situation in Hong Kong,” Lam said, adding she did not believe her government had lost control.


More demonstrations are planned over coming days and weeks, posing a direct challenge to authorities in Beijing, who are eager to quell the unrest ahead of the 70th anniversary of the founding of the People’s Republic of China on Oct. 1.


The unrest escalated in mid-June over a now-suspended extradition bill that would have allowed Hong Kong people to be sent to mainland China for trial in courts controlled by the Communist Party. But the demonstrations have evolved over 12 straight weeks into a broad demand for greater democracy under the “one country, two systems” formula following the handover to China by
colonial ruler Britain in 1997.


Authorities have so far refused to meet any of the protesters’ five key demands: withdraw the extradition bill, set up an independent inquiry into the protests and perceived police brutality, stop describing the protests as “rioting”, waive charges against those arrested, and resume political reform.


The government said on Monday illegal violence was pushing
Hong Kong to the brink of great danger after weekend clashes that included the first gun-shot and the arrest of 86 people, the youngest just 12.


The protests come as Hong Kong is facing its first recession in a decade, with all its growth pillars under significant stress. Rating agencies have raised long-term questions over the quality of the city’s governance.


The unrest has sent jitters across the Asian financial center, prompting some Hong Kong tycoons to start moving personal wealth offshore and residents to look for homes elsewhere.


Jamie Mi, partner at Melbourne-based Kay & Burton, said the real estate agency was receiving about one-third more enquiries from Hong Kong buyers than usual, with most buyers targeting high-end properties priced above A$5 million ($3.4 million).


Juwai.com, China’s largest international property website, recorded a 50% increase in Hong Kong enquiries for Australian properties in the past quarter.



https://www.thaipbsworld.com/hong-ko...trol-says-lam/

----------


## HuangLao

Seems as their 15 minutes of fame and attention has passed.

Next...

----------


## Cujo

Whatever happens Hong Kong  will never be the same again .
And I don't think it'll be a happy ending.
firebombs from the protesters and the government bringing out the water cannons  A segment of the protestors getting very violent could prompt the government onto even stronger responses.  First gunshot fired last night. 
It wouldn't surprise me if the violent protesters were sponsored by BJ.

----------


## Dragonfly

they need to send a few tanks and deal with that HK non-sense

FFS, it's a chinese territory and chinese owned

China needs to man up and stop fooking around with those protests

----------


## Cujo

Whatever happens Hong Kong  will never be the same again .
And I don't think it'll be a happy ending.
firebombs from the protesters and the government bringing out the water cannons  A segment of the protestors getting very violent could prompt the government onto even stronger responses.  First gunshot fired last night. 
It wouldn't surprise me if the violent protesters were sponsored by BJ.

----------


## Cujo

> they need to send a few tanks and deal with that HK non-sense
> 
> FFS, it's a chinese territory and chinese owned
> 
> China needs to man up and stop fooking around with those protests


You don't seem to understand what's at stake for the Hongkies who are used to freedoms and transparency not available to those on the mainland.

----------


## harrybarracuda

> You don't seem to understand what's at stake for the Hongkies who are used to freedoms and transparency not available to those on the mainland.


He doesn't understand anything, he's a fucking imbecile.

 :bananaman: 


I expect the chinkies will be lending a few plain clothes thugs to the chinky stooge in charge so that she can say she dealt with the problem.

Because it doesn't appear to be going away, even if the world's press are getting bored with it now.

----------


## Klondyke

> firebombs from the protesters and the government bringing out the water cannons


Double standard daily: 
We see it on every news: at one side it's outrageous, at other side should be encouraged and supported. 
Depends which side reports this. 
Or does not report at all, then it has not happened.  
One side bombards (in defense), other side killing children (intentionally)...
One side hacks people at embassy (not proved), another side poisons former spies (highly likely)...     
etc, etc

----------


## Dragonfly

> You don't seem to understand what's at stake for the Hongkies who are used to freedoms and transparency not available to those on the mainland.


are you smoking pot and seeing pink unicorn? tough luck, they belong to China; a dictatorship, so time they get with the program, they had plenty of time to adjust, but they didn't, time to get the tanks rolling and teach HK a thing or two

it's not like anyone would go to war with China over it,

----------


## Norton

> it's not like anyone would go to war with China over it,


If the PRC was as cock sure as you are, they would have done so long ago Butters.

Unlike the surrender monkey frogs in yellow vests the Honkies are not going to roll over and stop protests. This is going to get far worse before it gets better and the PRC is going to have to back down big time.




> they belong to China


In 1898 the Brits using gun boat diplomacy convinced China to lease HK to them to stop the Opium war which the Brits started for the purpose of gaining a nice Pacific stronghold. Doubt your average Honky had much say in the matter.

In 1984 the withdrawal agreement was penned between the UK and PRC. Again with your average Honky having little or no say in the agreement. 

Hong Kong folks consider themselves in all things independent from the PRC and the UK. They fully realize the implications of the withdrawal agreement and what it will bring in the future.

What we are witnessing now is folks who under no circumstances are not going to allow a treaty they had no say in bring them under the yoke of what is clearly a dictatorship which has no regard for the rights of it's citizenry.

Hong Kong is full of guys like Chan Kong-sang. Bring it on PRC, you guys are in for a well deserved major ass kickin.  :Smile:

----------


## harrybarracuda

> This is going to get far worse before it gets better and the PRC is going to have to back down big time.


Unlikely. As it's mostly off the front pages now, they will just chip away arresting people by the dozen. If it becomes a problem, they will get increasingly violent until they get a very violent response, then roll the APCs in to "defeat the terrorists".

----------


## Norton

> Unlikely. As it's mostly off the front pages now, they will just chip away arresting people by the dozen. If it becomes a problem, they will get increasingly violent until they get a very violent response, then roll the APCs in to "defeat the terrorists".


News cycles come and go. Have 3 former HK business associates and friends I speak to weekly. I will go with what they tell me about the mood in HK. 

It will get violent and worsen if the PRC rolls in guns ablazing.

Britain and to a degree the UN owe the people of HK assurances the freedoms expressed in the Joint Declaration are upheld. If the PRC moves to quell the protests will the UK get actively involved to stop it. We will find out soon enough.

----------


## Little Chuchok

> He doesn't understand anything, he's a fucking imbecile.



I would imagine that Butters is 100% aware of exactly what the situation is. I just didn't think that you would fall for his wind up....Unless you are winding up a wind up... :Smile:

----------


## Dragonfly

> News cycles come and go. Have 3 former HK business associates and friends I speak to weekly. I will go with what they tell me about the mood in HK. 
> 
> It will get violent and worsen if the PRC rolls in guns ablazing.
> 
> Britain and to a degree the UN owe the people of HK assurances the freedoms expressed in the Joint Declaration are upheld. If the PRC moves to quell the protests will the UK get actively involved to stop it. We will find out soon enough.


are you seeing pink unicorn too?  :Smile: 

FFS, the UN owe fuckshit to the people of HK. They are fucked. They have 2 choices, surrender, and they will, or get killed.

This is the last HK battle for the Chinese and they will win that one eventually,

if they are soft now, what's next? HK asking for independence like Taiwan?

----------


## Dragonfly

> If the PRC was as cock sure as you are, they would have done so long ago Butters.
> 
> ...
> 
> What we are witnessing now is folks who under no circumstances are not going to allow a treaty they had no say in bring them under the yoke of what is clearly a dictatorship which has no regard for the rights of it's citizenry.


it would be a PR nightmare for China, but others have survived, like Russia and Ukraine

again what make you think HK deserve any special rights that should be made persistent? those human rights declaration were all pipe dream and full of hot air, and it's NOT 1997 anymore, the world has dramatically changed since and became more brutal.

Remember the Umbrella revolution? yeah that was another HK success, and see how it ended  :Smile:

----------


## Dragonfly

> Unlikely. As it's mostly off the front pages now, they will just chip away arresting people by the dozen. If it becomes a problem, they will get increasingly violent until they get a very violent response, then roll the APCs in to "defeat the terrorists".


indeed, once the news gets old, the Chinese will act swiftly, probably identified the leaders already, just need to catch them

not sure what HK people are trying to achieve here, because at this stage, they need to go for independence, because anything else will be total failure

----------


## Norton

> FFS, the UN owe fuckshit to the people of HK


There ya go again. Butters the master "don't confuse me with facts. My mind's made up" guy. With your vast knowledge of all things Hong Kong you would know but just in case your memory has dimmed with age a hint. 3 signatories on withdrawal agreement.

----------


## Norton

> not sure what HK people are trying to achieve





> independence


Bingo. Give the French guy the grand prize.

----------


## Dragonfly

> There ya go again. Butters the master "don't confuse me with facts. My mind's made up" guy. With your vast knowledge of all things Hong Kong you would know but just in case your memory has dimmed with age a hint. 3 signatories on withdrawal agreement.


it's not binding, it means fuck all. You are listening too much to your delusional expat friends stucked there and afraid of their life. Facts is those agreement are full of hot air, and not enforcable long term. Don't see a UN army regiment stationed nearby.

China will get HK back to what it wants it to be, a special economic zone, not an independant city state

----------


## Dragonfly

> Bingo. Give the French guy the grand prize.


yeah, like I expected, you are seeing pink unicorn  :Smile: 

not going to happen for HK, unless they are ready to fight for years with their own urban warfare and HK becomes a war zone

China is waiting for the right moment to attack,

----------


## Norton

> You are listening too much to your delusional expat friends stucked there


As with many of your proclamations, wrong again. All 3 full blooded Cantonese. Try again.  :Smile:

----------


## Norton

Come on Butters fess up. You really don't know shit about Hong Kong or for that matter Thailand. Best stick to Brexit thread.

----------


## Dragonfly

> As with many of your proclamations, wrong again. All 3 full blooded Cantonese. Try again.


doesn't matter, they all think the same  :Smile: 

if they think they will get independence with their little shitshow, they are going to get a rude awakening

not going to happen, China is going to crush HK like we always expected since day 1

----------


## Dragonfly

> Come on Butters fess up. You really don't know shit about Hong Kong or for that matter Thailand. Best stick to Brexit thread.


knows enough to know that HK is going to get fucked,

and don't remember you being proclaimed THE specialist or AUTHORITY on everything HK or Thailand, Norton

----------


## Dragonfly

Nort, to be clear, I am not saying this is right but just stating an obvious situation

----------


## Latindancer

> China is going to crush HK like we always expected since day 1


Ah....but they are going to do it slowly and incrementally, as they always do. The thin end of the wedge. Perhaps even a war of attrition.

----------


## Norton

> Ah....but they are going to do it slowly and incrementally, as they always do.


Agree the most likely. PRC has enough problems atm so any blatant military moves against the protesters would carry big risk to worsen their problems.

----------


## harrybarracuda

> Britain and to a degree the UN owe the people of HK assurances the freedoms expressed in the Joint Declaration are upheld. If the PRC moves to quell the protests will the UK get actively involved to stop it. We will find out soon enough.


The UK will issue a stern warning and express their dismay or something.

They aren't going to rock any trade deal boat.

The UN will do fuck all unless the seppos tell them to, and I doubt baldy gives a fuck.

----------


## Farangrakthai

> The UN will do fuck all unless the seppos tell them to, and I doubt baldy gives a fuck.


i wouldn't be surprised if brit/yank spooks on the ground were supporting the protests.  

though, you're right in a sense:  trump probably just sees it as a needle to poke at china while trade negotiations  are going on.

----------


## cyrille

> I doubt baldy gives a fuck.


His overriding emotion regarding Asian despots seems to be envy.

----------


## OhOh

*HK courts have duty to help end the turmoil        *                                  By Tony Kwok |              China Daily Global |             Updated: 2019-08-26 09:43

"_Police have arrested a total of 753 people implicated in the recent  spate of protest violence in Hong Kong. Among them, 117 have been  charged with riot-related offenses.
__It is surprising that the first conviction out of this lot was a  Chinese mainland tourist who was sentenced to four weeks' imprisonment  on Aug 19 for defacing the wall of the US Consulate in Hong Kong.  Despite his claim that he was merely trying to show his discontent  against foreign meddling in the anti-government protests by  spray-painting the slogan, "China will win", on the consulate's front  gate, Principal Magistrate Bina Chainrai stated, "That is really not a  justification for the damage. It is not acceptable in this court."_
_I have two observations on this case. First, it refuted allegations  made by the anti-government lawyers' groups that accused the Department  of Justice of a "double standard", in that those arrested in the riot  were quickly charged and taken to court, whereas those accused in gang  fights in the Yuen Long station were only arrested but not prosecuted.  The distinct difference is that those involved in the riots had been  caught red-handed in the course of committing the crime. Hence, there is  more than a prima facie case to take the violent rioters to court  immediately. This is a demonstration of the proper exercise of the rule  of law, in that offenders should be brought to court as soon as  possible, in respect of the "justice delayed is justice denied"  principle.
_
_Regarding the Yuen Long gang assault, police were able to begin  investigating afterward. So far, they have arrested 28 suspects, but  understandably, it takes time to collect evidence against them.
_
_The second observation is that the magistrate should be commended for  setting a precedent for future trials in similar offenses. We have seen  rioters spray-painting graffiti on buildings and public places in the  past 10 weeks. They may think spraying a few words of discontent is no  big deal. Now they should be worried they could be in jail and carry a  criminal record for the rest of their lives._
_One point that worries me most is that out of the 117 people charged,  almost everyone was released by the court on bail pending their next  court appearances._
_This practice seems to defy some basic legal guidelines. The three  important considerations are the seriousness of the offense, the  likelihood of absconding, and the likelihood of repeating the crime  while on bail.
_
_First, the offenses these rioters were charged with are serious  offenses that can bring a prison term of 10 years. Even those charged  with possession of explosives and offensive weapons are released on  bail. These offenses are punishable by up to 14 years in prison.
_
_Second, there is every likelihood these suspects on bail may flee.  The Wong Toi-yeung case is one such example. The magistrate granted bail  to the main suspect in the Mong Kok riot, who was trying to evade  arrest. He is now enjoying "political asylum" in Germany._
_We have seen the leader of the rioters, who stormed the Legislative  Council building, taking the first flight to the United States. His  30-odd followers sought asylum in Taiwan. At least two people charged  with riot offenses have jumped bail._
_Third, in the likelihood of the suspects repeating the offense, we  have seen a recent case in which one person, who was on bail after  assaulting a police officer in the Sha Tin riot, was rearrested on  suspicion of assaulting a mainland visitor at the airport. Fortunately,  the magistrate did not grant him bail this time._
_Judges and magistrates should realize it is part of their duty to  help Hong Kong overcome the current turmoil by ensuring rioters get  their just deserts before the courts. They ought to have learned a  lesson from the "Occupy Central" cases, where most defendants got away  with light sentences.
_
_Some of the main culprits received suspended sentences, while one was  sentenced to 200 hours of community service. To add insult to injury to  the judicial system, they expressed no remorse over what they had done.
_
_Hence, I propose a special court for dealing with all the  riot-related defendants, with judges and magistrates selected on the  basis of their commitment to remaining apolitical._
_The public should also consider launching a "court watch" on the  internet to monitor these cases and publish their results, with  reference to the respective magistrates and judges._
_The courts have lost credibility over their handling of the "Occupy  Central" cases. There was a saying at that time: "Police arrest, judges  release." Hopefully, this folly will not be repeated when dealing with  the current riot cases."_

HK courts have duty to help end the turmoil - World - Chinadaily.com.cn

Reminding the world the elected HK government and appointed judiciary are the actors.

----------


## OhOh

*Three leading separatists arrested, Hong Kong police confirm*                                 B_y Staff writer in Hong Kong |              chinadaily.com.cn |             Updated: 2019-08-30 10:08

"T__hree of Hong Kong's leading separatists – including leader of the  illegal Occupy movement Joshua Wong Chi-fung and founder of a banned  separatist party Andy Chan Ho-tin - have been arrested._ _Co-founder of Wong's separatist party Demosisto, Agnes Chow Ting, was also arrested on Friday morning at home._
_The arrests were made after the Organized Crime and Triad Bureau launched an investigation, said the police. 

Wong and Chow, both 22, were arrested for their involvement in besieging the police headquarters in Wan Chai on June 21.
_
_Both are facing charges of inciting others to participate in an  unauthorized assembly and participating in an unauthorized assembly.  Wong is facing a third charge of organizing an unauthorized assembly.
_
_Demosisto, of which Wong is a leader and Chow a co-founder, said in a  social media post that Wong was arrested under three charges around  7:30 am this morning on his way to the South Horizon metro station, in a  southern part of Hong Kong. It later stated Chow was also arrested._
_On Aug 17, 2017, the High Court sentenced Wong to six months  imprisonment for storming the Hong Kong SAR government’s headquarters on  Sept 26, 2014 

On Jan 17, 2018, the court sentenced Wong to  three months imprisonment for contempt of court for obstructing a police  clearance operation at Mong Kok in Kowloon. The sentence was later  reduced to two months after he appealed against the verdict._

_In January 2018, Chow was disqualified by the Electoral Affairs  Commission of Hong Kong from standing in an election for a seat in the  city's legislature, as she was found to have violated the Basic Law.
_
_Chan, 29, was charged with rioting and assaulting a police officer._
_Chan, founder of the Hong Kong National Party, a party banned in 2018  under allegations of "Hong Kong independence" advocation, was arrested  late Thursday night under suspicion of rioting and assaulting a police  officer at the Hong Kong International Airport when he was about to  leave for Japan._
_On Aug 1, Chan, together with another 10 people in two separate  crackdowns, were arrested in Fo Tan, New Territories of Hong Kong, for  possessing offensive weapons and explosives without a license._
_The case is believed to be connected to the violent protests that  have gripped the city since June 9. He was later released on bail and is  due to report to the police in relation to the events in September."

Three leading separatists arrested, Hong Kong police confirm - Chinadaily.com.cn
_

The responsible authorities take action

----------


## OhOh

> the Hongkies who are used to freedoms and transparency not available to those on the mainland.


The masses of "Honkies" missed out on the UK passports, yes? Only the "connected" received them I beleive.

 Are you suggesting the "Honkies" has equal rights and opportunities, as garnered by the international ex-pats had, during the 99 year lease period?




> It will get violent and worsen if the PRC rolls in guns ablazing.


As illustrated by many here on TD and in the western MSM, it's the knee jerk, preferred solution. 

Currently no statement from the Chinese government has been made/published, regarding instigating military action, which of course is frustrating the bomb, shoot, starve and disappear, "because it's worth it", brigade. 

In fact they are purposely relying on the HK Government, duly elected in accordance with the signed agreement, HK Police and HK Legal systems to perform in accordance with their HK laws and the signed agreement.

Any source for your "rolling in guns" accusation? One of your, left behind by the UK government, "Cantonese" friends possibly?




> Britain and to a degree the UN owe the people of HK assurances the freedoms expressed in the Joint Declaration are upheld.


Currently the HK authorities are illustrating that the "freedoms expressed" in the agreed declaration are illegal under the HK laws

 Or are you suggesting that illegal protest, attacking government offices, public buildings, police stations; with paving slabs, Molotov cocktails, iron bars etc., are allowable under HK law?

----------


## harrybarracuda

> duly elected in accordance with the signed agreement


I keep telling you and you won't listen:

The agreement did not mention China adding 800 lackies so that they could vote in the stooge of their choice as Chief Executive.

Stop lying.

----------


## misskit

*HK mass rally plan cancelled after leading activists arrested*HONG KONG (Agencies) – A major pro-democracy march planned for Saturday in Hong Kong has been cancelled, after three prominent pro-democracy activists were arrested on Friday.


Activists Joshua Wong and Agnes Chow were detained a day after Andy Chan was stopped from boarding a flight.


Wong, the icon of pro-democracy demonstrations five years ago that foreshadowed the latest turbulence, is the highest-profile arrest since protests escalated in mid-June over fears Beijing was exerting greater control over the city.


The bespectacled Wong, who was 17 when he became the face of the student-led Umbrella Movement, has not been a prominent figure in current protests which have no identifiable leaders.


He was released from jail in June after serving a five-week term for contempt of court.


“He was suddenly pushed into a private car on the street,” Wong’s political party Demosisto, which advocates for greater democracy in Hong Kong, said on its official Twitter account.


“He has now been escorted to the police headquarters in Wan Chai,” it said. Demosisto’s lawyers were working on the case, it said.


Police said Wong and Chow, both 22, were arrested on Friday on suspicion of “organizing unorganized assembly” and “knowingly participating in unauthorized assembly”.


Chan, a founder of the pro-independence Hong Kong National Party that was banned last September, was arrested at Hong Kong’s international airport on Thursday on suspicion of “participating in riots” and “attacking police” during a protest on July 13, police said.


Police have refused permission for a pro-democracy march on Saturday and an appeal by organizers to allow the demonstration to proceed was turned down on Friday.


The Civil Human Rights Front, the organizer of previous mass protests, said it would comply with the order and cancel the march from Hong Kong’s central business district to Beijing’s main representative Liaison Office in the city.


More than three months of unrest in Hong Kong was sparked by anger over a now-suspended extradition bill that would have allowed people to be sent to mainland China for trial in Communist Party-controlled courts.


It has evolved into calls for greater democracy under the “one country, two systems” formula, which guarantees freedoms not enjoyed on the mainland that include an independent judiciary, under which Hong Kong has been ruled since 1997.



“CLIMATE OF FEAR”


China has accused foreign powers, particularly the United States and Britain, of fomenting the demonstrations in the former British colony and warned against foreign governments interfering in the city’s protests.


A photograph in a pro-Beijing newspaper earlier this month of Wong meeting a U.S. consular official triggered a war of words between Washington and Beijing.

U.S. State Department spokeswoman Morgan Ortagus called China a “thuggish regime” for disclosing photographs and personal details of the diplomat.


Nearly 900 people have been arrested since the demonstrations began with frequent clashes between protesters and police, who have at times fired tear gas and rubber bullets to disperse activists.


China brought fresh troops into Hong Kong on Thursday in what it described as a routine rotation of its garrison there.
Chinese state media stressed the troop movement was routine and Asian and Western diplomats watching the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) forces in the territory had been expecting it.


The Civil Human Rights Front leader, Jimmy Sham, was attacked by two men armed with a knife and a baseball bat on Thursday, it said on its Facebook page. He was not hurt but a friend who tried to protect him suffered injuries to his arm.


“The repeated harassment of pro-democracy activists, combined with police bans on demonstrations, has created a climate of fear for peaceful protesters,” Amnesty International said in a statement.

“It is vital that the authorities send a clear message that those who target peaceful activists with such violence, irrespective of their political views, will face justice.”


This weekend marks five years since Beijing ruled out universal suffrage for Hong Kong and comes as the financial hub faces its first recession in a decade, with all its pillars of growth under stress.



https://www.thaipbsworld.com/hk-mass...ists-arrested/

----------


## harrybarracuda

The Chinese military sent fresh troops to its garrison in Hong Kong in the early hours of Thursday morning.


The move, which was called a “normal routine annual rotation,” comes amid fears of a military crackdown on protests in Hong Kong.

https://www.inkstonenews.com/china/c...rticle/3025028

----------


## misskit

*Hong Kong protestors rally in defiance of police ban*HONG KONG — Hundreds of people are rallying in an athletic park in central Hong Kong as a 13th straight weekend of pro-democracy protests gets underway.


A crowd of both young and old pumped their fists as they chanted slogans in the stands of the soccer field at Southorn Playground early Saturday afternoon.


Authorities are shutting down streets and subway service about 5 kilometres west near the Chinese government’s office in Hong Kong. They warned that a public event may cause severe disruptions.


Saturday marks the fifth anniversary of a decision by China’s ruling Communist Party against fully democratic elections in Hong Kong.


Organizers have called off a planned march to the Chinese government office after police denied permission for it, but some protesters may demonstrate anyway.


The march today came after at least five high-profile activists and three lawmakers were arrested one after the other on Thursday and Friday on accusations linked to the protests, in a sweep that lasted late into the night.


Two of the Umbrella Movement’s leaders, Joshua Wong and Agnes Chow were arrested in Friday morning swoops and appeared later in court accused of “inciting others to take part in unauthorized assembly” among other charges. They were later released on bail.



https://www.thaipbsworld.com/hong-ko...of-police-ban/

----------


## Dragonfly

looks like China is winning, as expected

Game Over !!!

----------


## misskit

*Hong Kong is burning, five years to the day Beijing dashed its hopes of democracy*Even though police banned a rally and a march to mark Aug. 31, 2014—the day that set Hong Kong on the path to the Umbrella Movement—Hong Kongers still took to the streets, facing water cannons and tear gas, and setting fires in the city’s business and shopping districts as they faced off with riot police.


It was Hong Kong’s 13th straight weekend of protests this summer, as the city edges closer to the five-year anniversary of the 79-day street occupation in 2014 that got its name from protesters using umbrellas to shield themselves from pepper spray and tear gas.


In 2014, Hong Kong was hoping to see reforms that would allow for the first time direct election of the city’s leader. The title—chief executive—gives away its roots as an appointed head of the territory under British rule, and as a pretty much appointed one after Hong Kong’s return to Chinese control in 1997. While there is a vote for the chief executive, it involves just 1,200 people who have themselves been elected in a byzantine way and are meant to reflect various political and professional sectors of society.


Article 45 of Hong Kong’s Basic Law, the territory’s constitution, says “the ultimate aim is the selection of the Chief Executive by universal suffrage upon nomination by a broadly representative nominating committee.”


In 2012, Beijing pledged to work on bringing in universal suffrage by the 2017 elections and began political consultations on the issue. State-run newspaper China Daily at the time published op-eds with proposals on possible frameworks in its Hong Kong edition. Beijing was to unveil the exact details on Aug. 31, 2014. When Beijing proposed that universal voting would be allowed, but only for candidates who could get the nod from at least half of a nominating committee composed similarly to the one that chooses the chief executive, it was a blow to Hong Kong.


The decision was seen as way to severely limit free elections, in effect reneging on the earlier pledge. Just a month later, the Umbrella Movement began. By the time it ended in December in that year, the protesters were no closer to democracy. But as they cleared the streets they made a promise that their fight wasn’t over. Hong Kong’s legislative council vetoed China’s proposal in June 2015.

MORE https://qz.com/1699053/hong-kong-pro...democracy/amp/

----------


## harrybarracuda

Hong Kong was reeling Sunday from some of the worst clashes to rock the city in months after hardcore pro-democracy protesters hurled petrol bombs at police who fired tear gas and deployed water cannon, before making mass arrests inside train stations.

Police had banned a planned demonstration in the financial hub on security grounds, but tens of thousands defied authorities Saturday to march through the city's main highways for the 13th consecutive weekend.

The rally quickly descended into violent clashes with riot police which stretched into the early hours of Sunday, with officers pursuing protesters into metro stations and making mass arrests.

Video footage captured by local media showed elite police charging and pepper spraying two couples cowering on the floor of a train compartment, with one man crying in anguish as he wrapped his arms around a friend.

A small group of hardcore protesters surrounded the city's parliament, unleashing a barrage of rocks and petrol bombs at riot police, who responded with tear gas and rubber bullets.


Thick, black smoke swirled from a large fire started by masked demonstrators at a barricade on a major thoroughfare, close to Hong Kong police headquarters.

Police dispersed crowds with water cannon as the night spiralled into a cat-and-mouse chase across the city, with police making numerous arrests.


"With such escalating violence and progressively lethal weapons of protestors, the safety of police officers and other members of the public is seriously threatened," police said in a statement.

Police said officers fired two warning shots into the sky after being attacked by group of "violent protesters who attempted to once snatch police pistols".

Saturday marked the fifth anniversary of Beijing's rejection of universal suffrage for Hong Kong that sparked the 79-day "Umbrella Movement" in 2014.

"Peaceful protest doesn't work," 22-year-old demonstrator Stone told AFP, giving one name.

As protesters streamed into a nearby metro, graffiti on a pillar inside the station read: "We shall never surrender."

The hospital authority said Sunday that 31 people were admitted with injuries following the clashes, including five who remain in a serious condition.

Protesters were preparing to demonstrate again on Sunday, with plans to rally at a bus terminal outside the city's airport, with disruption also expected at train stations enroute to the airport.

Police on Friday rounded up several high profile pro-democracy activists and politicians in sweeping arrests condemned by rights groups.


The months-long protests were sparked by an attempt by Hong Kong's Beijing-backed government to pass a now-shelved bill which would have allowed extradition to China.

But they have expanded into a wider pro-democracy push, bringing millions to the streets in peaceful marches but also groups of hardcore protesters clashing with police.


Beijing's state news agency Xinhua posted a video on Twitter late Saturday of armed Chinese riot police holding "anti-riot drills in Shenzhen", a city which borders Hong Kong.

Beijing has also unleashed a mix of intimidation, propaganda and economic muscle in an attempt to muzzle the movement, which it views as a direct challenge to its rule.

At least five high-profile activists and three lawmakers were arrested on Friday in a sweep that rights groups said was taken directly from Beijing's playbook.

Two of the Umbrella Movement's leaders, Joshua Wong and Agnes Chow, were among those arrested, charged and bailed for "inciting others to take part in unauthorised assembly".

Police denied the sweep was timed specifically to weaken the weekend's protests.

More than 900 people have been arrested since June in connection with the protests.

The European Union's diplomatic chief Federica Mogherini said the developments were "extremely worrying", while US President Donald Trump said his economic pressure on China was forcing Beijing to take a more moderate line on Hong Kong.

The weeks of violence have damaged Hong Kong's reputation for stability and prosperity.

burs-ecl/amu







https://www.afp.com/en/news/3954/hon...ce-doc-1jx3fm1

----------


## Norton

> Game Over !!!


Stay tuned. Just starting.

----------


## harrybarracuda

A technique Saddam used to use to identify protestors - before have them taken away and killed.




> *Hong Kong: Blue-dyed water fired at protesters defying ban*Hong Kong police used water cannon to fire blue-coloured water at protesters who defied a police ban and marched through the city.
> 
> 
> The coloured liquid is traditionally used to make it easier for police to identify protesters.
> 
> Demonstrators lit fires, threw petrol bombs at riot police and attacked the parliament building.
> 
> The protest movement grew out of rallies against a controversial extradition bill - now suspended - which would have allowed criminal suspects to be sent to mainland China for trial.
> 
> https://www.bbc.com/news/av/world-asia-49536000/hong-kong-blue-dyed-water-fired-at-protesters-defying-ban

----------


## Latindancer

The obvious solution would be for the protesters to arrange that everyone sympathetic to their cause be given a simillar dye to dye themselves.

What better way to hide a tree than in a forest ?

----------


## misskit

*Thais in Hong Kong advised to register on Thai consulate website*HONG KONG, 1 September 2019(NNT) - The Royal Thai Consulate-General in Hong Kong has asked Thai people in Hong Kong and those who may be traveling to Hong Kong to register themselves and provide their personal information so that they can be easily contacted if the protest situation in Hong Kong reaches a point that could be dangerous to Thai people.


The Consulate General in Hong Kong has asked Thai people living in Hong Kong and Thai tourists traveling there to provide their contact information in case of emergency on ??????????? ???????????????????? or www.thai-consulate.org.hk. They can also request a form at the Royal Thai Consulate-General in Hong Kong during office hours and submit the filled in form to the Consulate General in Hong Kong immediately.


Those who are in need of urgent assistance can contact the Consulate General at (+852)  6821-1545 or (+852)  6821-1546 and the Department of Consular Affairs’ call center (+66) 2-572-8442.


The protests against the Hong Kong government has entered their 13th week. There are many areas where people are not allowed to congregate but they still continue to gather even in the rain. The protest yesterday also coincided with the 5th anniversary of the Chinese government’s dismissal of democratic reforms in Hong Kong that led to the Umbrella Protest which lasted 79 days in 2014.



National News Bureau Of Thailand

----------


## misskit

*Thais in Hong Kong advised to register on Thai consulate website*HONG KONG, 1 September 2019(NNT) - The Royal Thai Consulate-General in Hong Kong has asked Thai people in Hong Kong and those who may be traveling to Hong Kong to register themselves and provide their personal information so that they can be easily contacted if the protest situation in Hong Kong reaches a point that could be dangerous to Thai people.


The Consulate General in Hong Kong has asked Thai people living in Hong Kong and Thai tourists traveling there to provide their contact information in case of emergency on ??????????? ???????????????????? or www.thai-consulate.org.hk. They can also request a form at the Royal Thai Consulate-General in Hong Kong during office hours and submit the filled in form to the Consulate General in Hong Kong immediately.


Those who are in need of urgent assistance can contact the Consulate General at (+852)  6821-1545 or (+852)  6821-1546 and the Department of Consular Affairs call center (+66) 2-572-8442.


The protests against the Hong Kong government has entered their 13th week. There are many areas where people are not allowed to congregate but they still continue to gather even in the rain. The protest yesterday also coincided with the 5th anniversary of the Chinese governments dismissal of democratic reforms in Hong Kong that led to the Umbrella Protest which lasted 79 days in 2014.



National News Bureau Of Thailand

----------


## Cujo

They've got really silly this weekend, vandalising railway stations and the airport facilities as well as setting fires.
How they think this will help their cause I don't know. 
It's more likely to give authorities justification for harsher responses.

----------


## harrybarracuda

> They've got really silly this weekend, vandalising railway stations and the airport facilities as well as setting fires.
> How they think this will help their cause I don't know. 
> It's more likely to give authorities justification for harsher responses.


Which would get the story back on the front pages...

----------


## Norton

> They've got really silly this weekend


Banning peaceful protests, blueing folks and what you get is the more militant protestors. More to come. Stay tuned.

----------


## Dragonfly

> Stay tuned. Just starting.


not an happy ending then,

----------


## Dragonfly

> They've got really silly this weekend, vandalising railway stations and the airport facilities as well as setting fires.
> How they think this will help their cause I don't know. 
> It's more likely to give authorities justification for harsher responses.


yeah, using French Yellow Vest techniques, that seems to work all the time

they need to do this on week-end only, that will put the police force on edge and on their knees after 6 months, even the police force will turn around then against China

instead they are burning all their fuel in a matter of weeks,

----------


## misskit

Can anyone get this article to open? https://www.scmp.com/news/china/poli...lved-hong-kong

----------


## Dragonfly

> Can anyone get this article to open? https://www.scmp.com/news/china/poli...lved-hong-kong


yep, very buggy page, full of javascript crap, probably infiltrated with Chinese bots

----------


## harrybarracuda

> Can anyone get this article to open? https://www.scmp.com/news/china/poli...lved-hong-kong


*Taiwan hits out at Beijing after claim it is involved in Hong Kong protests*

A mainland Chinese officials claim that Taiwan was complicit in the protests that have gripped Hong Kong since June has prompted a sharp rebuke from the islands political agency charged with managing relations with Beijing.

Taiwan had never been a part of the Peoples Republic of China and Taiwanese would never accept Beijings one country, two systems political framework, the islands Mainland Affairs Council said on Sunday.

Its the people who initiated the [Hong Kong] extradition bill who are making trouble, and Beijings actions to force Taiwan to accept the one country, two systems framework are the ultimate cause of the disruption of peace across the Taiwan Strait, the council said in a statement.

The Chinese Communist Party should admit its mistakes and start political reforms, practise democracy and respect human rights. And only afterwards can Beijing solve its internal and external crisis, it said.

The 23 million Taiwanese will never accept Beijings one country, two systems framework and will never surrender to Chinese bullying and threats.

The statement came in response to remarks by Sun Yafu, vice-president of the Association for Relations Across the Taiwan Strait. Speaking at a symposium on Taiwan in Sichuan province on Saturday, Sun accused Taiwan of helping to plan and support the ongoing unrest in Hong Kong.

The South China Morning Post reported earlier that a group of Hong Kong protesters visited Taiwan in mid- to late June to research their options for seeking refuge and the conditions for them to remain there under Taiwanese law. They returned to the city after exploring their options in Taiwan.

And in early August, Huang Jie, a pro-independence councillor from the southern Taiwanese city of Kaohsiung and member of the New Power Party, posted a call on her Facebook page for donations to buy anti-tear gas equipment and other supplies for the Hong Kong protesters.

In his speech on Saturday, Sun also accused Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen of deliberately fanning Hong Kongs anger against Beijing in an attempt to reduce the citys support for the one country, two systems framework.

One country, two systems is a constitutional principle that allowed Hong Kong to retain its own autonomous government, legal, economic and financial systems after the handover from British rule in 1997.

It is also a key principle and precondition that Beijing has proposed for the islands unification with the mainland. Beijing sees Taiwan as a breakaway province that must be brought back into the Peoples Republic of China, by force if necessary.

Chinese President Xi Jinping warned Taiwan in January that unification must be the ultimate goal of any talks about the future and that efforts to assert full independence would be met by armed force.

Mainland China would respect the Taiwanese peoples religious and legal freedoms in a unified one country, two systems framework, Xi said, in his first major speech about the islands democracy, marking the 40th anniversary of a call by Beijing to end the military confrontation across the Taiwan Strait. But he warned that the profound political differences between Taiwan and mainland China was no excuse to reject unification.

Beijing suspended official exchanges with Taiwan after Tsai took office in 2016 and refused to accept the one-China principle as the basis for cross-strait relations. To step up pressure on the island, Beijing has staged numerous military drills near Taiwan and sought to lure away its diplomatic allies.

----------


## misskit

*Hong Kong students boycott classes after weekend of violence*HONG KONG (Reuters) – Hundreds of Hong Kong university and school students swapped classes for democracy demonstrations on Monday, the latest act of defiance in an anti-government movement that has plunged the Chinese-ruled city into its biggest political crisis in decades.


The boycott follows a weekend marred by some of the worst violence since unrest escalated more than three months ago, with protesters burning barricades and throwing petrol bombs, and police retaliating with water cannon, tear gas and batons.


Riot police on Monday patrolled the subway, known as the MTR, where some of the most violent clashes have erupted.
Hundreds of students gathered outside the Chinese University of Hong Kong, one of the city’s largest, taking turns to make speeches from a stage with a black backdrop embossed with “Students in Unity Boycott for our City”.


“I come here just to tell others that even after summer holidays end we are not back to our normal life, we should continue to fight for Hong Kong,” said one 19-year old student who asked to be identified as just Chan.


“These protests awaken me to care more about the society and care for the voiceless.”


Matthew Cheung, Hong Kong government chief secretary, told reporters that schools were no place for protests.


Protesters had called for a general strike but most people appeared to return to their daily lives with shops open, trains operating and workers making their way to offices across the global financial hub.


Thousands of protesters blocked roads and public transport links to Hong Kong airport on Sunday in a bid to draw world attention to their attempt to force Beijing to give greater autonomy to the former British colony, which returned to Chinese rule in 1997.


Airport authorities said 25 flights were cancelled on Sunday but transport services were largely back to normal.


After leaving the airport on Sunday, some demonstrators targeted the MTR subway station in nearby Tung Chung district, ripping out turnstiles and smashing CCTV cameras and lamps with metal poles. Police moved in and made several arrests.


Hong Kong leader Carrie Lam, a lightning rod for protesters’ anger at a city government they say is controlled by Beijing, said on her Facebook page on Monday that 10 subway stations were damaged by “violent offenders”.


Police and protesters had clashed on Saturday night in some of the most intense violence since unrest escalated in mid-June over concerns Beijing is eroding the freedoms granted to the territory under a “one country, two systems” agreement, including the right to protest and an independent judiciary.


John Lee, government secretary for security, told media that nearly 100 petrol bombs were thrown in various locations on Saturday with two found on a 13-year-old boy who was arrested inside an MTR station.




https://www.thaipbsworld.com/hong-ko...d-of-violence/

----------


## Cujo

I have new respect for Carrie Lam.
It will be interesting to see what the leaking of this leads to.

----------


## harrybarracuda

> I have new respect for Carrie Lam.
> It will be interesting to see what the leaking of this leads to.


Horseshit. Don't fall for that bollocks. She can resign any times she likes.

She's a chinky fucking stooge.




> Responding to a question from the audience on her popularity once in the job, Lam said: If mainstream opinion makes me no longer able to continue the job as chief executive, Ill resign.


https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/...s-over-records

If they had recall elections, she'd be out on her arse.

----------


## David48atTD

Hong Kong's Carrie Lam to formally withdraw controversial extradition bill




Hong Kong's Chief Executive Carrie Lam is expected to  announce the formal withdrawal of a proposed extradition bill which has  sparked three months of protests in the Asian financial hub. 

*Key points:*

Ms Lam tabled a bill that would have allowed extraditions with mainland ChinaThe decision sparked widespread protests, which have continued into their third monthThe Government came under fire for initially suspending and not withdrawing the bill 


A government source confirmed the reports to Reuters.

It was not immediately clear if the announcement, due later on Wednesday, would help end the unrest.


Mere here ... *https://tinyurl.com/y2dxtm3x
*

----------


## harrybarracuda

Just a reminder:




> Those opposing the bill did not accept any responsibility for the violent clashes but instead, made no fewer than five demands: 
> 
> one, the bill must be withdrawn; two, the chief executive must resign; three, the government must retract its characterisation of the violent clashes as “riots”; four, there must be a full independent inquiry into the actions of the police and; five, everyone arrested in respect of the clashes must be unconditionally freed.


https://www.scmp.com/comment/opinion...nds-carrie-lam

----------


## OhOh

> Stay tuned. Just starting


More bombs, more sanctions, more confiscation of assets or more Molotov cocktails, violent attacks of public buildings and personnel, ball bearings from catapults, trashing HK infrastructure.......?




> It's more likely to give authorities justification for harsher responses.


Convening talks is a harsh response?




> Which would get the story back on the front pages


Correct the "story" will remain in MSM, the facts revealed?




> made no fewer than five demands:


Which will be discussed and decided upon by the HK parliament with due regard to all the HK citizens demands and delivered.Whether prior or after the next election, is still to be decided. Will the terrorists and their sympathisers lose at yet another democratic opportunity?*

Lam says Hong Kong taking initiative to shape groundwork for dialogue
*
_"Hong Kong's Chief Executive Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor said on  Thursday that she hopes a newly announced series of measures, including  withdrawal of the controversial extradition amendment bill, will lay the  groundwork for a social dialogue with wide engagement to help the city  move on from its recent turbulence. _ _Besides the withdrawal, Lam has also appointed extra members to the  city's police watchdog body, started a direct dialogue with all sectors  across the political spectrum and pledged an independent review of the  city's deep-rooted problems.
_
_The four-part initiative of the special administrative region's  government, announced on Wednesday, came after Lam's meeting with  different groups to seek advice on the establishment of such a dialogue  platform.
_
_Speaking a day after announcing her plan, Lam said one pertinent  piece of advice she received from that meeting was that the government  needs to take the initiative to provide a basis for dialogue. "And the  withdrawal of the bill, to fully allay public concerns, is one of those  important bases for a dialogue," she said.
_
_A key demand of the protesters was the withdrawal of the bill, the  introduction of which sparked mass protests starting in June, plunging  the business hub into its biggest political crisis in decades._

_Lam said she hopes the four actions she mentioned will be looked at  "in context". "Taken together", she said, it is hoped they will form a  basis for dialogue in the community.
_
_The decision, she said, has received Beijing's understanding and support.
_
_Two new members joining the Independent Police Complaints Council, a  long-established watchdog for the city's police force, are Barrister  Paul Lam Ting-kwok, former chairman of the Hong Kong Bar Association,  and Helen Yu Lai Ching-ping, a senior civil servant who has served in  various public offices. The council has been commissioned to conduct an  independent fact-finding probe into the turmoil.
_
_In addition, Lam will go into the community with her governing team  to directly and openly talk to the people. On Thursday, SAR Secretary  for Food and Health Sophia Chan Siu-chee visited the Eastern district on  Hong Kong Island to exchange views on healthcare and environmental  hygiene issues.
_
_Community leaders, professionals and academics will be invited to  independently examine and review society's deep-seated problems and make  suggestions to the government on possible solutions.
_
_Political analyst Lau Siu-kai said the government's moves could help  ease tension and facilitate reconciliation. The offer could help the SAR  government to win back support of some moderates who are dissatisfied  with it and hope calm will return to Hong Kong, Lau said.
_
_Lau, who is vice-president of the nation's leading Hong Kong affairs  think tank-the Chinese Association of Hong Kong and Macao  Studies-cautioned, however, that extreme radicals won't stop the  violence in the short term nor attend the dialogue. But the SAR  government would get more support from rational and peaceful protesters  when dealing with violent acts, he added.
_
_The government's moves also appeared to be welcomed by grassroots  residents. Cheung Hoi-yee, 60, a housewife, said she hopes the dialogue  will provide "fair" and "balanced" opportunities for people of all walks  of life to express their opinions.
_
_In addition to the opposition camp and protesters, residents who have  incurred loss of income and stress in the recent social unrest also  will have a chance to make their voice heard by officials, she said.
_
_Taxi driver Tso Tag-ming said that only by supporting police in  strictly enforcing the law to curb violence can society return to  stability and peace."

Lam says Hong Kong taking initiative to shape groundwork for dialogue - Chinadaily.com.cn

Not a violent act included in her proposal, how disappointing for the terrorists and their foreign backers

Jaw, Jaw or War, War?
_

----------


## harrybarracuda

Well now that the protestors know they *can* force change, it seems it has only empowered them to continue. Let's hope the world supports them in their fight for freedom.




> Hong Kong is bracing for more demonstrations this weekend despite embattled leader Carrie Lam’s withdrawal of a controversial extradition bill.
> 
> 
> Protesters plan to block traffic to the city’s international airport on Saturday, just a week after thousands of activists disrupted transport links sparking some of the worst violence since the unrest escalated three months ago.
> 
> In an advertisement on Friday in the South China Morning Post newspaper, the Airport Authority of the Asian financial hub urged protesters "not to disrupt the journey of tens of thousands of travellers who use the airport every day".
> 
> Other rallies are planned on Friday evening across the city, at sites such as subway stations and near government headquarters.
> 
> ...

----------


## Dragonfly

progress, but that might kill off their focus

----------


## misskit

*HK protests to target airport after night of violence*HONG KONG (Reuters) – Hong Kong protesters plan to block one of the world’s busiest airports on Saturday after a night of violence in which police used tear gas and rubber bullets to break up crowds, the latest clashes in 14 weeks of unrest in the Chinese-ruled city.


Hundreds of demonstrators, many masked and dressed in black, attacked metro stations on Kowloon peninsula on Friday night, targeted because of televised scenes of police beating protesters on a metro train on Aug. 31 as they cowered on the floor.


Activists tore down signs, broke turnstiles, set fires on the street and daubed graffiti on the walls on Friday.


“The behavior was outrageous,” the government said in a statement.


Hong Kong leader Carrie Lam announced concessions this week to try to end the protests, including formally scrapping a hugely unpopular extradition bill, but many said they were too little, too late.


Saturday’s planned demonstrations include yet another “stress test” of the airport aiming to disrupt transport links to Chek Lap Kok, built in the dying days of British rule on reclaimed land around a tiny island of the same name and reached by a series of gleaming bridges.


The airport announced that only passengers with tickets would be allowed to use the Airport Express train service on Saturday, boarding in downtown Hong Kong. The train would not stop en route, on the Kowloon peninsula. Bus services could also be hit, it said.


The measures are aimed at avoiding the chaos of last weekend, when protesters blocked airport approach roads, threw debris on the train track and trashed the MTR subway station in the nearby new town of Tung Chung in running clashes with police.


Protesters also occupied the arrival hall last month, halting and delaying flights, amid a series of clashes with police.




https://www.thaipbsworld.com/hk-prot...t-of-violence/

----------


## misskit

*Hong Kong Police Fire Tear Gas as Angry Crowd Melts Away Like Water*Hong Kong police on Friday once more fired tear gas at a fleeing crowd outside a subway station on Kowloon, who had gathered to demand the release of surveillance camera footage taken inside the station during a raid by a special police squad last weekend.

Thousands of people had gathered outside Prince Edward MTR Station to call on the Mass Transit Rail (MTR) Corp. to release surveillance footage of an attack by riot police.

Limited video footage posted to social media from Saturday night showed riot police launching indiscriminate attacks without any apparent lawful excuse and using pepper spray on passengers inside a train compartment or hitting them with batons, according to the Hong Kong Bar Association.

But journalists were forced to leave the station soon after the video was published, and there have been growing public calls for footage of what happened next.

The demands to release the video footage also come amid persistent rumors that somebody died during the attack, something that police have repeatedly denied.

Some protesters held up signs on Friday saying "Everyone has the right to know the truth."

One woman wept and screamed at the police and the MTR station: "Why are you so cruel? These young people are really well-behaved and high-minded!"


Station closes as thousands gather

Prince Edward MTR station was closed at the height of the evening rush hour amid widespread public anger over an attack on train passengers by police in full riot gear last Saturday night, after which dozens of people were arrested.

The MTR said the move was to ensure the safety of passengers and staff.

Thousands of people gathered at a nearby intersection between Nathan Road and Prince Edward Road in the busy shopping district of Mong Kok.

Police cordoned off the station with two-meter high barriers, while officers aimed rifles at the crowd from elevated positions and issued warnings that they would shoot rubber bullets and tear gas, government broadcaster RTHK reported.

Some protesters forced open the MTR station shutters and charged in, vandalizing some equipment, while others remained outside, chanting anti-police slogans. Still others knelt down to beg MTR bosses to release the video footage from inside the station during Saturday night's attack.

The MTR Corp. has pledged to keep "relevant" footage from the station for three years in case it's needed for any investigation. Ordinarily, it would be wiped after 28 days, RTHK reported.

Icarus Wong, a member of the Civil Rights Observer group, said the police have a track record of using excessive force since the anti-extradition protests began in early June.

"There needs to be a full investigation into the incident at Prince Edward MTR station on Aug. 31, to determine who is responsible," Wong told RFA.


Appeal for international help

Earlier in the day, a protester surnamed Leung told a news conference that the movement is now seeking international assistance because of the humanitarian and civil rights crisis in Hong Kong.

The protesters also dismissed Wednesday's pledge by chief executive Carrie Lam to formally withdraw planned amendments to the Fugitive Offenders Ordinance that would have allowed extradition to China.

"The announcement that they would withdraw the bill was really just a spoonful of sugar to help the poison go down," Leung said. "This is being viewed in a number of quarters as merely paving the way for an even more brutal crackdown."

"Once more, we would like to say to the international community, many of whom think that Carrie Lam's withdrawal announcement was the first step in re-establishing trust, how can we talk about trust when we are faced with a murderous regime?"

"Just saying she's going to withdraw the bill isn't going to get the people of Hong Kong to withdraw," Leung said. "Neither will it persuade people of good conscience around the world to turn a blind eye to what is happening here in Hong Kong."

Lam on Wednesday announced her government's intention to remove the planned amendments to extradition laws from gazetted draft legislation, a move that can only take place when the city's Legislative Council (LegCo) reopens in October following the storming of the building by protesters on July 1.

But the move was quickly slammed by protesters as "too little, too late" after months of police violence and government inaction.

As well as formal withdrawal of the extradition bill, the anti-extradition movement is also demanding an amnesty for more than 1,200 people arrested during the protests, an end to the description of protesters as "rioters," and fully democratic elections for LegCo and for the post of chief executive.


https://www.rfa.org/english/news/chi...019113522.html

----------


## OhOh

*Hong Kong protesters must reject violence to succeed: just look at Gandhi, Mandela and Martin Luther King*


Hong  Kong has erupted in protests time and again and failed to achieve the  justice demanded. This time, why not learn from the successful history  of civil disobedience and turn away from violence and riots? 

             Jin Qiu            

Published: 5:00pm, 6 Sep, 2019
Updated: 8:21pm, 6 Sep, 2019

The  ongoing protests in Hong Kong sparked by the controversial extradition  bill are nowhere near an end. The adverse effects of the protest on Hong  Kong’s public order and economy are self-evident. 

MTR services are blocked, 

roads are jammed, 

mobs have stormed public buildings to vandalise and destroy, 

and that is just the least of it.

Yes,  in the United States, we have the First Amendment which secures us the  natural forms of freedom, including the right to protest, but it is on  the premise that we “peaceably assemble to petition the government” to  redress our grievances. How can the people of Hong Kong wave
  the American flag at their protests without understanding or respecting  the fundamentals of America’s constitution and amendments?

These  protests can hardly be called peaceful when they disrupt society and  disobey basic laws regulating violence. How would US enforcement respond  to such actions on American soil? No wonder some call these  demonstrations riots.

The  moment that the international community begins to doubt the peaceful  nature of the protests is the moment the protesters should re-examine  themselves and their approach; for how can a protest succeed if the  means are questionable? Perhaps Martin Luther King Jnr said it best in his Letter from Birmingham Jail, that “it is wrong to  use immoral means to attain moral ends”. Good intentions do not justify  bad actions.

Hong Kong prides itself on being an educated populace, or so it appears to the world, but what can education achieve if it is not applied?

Any  avid reader of history would tell you that the most successful and  supported movements for civil rights and freedom in history were  achieved through civil disobedience.

Civil  disobedience, or the peaceful refusal to obey unjust laws by protesters  to draw lawmakers’ attention to injustice, was carried out brilliantly  by Nelson Mandela , who put an end to the racist apartheid laws in South Africa, by Mahatma Gandhi
  during the 241-mile Salt March against the British Empire that was  crucial to India’s independence, and King, who ended racial  segregation and legal discrimination in the US.

These  figures are the true changers of history and exalted as such by the  world because they not only believed in the ultimate justice of the law  but also resisted the temptation of violence and riots.

  For  instance, King and his fellow organisers, while hosting workshops on  non-violence at Birmingham, repeatedly asked themselves: “Are you able  to accept blows without retaliation?” and “Are you able to endure the  ordeal of jail?”

This  is the process of self-purification; to overcome destructive desires  and spiteful vengeance. These are the questions that Hong Kong’s violent  (and mostly young) protesters must ask themselves as they prepare to  rally, instead of blaming the police for brutality
 and the government for false imprisonment

 King anticipated the physical trials the black community would face by  practising civil disobedience but still refused to retaliate with  violence because he understood that civil disobedience speaks much  louder.

After all, if someone punched you in the face, it is much easier to punch back than to offer your other cheek.

*Protesters have clear choice: violent failure or peaceful success

*When  King’s people asked: “Why direct action, why sit-ins, marches and so  forth? Isn’t negotiation a better path?” King’s response was that it is  exactly for the purpose of negotiation that direct action is necessary;  direct action is the means to enter into negotiation.

The protesters in Hong Kong must ask themselves: 

“Has Carrie Lam not already committed herself to open dialogue  and open discourse? 

Is she not willing to negotiate?”

The  teleology of any protest is to create the conditions whereby the  government has no other choice than to heed the pleas of the people, but  a protest itself should only be the last resort when the government has  failed to listen. And if the negotiation ends up failing? King did not  let that be an excuse for violence. Political negotiation is  accomplished not after one or two meetings but after repeated entreaties  and considerations.

  If  Hong Kong’s protesters are aware of these historical events and their  propitious outcomes, why have they not followed in the footsteps of  these giants?

If they are passionate about resolving Hong Kong’s crisis, which has erupted in protests time and again only to see justice denied, why have they not perused the philosophy of  the past? For Hong Kong is not the first to be fighting for democracy  and freedom, and it will not be the last.

If  Hong Kong’s protesters wish to convince the world that their cause is  just, proving it through their actions would be helpful and a little  history would not hurt.

*Jin Qiu is a first-generation Chinese American pursuing a bachelor’s degree in economics and finance in the United States*

*https://www.scmp.com/comment/opinion...st-look-gandhi
*

----------


## harrybarracuda

> *Hong Kong protesters must reject violence to succeed: just look at Gandhi, Mandela and Martin Luther King*


Or loosely translated from the original chinky propaganda:

"Stop Protesting".

----------


## harrybarracuda

The chinkies (and of course OhOh) are doing their best to try and pin the blame on the US.

Silly fools.

And it seems the dumb chinkies still think threats will work.




> State news agency Xinhua said in a separate commentary that the rule of law needed to be manifested and that Hong Kong could pay a larger and heavier penalty should the current situation continue.



And they don't seem to realise that they are stoking the fire themselves.




> The Hong Kong Police have lost control of the situation, and they have lost control of themselves.
> 
> 
> Over the past week, they've come under fresh accusations of brutality. Footage of police pepper-spraying and striking unarmed individuals cowering on the ground has supercharged public anger.


https://www.nzherald.co.nz/world/new...ectid=12265935

----------


## Klondyke

^Why not to liberate them as ...(you name it)...

----------


## misskit

*HK police fire tear gas as clashes erupt after thousands appeal to Trump*HONG KONG (Reuters) – Hong Kong police fired tear gas to disperse protesters in the upmarket Causeway Bay shopping district on Sunday, after demonstrators had rallied at the US Consulate calling for help in bringing democracy to the Chinese-ruled city.


Police moved on protesters from the Central business district who dispersed to nearby Admiralty, the bar district of Wan Chai and on to Causeway Bay in a now familiar pattern of cat-and-mouse clashes over three months of unrest.


Activists set barricades, smashed windows, started street fires and vandalized the MTR metro station in Central, the smartest district of the former British colony.


Central district, home to banks, jewelry shops and top-brand shopping arcades, was awash in graffiti, broken glass and bricks torn up from pathways. Protesters set fires from cardboard boxes, building barricades with metal fencing.


“We can’t leave because there are riot police,” said protesters Oscar, 20, in Causeway Bay. “They fired tear gas from the station. We are heading to North Point.”


North Point is east of Causeway Bay.


Thousands of protesters earlier sang the Star Spangled Banner and called on US President Donald Trump to “liberate” the city. They waved the Stars and Stripes and placards demanding democracy.


“Fight for freedom, stand with Hong Kong,” they shouted before handing over petitions at the US Consulate. “Resist Beijing, liberate Hong Kong.”


US Defense Secretary Mark Esper on Saturday urged China to exercise restraint in Hong Kong, which returned to Chinese rule in 1997.


Esper made his call in Paris as police in Hong Kong prevented protesters from blocking access to the airport but fired tear gas for a second night running in the densely populated district of Mong Kok.


Pockets of protest broke out in Kowloon over the harbor from the main island of Hong Kong on Sunday night, including in Prince Edward, close to Mong Kok.


Last month Trump suggested China should “humanely” settle the problem in Hong Kong before a trade deal is reached with Washington. Earlier Trump called the protests “riots” that were a matter for China to deal with.


The vandalism started in the evening. Police have responded to violence over 14 weeks with water cannon, rubber bullets and tear gas.


https://www.thaipbsworld.com/hk-poli...peal-to-trump/

----------


## Norton

> If Hong Kong’s protesters wish to convince the world that their cause is just, proving it through their actions would be helpful and a little history would not hurt.


More than a little history is needed forJin Qiu.
Scrap the economics studies and enroll in an intensive history study.

The civil rights movement in the 60s was far more than Martin Luther King. No question he was the voice and face of the movement to middle America but he had support from a political party and 2 very influential political leaders of the day. Pres Kennedy and brother Robert. Both of whom along with King lost their lives for the "cause". 

Get real Jin! Where will political support from the single party tow the line or go to jail reality which exists in the PRC? 

King did preach and promote peaceful protest but the movement overall was not at all peaceful. Riots such as the one in Watts popped up all over the US. Throw in the voices of folks like Huey Newton and Malcom X who were of a quite different way of solving the issue than King and there is no doubt these far from peaceful protests and militant voices played a large part in the movement. 

Peaceful protests alone in HK will not effect change. Going to take some burn baby burn stuff along with mass protests to keep the PRC leadership in fear of what could well be the spark which ignites the same in the mainland from groups who also feel oppressed. Even those pesky Formosa folks are getting bolder.

Far more at stake here than just HK and Xi and his boys know it but they can do little to quell the protests. Try as they may to block social media and news there will be enough getting through to mainland. Can't go charging in guns a blazing either. That would only make matters worse. 

Must be damn frustrating for the powers that be in the PRC. Here Xi, have a toke and chill. The times they are a changin'.

----------


## Klondyke

*China envoy raps Germany over meeting with Hong Kong activist
* 
Hong Kong's activist Joshua Wong poses with German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas on top of the Bundestag, Germany's parliament building in Berlin, September 9, 2019 in this picture obtained from social media. Picture taken September 9, 2019. 

A meeting between Germany's foreign minister and Hong Kong activist Joshua Wong will damage its relations with China, Beijing's ambassador to Berlin said on Wednesday in an unusually direct verbal attack on an important trade partner.

The ambassador added that the Foreign Ministry in Beijing had summoned the German ambassador in protest at the meeting.

At a time when Hong Kong is being rocked by protests, pro-democracy activist Wong arrived in Berlin on Monday night and German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas received him.

“What happened now, I unfortunately have to say, will have negative consequences on bilateral relations and the Chinese side has to react,” Ambassador Ken Wu told reporters, according to an official German translation.

There was no immediate response from Germany’s foreign ministry.

Hong Kong, a former British colony, was returned to China in 1997 under a “one country, two systems” formula that guarantees freedoms not enjoyed on the Communist mainland, including an independent legal system.

The unrest, at times violent, in Hong Kong over the last few months was prompted by anger over planned legislation to allow extraditions to China, but has widened into calls for democracy and for Communist rulers in Beijing to leave the city alone.

After his arrival in Berlin, Wong said Hong Kong was a bulwark between the free world and the “dictatorship of China”.

.

“After his arrival we took note that unfortunately certain politicians - and I will say very openly that it is Foreign Minister Maas himself - as well as some members of parliament met with Joshua Wong,” said the Chinese ambassador.

“We don’t know what goal these politicians have. Are they actually seriously concerned about Hong Kong’s freedom, democracy and rule of law or they want to add fuel to the fire and thereby make political capital out of it?”

The dispute between Germany and China comes days after Chancellor Angela Merkel returned from a trip there. She said earlier she had told Chinese leaders that upholding human rights was indispensable.

The ambassador said the countries were important partners.

“We have a very good and long tradition of cooperation. We also have realistic needs to approach each other,” he said.

Germany, whose firms have been caught up in the crossfire of the U.S.-China trade conflict, traded almost 100 billion euros ($109.87 billion) in goods with China in the first half of 2019.

China has accused the United States, Britain and other Western countries of fomenting the Hong Kong unrest.

“China’s sovereignty and security must be respected. I therefore advise politicians against covering up violent crimes and meddling with Hong Kong’s and China’s internal affairs,” said the ambassador.

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-h...-idUSKCN1VW1WI

----------


## misskit

*Hong Kong leader to prioritize housing, livelihoods to appease protesters**HONG KONG (Reuters) – Embattled Hong Kong leader Carrie Lam has promised to prioritize housing and people’s livelihoods to appease deep rooted discontent about the way the Asian financial hub has been governed, as protesters gear up for fresh demonstrations.*



Lam, who said she caused “unforgivable havoc” by igniting the political crisis and would quit if she had a choice, said in a Facebook post late on Thursday her government would increase the supply of housing with more policies to be announced.


While the spark for the protests that have rocked Hong Kong was a now-withdrawn extradition bill and concern Beijing was eroding civil liberties, many young protesters are also angry at sky-high living costs and a lack of future job prospects.

Hong Kong has some of the world’s most expensive real estate and many young people say the city’s housing policy is unfair, benefiting the rich, while forcing them to live with their parents or rent “shoe box” apartments at exorbitant prices.


Lam’s comments come as activists plan the latest in a series of protests in the former British colony, which is grappling with its biggest political crisis in decades.


The demonstrations started more than three months ago in response to an extradition bill that would allow people to be sent to mainland China for trial in Communist Party-controlled courts, but have broadened into calls for greater democracy.

On Friday, demonstrators are set to carry lanterns and form human chains on the scenic Victoria Peak, popular with mainland tour groups, and on Lion Rock, separating the New Territories from the Kowloon peninsula.


Sit-ins at shopping malls and another “stress test” of the airport are also planned over the weekend. The international airport has in recent weeks seen the blocking of access roads, street fires and vandalism of a nearby subway station.
Activists also plan to gather outside the British consulate on Sunday to demand that China honors the Sino-British Joint Declaration that was signed in 1984, laying out the former British colony’s future after its handover to China in 1997.

China says Hong Kong is now its internal affair. Britain says it has a legal responsibility to ensure China abides by its obligations under the Joint Declaration.


Hong Kong returned to China under a “one country, two systems” formula that guarantees freedoms not enjoyed on the mainland, including an independent legal system.

China denies meddling and has accused the United States, Britain and others of fomenting the unrest.


Police have responded to violence with tear gas, pepper spray, rubber bullets, water cannon and baton charges, as well as firing several live shots in the air, prompting complaints of excessive force.

On Thursday Hong Kong’s government rejected a warning from a Canadian think tank that the city’s position as one of the world’s freest economies is threatened by China’s “heavy hand” as anti-government protesters gear up for fresh protests.



Hong Kong is facing its first recession in a decade as a result of the protests.


The Fraser Institute, an independent public policy research organization, said Hong Kong was one of the most economically free jurisdictions in the world but “interference from China including the violent crackdown on pro-democracy protests – severely threatens Hong Kong’s rule of law.”


Hong Kong’s government said the comments were “entirely ungrounded and not borne out by objective facts”, with human rights and freedom fully protected, according to a statement released late on Thursday.







https://www.thaipbsworld.com/hong-ko...se-protesters/

----------


## misskit

*Hong Kong police break up clashes between rival protesters*HONG KONG (Reuters) - Baton-wielding Hong Kong police moved in to break up scuffles on Saturday between pro-China protesters and those denouncing perceived Chinese meddling at the start of rallies planned for across the city after months of often violent unrest.

The pro-China demonstrators chanted “Support the police” and “China, add oil” at a shopping mall, adapting a line used by anti-Hong Kong government protesters and loosely meaning: “China, keep your strength up”. 


“Hong Kong is China,” one woman shouted at passersby who shouted obscenities in return in an angry pushing and pulling standoff, marked more by the shouting than violence. 


The clashes in the Kowloon Bay area of the Hong Kong “special administrative zone” of China spilled out on to the streets, with each confrontation captured by dozens of media and onlookers on their smart phones. Police detained several people. 


Protesters complaining about perceived Chinese interference in the former British colony came out in their hundreds across the territory on Friday, singing and chanting on the Mid-Autumn Festival, in contrast to the violence of many previous weekends when police have responded with tear gas, rubber bullets and water cannon. 


They have also gathered in malls, with occasional scuffles with flag-carrying China supporters, often denouncing police for perceived brutality. 

Anti-government protesters were also gathering in the downtown Central district and hundreds were marching in the northwestern New Territories district of Tin Shui Wai. 



“We need to keep coming out to tell the government to respond to our five demands, otherwise it will think we accept the withdrawal (of an extradition bill),” said protester Mandy, 26, in Tin Shui Wai, where crowds, a few waving the U.S. Stars and Stripes, shouted: “Liberate Hong Kong.”


The spark for the anti-government protests was the now-withdrawn bill and concerns that Beijing is eroding civil liberties, but many young protesters are also angry about sky-high living costs and a lack of job prospects. 


Their four other demands are: retraction of the word “riot” to describe rallies, release of all detained demonstrators, an independent inquiry into perceived police brutality and the right for Hong Kong people to choose their own leaders. 
The extradition bill would have allowed people to be sent to mainland China for trial in Communist Party-controlled courts, despite Hong Kong having its own much-cherished legal system. 


Hong Kong returned to China in 1997 under a “one country, two systems” formula that guarantees freedoms not enjoyed on the mainland. 

China says Hong Kong is now its internal affair. It says it is committed to the “one country, two systems” arrangement and denies meddling in Hong Kong’s affairs. 



China is eager to quell the unrest before the 70th anniversary of the founding of the People’s Republic of China on Oct. 1. It has accused foreign powers, particularly the United States and Britain, of fomenting the unrest.

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-h...-idUSKCN1VZ00N

----------


## harrybarracuda

I fancy there are going to be a lot of protests on October 1st.

----------


## misskit

*Violence flares after protest march in downtown Hong Kong*HONG KONG (AP) — Police fired a water cannon and tear gas at protesters who lobbed Molotov cocktails outside the Hong Kong government office complex Sunday, as violence flared anew after thousands of pro-democracy supporters marched through downtown in defiance of a police ban.


A mixed crowd of hardcore protesters in black and wearing masks, along with families with children, spilled into the roads of the Causeway Bay shopping belt and marched for over 2 kilometers (1.2 miles) to the central business district.

Some waved U.S. and British flags, while others carried posters reiterating their calls for democratic reforms.


Police had turned down a request by the Civil Human Rights Front to hold the march, but the demonstrators were undeterred, as they have been all summer.


“I feel this is our duty. The government wants to block us with the ban, but I want to say that the people will not be afraid,” said one protester, Winnie Leung, 50.


The march disrupted traffic, and many shops, including the Sogo department store, closed their doors. Some protesters used traffic cones, metal fencing and rubbish bins to set up road barriers.


Protesters burned Chinese flags and tore down banners congratulating China’s ruling Communist Party, which will celebrate its 70th year in power on Oct. 1. In familiar scenes, some protesters smashed glass windows and surveillance cameras at a subway station exit.


Hundreds of protesters later targeted the government office complex, throwing bricks and petrol bombs through police barriers. Police responded by firing volleys of tear gas and using a water cannon truck to spray chemical-laced water, in a repeat of confrontational scenes from the last few weeks of the protests.


Police had earlier warned in a statement that the assembly was illegal and urged protesters to “stop their illegal acts.”


The protests were triggered in June by an extradition bill that many saw as an example of China’s increasing intrusion and at chipping away at Hong Kong residents’ freedoms and rights, many of which are not accorded to people in mainland China.


Hong Kong’s government promised this month to withdraw the bill, which would have allowed some criminal suspects to be sent to mainland China for trial, but protesters have widened their demands to include direct elections for the city’s leaders and police accountability.


There have been increasing clashes between protesters and police, who demonstrators have accused of abuses. More than 1,300 people have been arrested since the protests started.


The unrest has battered Hong Kong’s economy, which was already reeling from the U.S.-China trade war. It is also seen as an embarrassment to Beijing, which has accused foreign powers of fomenting the unrest.


Earlier Sunday, hundreds of protesters waved British flags, sang “God Save the Queen” and chanted “UK save Hong Kong” outside the British Consulate as they stepped up calls for international support for their campaign.


With banners declaring “one country, two systems is dead,” they repeated calls for Hong Kong’s former colonial ruler to ensure the city’s autonomy is upheld under agreements made when it ceded power to China in 1997.


Demonstrators held similar rallies Sept.1 at the British facility and last weekend at the U.S. Consulate.


Police also banned a planned Civil Human Rights Front march on Aug. 31, but protesters turned up anyway. Clashes erupted that night, with police storming a subway car and hitting passengers with batons and pepper spray.


On Saturday, pro-democracy protesters and supporters of the central government in Beijing clashed at a Hong Kong shopping mall and several public places. Police arrested more than a dozen people and hospital authorities said 25 were injured.


The clashes amid the mid-autumn festival holiday came after several nights of peaceful rallies that featured protesters belting out a new protest song in mass singing at shopping malls. Thousands of people also carried lanterns with pro-democracy messages in public areas and formed illuminated human chains on two of the city’s peaks on Friday night to mark the major Chinese festival.




https://www.thaipbsworld.com/violenc...own-hong-kong/

----------


## OhOh

> as violence flared anew after thousands of pro-democracy supporters marched through downtown in defiance of a police ban.
> 
> 
> A mixed crowd of hardcore protesters in black and wearing masks, along with families with children, spilled into the roads of the Causeway Bay shopping belt and marched for over 2 kilometers (1.2 miles) to the central business district.


A strange lack of photos and videos of the "protestors", these days, or any official numbers given

So if we adopt the 90% over reporting, we are now into the hundreds. As illustrated in the attached link's video.

One hopes the "children" were not mentally tortured/scared watching the paving slabs, Molotov cocktails and metal spears being thrown and seeing their brave mobsters catching fire. One hopes the "children" will attend sessions where the violence will be calmly explained and appropriate action will be handed out to their thoughtless parents, possibly being found to be unfit parents and their children being taken away from them, as standard "western" practice demands.




> Hundreds of protesters later targeted the government office complex, throwing bricks and petrol bombs through police barriers. Police responded by firing volleys of tear gas and using a water cannon truck to spray chemical-laced water, in a repeat of confrontational scenes from the last few weeks of the protests.


Illegal mobs "throwing" lethal paving slabs, Molotov cocktails and metal spears.

Police "fired" water + dye.

I suspect being hit by the mobs choice of weapon are more violent and life threatening that the water.

Protestors attack government complex in Hong Kong - Chinadaily.com.cn

----------


## Klondyke

> photos and videos of the "protestors"


It depends what media are the photos of the "democracy protesters" of:


A protester is seen holding a steel pipe trying to break the glass outside the Legislative Council building 
https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2019/...074625753.html





On Wednesday, protesters at Hong Kong’s airport offered travelers apologies, aware of the negative image they had presented in scuffles the day before.CreditCreditLam Yik Fei for The New York Times
https://www.nytimes.com/2019/08/14/w...-protests.html

----------


## docmartin

Some of those protesters look great in little denim shorts therefore they’re right.

----------


## harrybarracuda

> A strange lack of photos and videos of the "protestors", these days, or any official numbers given
> 
> So if we adopt the 90% over reporting, we are now into the hundreds. As illustrated in the attached link's video.
> 
> One hopes the "children" were not mentally tortured/scared watching the paving slabs, Molotov cocktails and metal spears being thrown and seeing their brave mobsters catching fire. One hopes the "children" will attend sessions where the violence will be calmly explained and appropriate action will be handed out to their thoughtless parents, possibly being found to be unfit parents and their children being taken away from them, as standard "western" practice demands.
> 
> 
> 
> Illegal mobs "throwing" lethal paving slabs, Molotov cocktails and metal spears.
> ...


Shut up with your stupid chinky propaganda Hoho.

FREE HONG KONG FROM THE EVIL OPPRESSORS etc.

----------


## OhOh

> Shut up with your stupid chinky propaganda Hoho.


Poking holes in MK's news is such a difficult task, but someone has to do it. The grams of gold are valid wherever they come from, south western, northern or eastern Asia.

Ccentral Asia is tough to crack, they still boil foreigners in oil I hear




> FREE HONG KONG FROM THE EVIL OPPRESSORS etc.


I'm pretty sure the HK government has been elected by following the agreed procedures, as documented in the agreement between China and the former colonial renter. 

But then not everyone can have such a perfect democratic system of government as the ex-renter. If only China's leaders weren't so far sighted. A slight delay currently but when the Empress returns all will continue, as history has shown.



HM's government negotiators always miss the important clauses and sign away their subjects rights.

----------


## harrybarracuda

> I'm pretty sure the HK government has been elected by following the agreed procedures, as documented in the agreement between China and the former colonial renter.


And I'm pretty sure you're either terminally stupid or a fucking liar, as I keep explaining to you the chinkies have fiddled it so that they get to pick who is in charge.

----------


## OhOh

> I keep explaining to you the chinkies have fiddled it so that they get to pick who is in charge.


The HK election/governing bodies/system are as they were, prior to  the agreement, or have you knowledge of the changes you can share with us?

----------


## harrybarracuda

> The HK election/governing bodies/system are as they were, prior to  the agreement, or have you knowledge of the changes you can share with us?


Refer to my previous posts in this thread that you selectively ignored, you liar.

----------


## Chico

Hate to say this.

Harry is right the members of the council are hand picked.

Though there are elections in November, be interesting to see what happens.

----------


## harrybarracuda

I'm sure the people would love a chance to vote for someone other than chinky stooge Carrie Lam, but they aren't given the opportunity.

----------


## Dragonfly

oh FFS, HK is legally China, HK doesn't have any rights, that 2 state solution was a fucking gadget bounded to failure, and had to be, and the Chinese knew it from Day 1

HK is a nest of snake, taken over by bigger snakes, and we think they don't deserve each other?

Beijing needs to get fooking serious and remind the locals they are slaves to PRC

----------


## misskit

*Police Union Calls For Use of Live Ammunition Amid Growing Violence in Hong Kong*A Hong Kong police association called on Monday for the use of liveammunition against anti-extradition demonstrators after some protesters threw Molotov cocktails at police headquarters at the weekend.

The Junior Police Officers' Association said that responding with rubber and beanbag bullets, water cannon and tear gas may not be enough to deter protesters from using the weapons.

"I must remind the radical rioters that the petrol bombs you use are deadly weapons," association chairman Lam Chi-wai was quoted as saying in a statement from the Association.

"Whenever rioters prepare to hurl petrol bombs, officers on the field could very likely interpret that as a life-threatening attack against themselves or others and respond with relevant use of force or weapons, including firearms with real bullets," Lam said.

The association called on its members to "take decisive action" when police officers' lives were under threat.

The statement came after police fired water cannon at a group of protesters who surrounded police headquarters in Wanchai on Sunday, after a largely peaceful protest had dispersed.

Retreating protesters also vandalized two subway stations as they left the scene, an expression of widespread public anger at the Mass Transit Railway Corp. which has cooperated with police by shutting down train services to make it harder for protesters to gather.

The Hong Kong Human Rights Monitor group hit out at the letter, saying it was tantamount to incitement to the use of live ammunition.

But the group warned that any escalation in the use of force by policewould likely be matched by a similar escalation in the use of force bydemonstrators.

"Responding to demonstrations by force will only exacerbate the crisis in Hong Kong and worsen Hong Kong's political and economic situation, both locally and internationally," the group said.

Dehumanizing terminology by police
It said the union had a history of using dehumanizing terminology whenreferring to anti-extradition protesters, which it described as hate speech.

"This will not help to restore public confidence in the police," the group said.

Meanwhile, pro-democracy politician Tanya Chan, who was handed aneight-year suspended jail term this year for her role in the 2014 pro-democracy movement, told the United Natios Human Rights Council that the city is on the verge of a humanitarian crisis.

"There is no sign that police will exercise restraint," Chan said. "This is a result of the lack of democracy in Hong Kong, as the government is not held accountable for its endorsement of police abuse."

Chan told the council that the police habitually refer to protesters as "cockroaches," and to violence against them as "pest control."

Chan's testimony came amid growing public anger at the response of police to attacks by pro-China thugs on protesters at the weekend, after which police arriving at the scene targeted protesters for arrest, rather than chasing after the attackers.

Photos of officers escorting one attacker away from the scene and hiding him behind one of their shields provoked fury among many social media users, as police are often seen ripping the face masks off young protesters they arrest, government broadcaster RTHK reported.

"Officers were also spotted shaking hands with some of the suspectedattackers," it said.

Democratic Party lawmaker Lam Cheuk-ting said the police responseappeared highly dubious.

"Why didn't they arrest those [attackers] in white T-shirts immediately and take them down to the police station?" Lam said. "There were so many journalists shooting video at the scene; so many witnesses. Even the police themselves were witnesses."

"The police are actually just encouraging people to protect themselves and compounding these assaults, which will lead to more and more serious violence in Hong Kong," he said.

Five key demands
The Hospital Authority said that eight people had been hospitalized by 9.00 p.m. on Sunday, as a result of "public activities." One was in critical condition, while another three were seriously injured, it said.

Pro-democracy activist Figo Chan said protesters shouldn't be arrestedmerely for protesting.

"I wore the clothing of the civil disobedience movement today to make it plain that I'm not going shopping: I'm protesting," Chan told RFA onSunday. "This is a right that is enshrined in [Hong Kong's mini-constitution] the Basic Law."

"I have made mental preparation for being arrested and prosecuted ... but even if I am arrested, I know that the people of Hong Kong will keep on coming out in protest," he said.

A protester surnamed Wong, who gave his age as 95, said he joinedSunday's protest as a veteran of the 2014 Occupy Central movement forfully democratic elections.

"So what if I'm tired. I'll take a rest. I'm very happy right now that the young people have woken up," Wong said. "They care more deeply about Hong Kong than we do, although they didn't seem to care much in the past."

"We haven't done enough, young or old, to pay attention or protest ... but if we don't come out in protest now, pretty soon it won't even be an option," he said.

Protests that erupted in June in Hong Kong against plans by the city'sgovernment to allow extradition to mainland China have grown into abroader movement, even after the city’s chief executive Carrie Lam pledged to scrap the plan.

The protesters' five key demands are: the formal withdrawal of plannedamendments to extradition laws; an amnesty for arrested protesters; anend to the description of protesters as rioters; an independent inquiry into police abuse of power; and fully democratic elections.

https://www.rfa.org/english/news/chi...019150024.html

----------


## harrybarracuda

> A Hong Kong police association called on Monday for the use of live ammunition against anti-extradition demonstrators


Ah yes, I'm sure that will calm everything down once and for all.

 :Roll Eyes (Sarcastic):

----------


## Norton

> But the group warned that any escalation in the use of force by policewould likely be matched by a similar escalation in the use of force by demonstrators.


35,000 cops vs 7 mil citizens. Wonder how this will work out.

----------


## Klondyke

*Hong Kong protest leader calls on Trump to add ‘human rights clause’ to China trade talks 

*Hong Kong's pro-democracy activist Joshua Wong speaks to a reporter after a panel discussion on Anti-Extradition Law Movement in Hong Kong at Columbia University Law School in New York City, U.S., September 13, 2019. © REUTERS/Shannon Stapleton

A Hong Kong protest figurehead has called on Washington to make the Hong Kong unrest a part of trade negotiations with Beijing, suggesting the US use ‘human rights’ as a bargaining chip in the stalled talks.

Joshua Wong Chi-fung, a prominent figure in the ongoing anti-Beijing protests, has been busy touring the West in a bid to persuade foreign nations to meddle in the month-long standoff. On Friday, Wong touched down in New York and wasted no time in making his case, suggesting the Trump administration use the Hong Kong turmoil as leverage in the ongoing trade dispute with China.

https://www.rt.com/news/468792-hong-kong-wong-us/

----------


## Norton

Rubio, Cardin, Risch, Menendez Reintroduce Hong Kong Human Rights and Democracy Act.

https://www.rubio.senate.gov/public/...4-B6EE7678BF4E

Appears Joshua is doing a fine job.  :Wink:

----------


## OhOh

*SAR party calls for US Congress not to interfere*


_"__Hong Kong's largest political party in legislature said that the  attempt by the US Congress to interfere in China's internal affairs with  the proposed Human Rights and Democracy Act is not only "inappropriate"  but also against accepted international practices.

__The message was conveyed by members of the Democratic Alliance for  the Betterment and Progress of Hong Kong, the largest political party in  the city's legislature, to the United States consul general to Hong  Kong and Macao, Hanscom Smith, in a meeting on Tuesday.
_
_Alliance Chairwoman Starry Lee Wai-king told reporters after the  meeting that some US politicians have overreacted to Hong Kong's  situation in supporting the proposed act. It calls for an annual  assessment of Hong Kong's autonomy with the threat to impose  restrictions if the results are found to be unfavorable.
_
_Such restrictions may include suspension of Hong Kong's special trade  and economic status with the US under the Hong Kong Policy Act.
_
_Lee said the act constitutes meddling in the affairs of other nations  using a domestic law. It contravenes common rules of the international  community, Lee said._
_The proposed act aims to pressure both the Hong Kong Special  Administrative Region government and the central government, which could  lead to escalation of the tension between China and the US to the  detriment of both countries and the rest of the world, according to the  alliance's vice-chairman, Holden Chow Ho-ding, who is also a legislator.
_
_Lee said it is logical to assume that the central government would  take countermeasures if the bill is passed. That, she said, would be  harmful to people from both countries.
_
_Smith said he would convey the alliance's message to Congress and the rest of the US government, Lee said.
_
_Earlier this month, the Foreign Ministry urged Congress to immediately stop work on the bill.
_
_China deplores and firmly opposes the proposed Hong Kong legislation  as wantonly criticizing Hong Kong affairs and grossly interfering in  China's internal affairs, the Foreign Ministry said.
_
_On Sept 8, black-clad protesters marched from Charter Garden in  Central district to the US consulate in Hong Kong, calling on the US to  "intervene in the crisis".
_
_The procession ended in chaos as a group of radical protesters  vandalized MTR subway stations, smashing windows and setting fires at an  exit and on the main road."_

SAR party calls for US Congress not to interfere - Chinadaily.com.cn


It appears that the HK government parties can speak to their supporters and foreign powers. Whether anybody recognises the HK government's official position and it's views, is another matter.

----------


## Klondyke

> Rubio, Cardin, Risch, Menendez Reintroduce Hong Kong Human Rights and Democracy Act.
> 
> https://www.rubio.senate.gov/public/...4-B6EE7678BF4E
> 
> Appears Joshua is doing a fine job.


Wondering whether there are no other countries the gents could "Reintroduce Human Rights and Democracy Act" (perhaps for start in Yemen...)
(Also in Saudi Arabia, but that would be only for half of the population, won't be?)

----------


## fishlocker



----------


## harrybarracuda

Hong Kong protestors scored a big win. The city’s Beijing-approved chief executive, Carrie Lam, has withdrawn the extradition bill that would have undermined Hong Kong’s autonomy and that sent what seemed like millions into the street. Hong Kong’s avenues cleared only briefly.  Leaders of the democracy movement and their supporters have already declared, “too little, too late.” 


Something more mundane but perhaps also more compelling will sustain Hong Kong’s discontent and continue to make trouble for Beijing. The city faces severe economic problems. They will underlay future protests, even if the placards and shouts have a political focus. Nor can Beijing play as rough as it did, say, in Tiananmen Square. Beijing needs Hong Kong to remain open and prosperous.  Too heavy a hand would risk destroying that critical character. With reason for complaint and some assurance that Beijing will restrain itself, at least by historic standards, future protests seem highly likely. They will not only cause Beijing trouble, they will threaten it.


The crucial fact underlying all this is that Hong Kong is more important to China than China is to Hong Kong.  Before Beijing took possession of the city in the late 1990s, Hong Kong had long prospered on its own. To be sure, it was a British possession, but it had operated independently when it came to economics and finance and had turned itself into a powerhouse in both areas. When Beijing acquired control, its favored phrase, “one country-two systems,” seemed to many like a concession by Beijing, to smooth the transition and reassure Hong Kong’s residents. But it also spoke to a harder reality.  Beijing was well aware how important the city’s commanding position in global finance was and would remain to Chinese development. China’s leaders could also see that Hong Kong, as China’s most prosperous province, helped secure the implicit contract between the Communist Party and the Chinese people, that the population would acquiesce to the party’s special place as long as its leadership made people richer. Certainly, Hong Kong’s great wealth has added substance to President Xi Jinping’s promise of a “Chinese dream.”  


Today In: Leadership
These considerations protected the protestors from Beijing’s wrath and will likely continue to do so. The shield did not stop water cannon or rubber bullets, of course, much less beatings and mass arrests, but it was nonetheless a far cry from how Beijing has treated other resistance movements elsewhere. There were police in Hong Kong, not troops or tanks or live ammunition as was so evident in Tiananmen Square. Some might paint this relative restraint, and the willingness to back down on the extradition bill, as a more open attitude in Beijing. More likely it reflects Beijing’s recognition that Hong Kong has a crucial role and how a heavy hand would destroy the wealth and global position in finance that Beijing needs. China’s leadership will have to practice the same restraint if Hong Kong erupts again, and protests will likely emerge for economic as well as political reasons.


Hong Kong’s economic stains have received less attention than its political motivations, but they give that city’s people ample room for discontent. Hong Kong has no unemployment insurance. Public pensions have left retirees impoverished in this remarkably expensive city. Complaints about the city’s healthcare system have increased dramatically. Housing is the biggest problem. The city’s housing shortage, always severe, has become increasingly acute.  Property prices in Hong Kong have tripled in less than ten years.  Salaries have not kept up.  At last measure, the average Hong Kong rental verged on $2,550 a month, some 22% above the average local salary.  Meanwhile public housing in Hong Kong, where almost 45% of the city’s residents live, has a waiting list of almost 5.5 years.  The Beijing-backed local government refuses to build enough to erase this backlog.  It recently admitted that it will fail to meet its planned, long-term construction target. To control demand, officials refuse to raise the maximum salary used to determine eligibility, creating desperation among the city’s working stiffs.  Meanwhile, the flow of money from wealthy Mainland Chinese, including, scandalously, President Xi’s family, has contributed to the rise in housing prices, particularly in luxury buildings but generally as well.


China’s trade war with the United States has complicated the situation still further, intensifying Hong Kong’s problems and further constraining Beijing’s ability to act with its preferred heavy hand. Businesses – both domestic Chinese and foreign – have begun to look outside China, including Hong Kong-based operations. The need to supplement these losses has made Hong Kong finance that much more important, but the trade war simultaneously has raised questions globally about the future of Hong Kong-based banking and finance.  The Hong Kong Monetary Authority has spent billions in just the last year protecting the Hong Kong dollar’s long-standing peg to the U.S. dollar and the basis of the city’s financial dominance.  Were this peg to go, the flow of business already leaving Hong Kong, largely to Singapore, could turn into a flood. Beijing is well aware of this.


Because the authorities – in either Hong Kong or Beijing – have made no effort to address the economic strains on Hong Kong residents, future troubles seem all but assured.  Since Beijing can ill afford more protests, especially since it cannot readily resort to troops, it would seem that a best course would address Hong Kong’s economic, if not its political problems. So far, there is no sign of such action. The trade war makes it that much more difficult for Beijing to respond. It is a dangerous situation, for Beijing especially.

https://www.forbes.com/sites/miltone.../#bc08ae372ce0

----------


## OhOh

> Hong Kong has no unemployment insurance. Public pensions have left retirees impoverished in this remarkably expensive city. Complaints about the city’s healthcare system have increased dramatically. Housing is the biggest problem. The city’s housing shortage, always severe, has become increasingly acute. Property prices in Hong Kong have tripled in less than ten years. Salaries have not kept up. At last measure, the average Hong Kong rental verged on $2,550 a month, some 22% above the average local salary. Meanwhile public housing in Hong Kong, where almost 45% of the city’s residents live, has a waiting list of almost 5.5 years. The Beijing-backed local government refuses to build enough to erase this backlog. It recently admitted that it will fail to meet its planned, long-term construction target. To control demand, officials refuse to raise the maximum salary used to determine eligibility, creating desperation among the city’s working stiffs. Meanwhile, the flow of money from wealthy Mainland Chinese, including, scandalously, President Xi’s family, has contributed to the rise in housing prices, particularly in luxury buildings but generally as well.



I would suggest that all the above "problems" are included within  the management of the HK government, not China. 

Other than  the last item, the flow of mainland Chinese investements into HK and the Chinese Presidents family buying some luxury  properties. 

Which I suggest is not what the HK protesters hold dear, as in most countries in the world rising property prices is generally considered desirable.

Looking at the China/UK Agreement there doesn't appear to be any mention of disallowing mainland Chinese from investing in HK or buying properties.

As such your article is a red herring, and a smelly one to boot. 

One wonders how the previous HK governments have been elected time after time, corruption, the ruling elites prefer their monopolies or possibly the lack of an electable alternative.

The HK voters appear to have had many elections and the changes suggested above have never been addressed. But that dilemma is mirrored around the world.

As for HK "importance" to the overall Chinese economy it has sadly diminished from 18%'s to now less than 3%. Due to HK's own and multinational "service" companies mismanagement, not mainland Chine.

----------


## HuangLao

So, what comparative and reflecting version of "DEMOCRACY" do these good folks desire? 

As the only form of democratic custom [the world over] is a thinly veiled disguise under the truer practice of firm and corrupt Plutocracy/Oligarchy/Corporatism. 

This DEMOCRACY thing is subconsciously bandied about without care.
All the while, particular Western circles of critique and obsessed measure seek and discuss something they've never recognize or experiences - as such a basic purity form of DEMOCRACY doesn't truly exist. Especially, from those fanciful and holier-than-thou cultures in the West -

----------


## harrybarracuda

> Which I suggest is not what the HK protesters hold dear, as in most countries in the world rising property prices is generally considered desirable.


Not when it prices everyone out of the market it isn't.




> Looking at the China/UK Agreement there doesn't appear to be any mention of disallowing mainland Chinese from investing in HK or buying properties.


It probably wasn't an issue because then there wasn't a torrent of dodgy chinky money itching to be spent.




> As such your article is a red herring, and a smelly one to boot.


Well it isn't is it? It's just that, with you being the snivelling chinky sycophant, you're looking for any excuse to claim it isn't true.




> One wonders how the previous HK governments have been elected time after time, corruption, the ruling elites prefer their monopolies or possibly the lack of an electable alternative.


The chinky's raising their influence over HK, including making sure that they can get a handpicked cohort of lackies to pick the leader of their choice, is what has created this situation.

As I've said many times, they don't want to wait until 2047 to get full control, because they fear the genie will be out of the bottle before then.

It will be interesting to see what they do to avoid the embarrassing spectacle of Hong Kong-wide protests tarnishing their beloved anniversary celebrations.

12 days to go.

----------


## harrybarracuda

> So, what comparative and reflecting version of "DEMOCRACY" do these good folks desire? 
> 
> As the only form of democratic custom [the world over] is a thinly veiled disguise under the truer practice of firm and corrupt Plutocracy/Oligarchy/Corporatism. 
> 
> This DEMOCRACY thing is subconsciously bandied about without care.
> All the while, particular Western circles of critique and obsessed measure seek and discuss something they've never recognize or experiences - as such a basic purity form of DEMOCRACY doesn't truly exist. Especially, from those fanciful and holier-than-thou cultures in the West -


Stupid tiny dicked asian bollocks that, innit.

Are you trying to oust Klondyke from the HoHo brown nosing slot?

----------


## misskit

*Hong Kong police fire tear gas to break up protesters*HONG KONG (Reuters) – Hong Kong police fired volleys of tear gas to disperse democracy protesters marching in sweltering heat on Saturday after pro-China groups pulled down some of the “Lennon Walls” of anti-government messages in the Chinese-ruled city.


The first volley was fired when a protester hurled a petrol bomb towards the approaching police line.


The marchers converged on the government offices in the town of Tuen Mun, in the west of the New Territories, where some set fire to a Chinese flag on the ground as others tore down wooden and metal fences and traffic bollards to build road blocks.


Some were trashing fittings at the Light Rail Transit station, digging up bricks and picking up stones at the sides of the tracks. Others turned fire extinguishers on the police.


Dozens of Beijing supporters had earlier torn down some of the large mosaics of colorful Post-it notes calling for democracy and denouncing perceived Chinese meddling in the former British colony which returned to Chinese rule in 1997.


“I am a Chinese man!” one the pro-Beijing protesters shouted in defense of his actions when confronted by pro-democracy supporters.


The walls have blossomed across the Asian financial center, at bus stops and shopping centers, under footbridges, along pedestrian walkways and at universities.


They have also occasionally become hot spots of violence in more than three months of unrest.


The subway transit operator, MTR Corp, closed stations near potential protest sites, including Tuen Mun.

Hong Kong’s protests picked up in June over legislation, now withdrawn, that would have allowed people to be sent to mainland China for trial. Demands have since broadened into calls for universal suffrage.


A pro-Beijing city legislator, Junius Ho, who has been a vocal critic of the protests, had urged his supporters to clean up approximately 100 Lennon Walls around the city on Saturday.


But in a message posted late on Friday on his Facebook page, Ho said “for the sake of safety” the Lennon Walls would not be cleared up, only the streets.


Steve Chiu, who works in finance, said people like Ho would only give the pro-democracy movement fresh impetus.


“Through provocative acts like this, he helps unify the moderates and frontline in the movement,” he told Reuters.


“It’s like a wave. Sometimes we’re in a trough and sometimes on a crest, and we’re rising again.”


The walls are named after the John Lennon Wall in communist-controlled Prague in the 1980s that was covered with Beatles lyrics and messages of political grievance.


The anti-government protesters are angry about what they see as creeping interference by Beijing in Hong Kong, which returned to China under a “one country, two systems” formula that ensures freedoms not enjoyed on the mainland.


China says it is committed to the “one country, two systems” arrangement and denies meddling. It has accused foreign governments including the United States and Britain, of inciting the unrest.


The demonstrations have taken on their own rhythm over the months and tend to peak at weekends, often with anti-government activists, many masked and in black, throwing petrol bombs at police, trashing metro stations, blocking airport roads and lighting street fires.


At times, they have been confronted by supporters of Beijing wielding sticks.




https://www.thaipbsworld.com/hong-ko...up-protesters/

----------


## misskit

*Sha Tin MTR station closes as Hong Kong protesters vandalise mall, desecrate flag*Crowds take over mall in Sha Tin and target businesses run by mainland operators or which they deem are pro-Beijing




LIVE REPORTING HERE https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/...vandalise-mall

----------


## misskit

*Hong Kong police fire pepper spray as protesters turn violent*HONG KONG (Reuters) - Hong Kong police used pepper spray on Saturday to try to disperse anti-government protesters who threw rocks and blocked a key road next to a huge pro-democracy rally, near the local headquarters of China’s People’s Liberation Army (PLA). 


Protesters, many dressed all in black and wearing masks, also shone lasers at a helicopter hovering overhead, as the demonstrations took a now all-too familiar turn into violence as they often have over the past three months. 


Police were moving water cannon into position as protesters shouted obscenities and daubed slogans on shop-fronts. 


Thousands, young and old, had gathered peacefully at a harbourside park to mark the fifth anniversary of the “Umbrella” pro-democracy movement which gridlocked streets for 79 days in 2014. A band was playing Beatles music as the violence erupted.


The park sits in front of central government offices and the Legislative Council, both of which have come under attack before, sparking violent street battles with police.


“It’s a special day for Hong Kong protesters. We will stick together to fight for freedom,” said Sam, 33, dressed in black and wearing a mask. “Most people think Hong Kong was dying after five years, but many people are still fighting for Hong Kong.”


A series of protests for and against Communist Party rulers in Beijing is planned for the Chinese-ruled city ahead of the 70th anniversary of the People’s Republic on Tuesday, including at the consulate of former colonial power Britain.


The Hong Kong building of the Chinese state-owned investment company CITIC, next to the Legislative Council, ran a huge purple LED-lit banner down its front commemorating National Day.


Anti-government protesters have attacked the legislature, Beijing’s main Liaison Office, occupied the airport, thrown petrol bombs at police, vandalised metro stations and set street fires. 


Police have responded with tear gas, water cannon, rubber bullets and occasional live rounds fired into the air. 
The MTR subway system closed entrances to some stations on Saturday to prevent fresh attacks. 





*LENNON WALLS*“They are not our children,” China supporter Yau Mei-kwang said of the frontline activists. “Because at this age, they should be studying, not running to the airport, hitting people, hitting the police, insulting people. That is not right.” 


A pro-democracy protester who only gave his name as Wong defended the use of violence. “We know that they will not listen if we rally in peace because we are not on the same level.” 


Protesters had spent the afternoon rebuilding “Lennon Walls” of anti-government graffiti, some of which were torn down by pro-Beijing activists last weekend. 


The large mosaics of Post-it notes calling for democracy have cropped up in underpasses, outside shopping centres, at bus stops and universities and outside the Legislative Council. 


Anti-government protesters are angry about what they see as creeping Chinese interference in Hong Kong, which returned to China in 1997 under a “one country, two systems” formula guaranteeing freedoms that are not enjoyed on the mainland.


China dismisses the accusation and has accused foreign governments, including the United States and Britain, of fanning anti-China sentiment. It has denounced the protests but said it has faith in the Hong Kong government to resolve the crisis without the use of PLA troops based in the territory.


Protesters appealed to Britain two weeks ago to rein in China and ensure it respects the city’s freedoms. They plan to do so again on Tuesday.


*BROADER MOVEMENT*Britain says it has a legal responsibility to ensure China abides by the 1984 Sino-British Joint Declaration. At the same time, it wants closer trade and investment cooperation with China after it leaves the European Union at the end of October. 


Protests were sparked in June by planned legislation, since withdrawn, that would have allowed the extradition of suspected criminals to mainland China. But they have since expanded into a broader pro-democracy movement. 


One of the leaders of the protests, the bespectacled Joshua Wong, 22, said on Saturday he would run for local district council elections in November. 


“It’s time to let Emperor Xi (Chinese President Xi Jinping) be aware that now is our battle,” he told reporters. “We stand in solidarity, we stand as one.” 


The U.S. Congressional-Executive Commission on China marked the Umbrella anniversary with a statement denouncing the “accelerated erosion” of Hong Kong’s autonomy. 


“We call on the Hong Kong government to make the selection of the Chief Executive and the election of all members of the Legislative Council by universal suffrage a priority and take concrete steps to strengthen Hong Kong’s autonomy,” it said. 

Dan Garrett, a U.S. academic who gave evidence before the commission, said on Twitter he was not allowed to land in Hong Kong on Thursday for the first time in 20 years of visiting and living in the territory. 




Official festivities for National Day have been scaled back, with authorities keen to avoid embarrassing Beijing just as Xi seeks to project an image of national strength and unity.




https://uk.reuters.com/article/uk-ho...Name=worldNews

----------


## misskit

*Prominent Hong Kong activist Joshua Wong to run for office*HONG KONG — Prominent Hong Kong activist Joshua Wong announced plans Saturday to contest local elections and warned that any attempt to disqualify him will only spur more support for monthslong pro-democracy protests.


His announcement came ahead of a major rally later Saturday to mark the fifth anniversary of the Umbrella protests, where he first shot to fame as a youth leader.

MORE https://www.nbcnews.com/news/world/p...ffice-n1059916

----------


## misskit

*Hong Kong Protester Shot by Police, Reports Say*Protesters and police battled across Hong Kong in the some of the most serious clashes since widespread unrest began in June, with reports emerging that a demonstrator has been shot for the first time.




Simultaneous rallies against Beijing’s increasing grip raged across the financial hub hours after President Xi Jinping oversaw celebrations marking 70 years of Communist rule in China. Xi presided over a military parade through the center of the capital and called for the country’s “complete unification.”




Here’s the latest (all times local):


*Protester shot with live ammunition: local media (5:11p.m.)*A protester was hit in the chest by a live round fired by police in the northern area of Tsuen Wan, the South China Morning Post reported, citing an unnamed source. The newspaper said officers and first aid workers were seen tending to the man on the street. Local outlets Now TV and Cable TV also said police had fired a live round which injured a protester, each citing an unidentified source.

Cable TV said a man was shot in the left lung and was in critical condition, citing sources. When reached for comment, a police spokeswoman said they were still trying to verify the reports.
Fifteen people were injured and hospitalized during Tuesday’s events, with one man in critical condition and receiving treatment at Princess Margaret Hospital, a spokesman at the city’s Hospital Authority said by phone. The hospital is located in a neighboring district to Tsuen Wan. It was unclear if the person in critical condition was related to the reported shooting.


*MTR stations closed across city (4:20 p.m.)*Local train operator MTR Corp. said more than 20 stations were closed across Hong Kong, including in busy areas such as Wan Chai, Admiralty, Causeway Bay and Prince Edward.


“Let’s see how they react -- I mean, the government. If they try to stop listening to us again then we will try to come out again and again. The government stopped listening to us and they just pretend they value us,” a 27-year-old university student who gave her name as Chong said about the future of the movement.

MORE https://www.bloomberg.com/news/artic...s?srnd=premium

----------


## misskit

*Hong Kong flash-mob rallies erupt as anger mounts over shot protester*Spontaneous flash-mob rallies broke out in Hong Kong on Wednesday as anger mounted over police shooting a teenage protester who attacked officers in a dramatic escalation of the violent unrest that has engulfed the territory for months.

A few thousand demonstrators, including office workers in shirts and suits, mustered in a park and then began marching through the city’s commercial district in an unsanctioned rally, chanting anti-police and anti-government slogans.



Hours earlier, hundreds of students staged a sit-in at the school of 18-year-old Tsang Chi-kin, who was shot in the chest by a policeman as he and a group of masked protesters attacked officers with umbrellas and poles.

The international finance hub has been left reeling from the shooting, the first time a demonstrator has been struck with a live round in nearly four months of increasingly violent pro-democracy protests.


Hong Kong was battered by the most sustained political clashes of the year on Tuesday as China celebrated 70 years of Communist Party rule with a massive military parade in Beijing.

The spiralling violence underscored seething public anger against Beijing’s rule and shifted the spotlight from China’s carefully choreographed birthday party, which was designed to showcase its status as a global superpower.

Running battles raged for hours across multiple locations as hardcore protesters hurled rocks and petrol bombs. Police responded for the most part with tear gas, rubber bullets and water cannon.


Police said the officer fired at Tsang because he feared for his life on a day that saw his colleagues fire five warning shots from their pistols throughout the city.



“In this very short span of time, he made a decision and shot the assailant,” police chief Stephen Lo said.

But protest groups said the officer charged into the melee with his firearm drawn and condemned the increasing use of live rounds.


“The people of Hong Kong are sick and tired of having mere words of condemnation as their only shields against lethal bullets and rifles,” a masked protester said at a press conference near Tsang’s school.

https://www.thaipbsworld.com/hong-ko...hot-protester/

----------


## misskit

*Hong Kong government to announce new law banning masks during public assemblies in bid to end months of protest violence*


Hong Kong’s embattled government is set to announce plans on Friday to ban people from wearing masks at public assemblies, as it struggles to get a grip on protest violence spiralling out of control, sources have told the Post.



Chief Executive Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor’s administration, under mounting pressure from its political allies to put a stop to nearly four months of anti-government protest violence, is expected to impose the ban through legislation by invoking a tough, colonial-era emergency law that has not been used in more than half a century.



Lam would hold a special meeting of her de facto cabinet, the Executive Council, on Friday morning before announcing the ban, according to sources on Thursday.

Prior approval by city’s legislature is not required, and it will only be able to amend or strike down the law after implementation.





The mask ban will be pushed through under tough colonial-era emergency laws. Photo: EPA



Legal experts were quick to warn that invoking the emergency law would destroy due process and pave the way for more draconian regulations.







MORE https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/...g-masks-during

----------


## Latindancer

Getting around that is easy-peasy. They can now wear swimming goggles (and perhaps even a fake nose), together with a mouth tube and remote filter for the tear gas.

----------


## Farang Ky Ay

^ All of this could be forbidden as well, just look at what's happening in France, authorities seize googles, protective masks and n95 respirators from yellow vests protesters...as otherwise they couldn't fully enjoy the teargas and couldn't be identified .

----------


## misskit

*Rampaging protesters bring city to standstill after anti-mask law announced*Rioting anti-government protesters paralysed large swathes of Hong Kong with wanton destruction on Friday, hours after the city’s leader announced that a law against wearing masks would be imposed at midnight. 

They vandalised and burned shops, bank outlets and metro stations, forced the closure of the city’s entire railway network and blocked roads, wearing masks in open defiance of the new law. 

Police, who were expecting a backlash, were not seen at many flash points for hours as radical protesters went on the rampage. 

Police began taking control later at night, firing tear gas at violent mobs on both sides of the harbour, from Wong Tai Sin, Tuen Mun and Tsuen Wan to Causeway Bay and Aberdeen. 


Protesters set a Bank of China branch on fire in Tsuen Wan. Photo: Winson WongRioting anti-government protesters paralysed large swathes of Hong Kong with wanton destruction on Friday, hours after the city’s leader announced that a law against wearing masks would be imposed at midnight. 


They vandalised and burned shops, bank outlets and metro stations, forced the closure of the city’s entire railway network and blocked roads, wearing masks in open defiance of the new law. 


Police, who were expecting a backlash, were not seen at many flash points for hours as radical protesters went on the rampage.


Police began taking control later at night, firing tear gas at violent mobs on both sides of the harbour, from Wong Tai Sin, Tuen Mun and Tsuen Wan to Causeway Bay and Aberdeen.


Even as Chief Executive Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor announced the ban from government headquarters at Tamar in the afternoon, the chaos was brewing just blocks away.


Around 1,000 protesters, many of them office workers in suits and pupils in school uniform, gathered on Pedder Street in Central shortly after 4.30pm. 






They were soon joined by more, and similar protests began mushrooming across the city, causing traffic chaos. 


The protesters built barricades on Man Yiu Street outside the Hong Kong MTR station, stopped traffic on Connaught Road Central and Des Voeux Road Central, and burned a national flag and giant red banner celebrating the 70th anniversary of the founding of the People’s Republic of China on a bridge connecting Jardine House and Chater House. 
Among the now familiar plethora of slogans, a new refrain was taken up: “No crime masking our face, no reason to enact the law.” 


As night fell, the anarchy intensified and spread. 


Police said an officer had opened fire with live ammunition when he was attacked by protesters in Yuen Long. Video footage posted online showed the officer, in a white T-shirt, being beaten by a mob and dropping a drawn gun as he was hit by a petrol bomb. The officer grabbed the gun back from a protester who picked it up in the chaos. 
A 14-year-old boy suffered a gunshot wound in the leg just before the incident but there was no official confirmation of a link.


Rioters ramped up their sustained campaign of destruction against the city’s rail operator, having accused it of colluding with the police force to close down stations.
In Kwun Tong, Sha Tin and Sha Tin Wai MTR stations, they destroyed turnstiles, smashed advertisement billboards and daubed graffiti on the walls and ticket machines. A train was seen with its roof on fire in Sha Tin, and in Shek Mun a water hydrant was set off, flooding the station.


As the night wore on, huge fires were lit at entrances of Causeway Bay, Mong Kok and Tsuen Wan MTR stations.

By 10.30pm, they had forced the closure of every MTR station in an unprecedented shutdown of the entire railway network.

Shops and banks with links to mainland China were also targeted by rioters. They smashed the glass facade of a Bank of China branch in Tsuen Wan and threw petrol bombs inside.

ATMs were smashed or set alight in Mong Kok and other areas.

In Central, they smashed shop windows of MX, a food chain owned by Maxim’s. Its founder’s daughter, Annie Wu, infuriated protesters last month by calling them rioters and saying they did not represent Hong Kong.

*Another mob set paper and cardboard alight outside the Chinese General Chamber of Commerce offices, while other protesters broke the gates at a branch of China Travel Service in Sha Tin.*
Earlier in the afternoon at Chater Garden, Central, Tim Wong Kwok-wai, a 25-year-old marketing officer, said Lam’s move would inflame passions and provoke greater unrest in the city. 


“Just as Carrie Lam has held the first dialogue session with the public, she is now bringing forward the anti-mask law, shattering any trust and foundation for further talks,” he said. 

Banker Joe Wu, 30, said he was more worried about what the law would lead to. 


“Peaceful protesters will still come out, just not wearing masks, if masks are banned. And police are already arresting everybody else on the streets, who may be just shouting at them, so it doesn’t make much difference,” he said. 


“But I am deeply concerned about the next step. What evil law will the government introduce next, after opening the floodgate of emergency powers? They can do anything.” 



https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/...rge-parts-city

----------


## Latindancer

Typical Chinese "thin end of the wedge" thinking : if you can't ban demonstrators, ban their masks to expose them.

----------


## harrybarracuda

> Typical Chinese "thin end of the wedge" thinking : if you can't ban demonstrators, ban their masks to expose them.


I think even a teenaged protester will know that this is so they can be dragged from their beds unseen at 4am.

----------


## Latindancer

Which is why the authorities did it....to infuriate the protesters and make them do more extreme things, giving the police / perhaps now army more of an excuse to step in.

China wants to show its military might.....just wait. This is how it is going to do it....by stomping on Hong Kong protesters. Oh, it won't be another Tianenmen, but they will crack down, using the army, I'll bet

----------


## OhOh

> “Just as Carrie Lam has held the first dialogue session with the public, she is now bringing forward the anti-mask law, shattering any trust and foundation for further talks,” he said


"Trust" is earned by delivering the agreed results. I'm sure more illegal, violent, life threatening acts were not included. 

I'm sure those that engaged in the "dialogue sessions" were asked, prior to leaving, to fill in a suggestion form, as an "aide memoir".

The initial count showed the use of police officers fire arms in self defence, was quite away down the list at number 11. Stay tuned for the top 10 after this "station break/flooding/petrol bombed.........." message.

I wonder where the alleged million+, original protesters, are languishing or are buried. 

Still market rates for HK flats, private schools, restaurant and hotel bills........ have imploded, a win/win for the HK citizens.

Capitalism at it's best.




> vandalised and *burned* shops, bank outlets and metro stations, forced the closure of the city’s entire railway network and blocked roads,





> set a Bank of China branch on fire





> Around 1,000 protesters,


Divide by ten, as per the usual BBC accuracy yardstick ......




> ]built barricades[/COLOR] on Man Yiu Street outside the Hong Kong MTR station, stopped traffic on Connaught Road Central and Des Voeux Road Central, and burned a national flag and giant red banner





> the officer, in a white T-shirt, being beaten by a mob





> as he was hit by a petrol bomb.





> In Kwun Tong, Sha Tin and Sha Tin Wai MTR stations, they destroyed turnstiles, smashed advertisement billboards and daubed graffiti on the walls and ticket machines. A train was seen with its roof on fire in Sha Tin, and in Shek Mun a water hydrant was set off, flooding the station





> Peaceful protesters


 :rofl: 

Brixton is a pretty quite Sussex village, in comparison. Helicopters with searchlights, police cars blocking escape routes, vicious dogs stopping any sudden moods, baton charges, rubber bullets, snatch squads, kettling .........

One wonders what the official reaction to these criminal, dangerous and life threatening acts would be from the Thai and your "civilised" home country's authorities would be. Thai history illustrates one example, Kent state Uni another, Dallas police, Walk against Iraq, yellow vests ........

It appears the authorities are allowing the "peaceful protesters" to dig their own graves.

----------


## harrybarracuda

> It appears the authorities are allowing the "peaceful protesters" to dig their own graves.


No-one is calling them peaceful protesters any more, including themselves.

They are fighting violence with violence.

It was the police who escalated it.

Which is why one of their demands is an investigation into police brutality.

But of course you don't hear stuff like that, listening as you do only to the chinky side of the story.

----------


## OhOh

> No-one is calling them peaceful protesters any more, including themselves.





> misskit;[/COLOR]4010447]"Banker Joe Wu, 30, said he was more worried about what the law would lead to.
> 
> _“Peaceful protesters will still come out, just not wearing masks, if  masks are banned. And police are already arresting everybody else on the  streets, who may be just shouting at them, so it doesn’t make much  difference,” he said."_


Even I wouldn't call our revered TD poster of record, *MK**,* by posting *the SCMP story* and a person named *Banker Joe Wu*, presumably a HK citizen, a no-one.

What is their collective name now then, when was their label changed to the mob, terrorists, foreign funded trouble makers? 

You might want to contact the SCMP and suggest to them a proof checker needs to cast their eye over the story, prior to publication.

----------


## harrybarracuda

Peaceful protesters will still come out. Then the police will batter and tear gas them, and it will all kick off again _ad nauseam_.

----------


## Backspin

> Peaceful protesters will still come out. Then the police will batter and tear gas them, and it will all kick off again _ad nauseam_.


Does HK not have constitutional government , common law and some of the lowest taxes in the world right now ? If only I was as free as HK'ers

----------


## OhOh

*Infographic: Anti-mask law explained*




http://img2.chinadaily.com.cn/images...e979fd525.jpeg

----------


## Farang Ky Ay

Hum strange to see members being apparently shocked by HK authorities reactions...I actually found it quite light-handed at first, they didn't have the numbers and have been overwhelmed quite quickly...but in the meantime, any similar protest in many western countries would (or for instance in France, currently is) met with much more heavy police response...maybe I missed a thread where those same members were voicing the same concerns, in this case it's my bad.

----------


## OhOh

> Peaceful protesters will still come out. Then the police will batter and tear gas them,


When were such people attacked, battered and tear gassed?

----------


## Dragonfly

> Hum strange to see members being apparently shocked by HK authorities reactions...I actually found it quite light-handed at first, they didn't have the numbers and have been overwhelmed quite quickly...but in the meantime, any similar protest in many western countries would (or for instance in France, currently is) met with much more heavy police response...maybe I missed a thread where those same members were voicing the same concerns, in this case it's my bad.


absolutely, amazing how the Chinese are being patient with that revolt

----------


## fishlocker

Funny how a quadrant on a little island has a role to play in all this today. Maybe you should have kept it.

----------


## harrybarracuda

> When were such people attacked, battered and tear gassed?


Pretty well every time nowadays.

Violence begets violence.

----------


## Backspin

> Pretty well every time nowadays.
> 
> Violence begets violence.


Why do you think this is ? For muh  freedom ?

The Spectator Index 
Economic Freedom 2018

#1 Hong Kong
#2 Singapore

https://twitter.com/spectatorindex/s...75360990195713

----------


## harrybarracuda

> Why do you think this is ? For muh  freedom ?
> 
> The Spectator Index 
> Economic Freedom 2018
> 
> #1 Hong Kong
> #2 Singapore
> 
> https://twitter.com/spectatorindex/s...75360990195713


Makes perfect sense that the people of Hong Kong don't want to be dragged down to the chinkies miserable 110th place eh?

----------


## Backspin

> Makes perfect sense that the people of Hong Kong don't want to be dragged down to the chinkies miserable 110th place eh?


Excuse me ?

there was exactly ZERO intents of mainland China to dissolve Hong Kong or make ANY changes to 1 country 2 systems. But with these utterly insane protests, that's exactly the own-goal that is going to result. And deservedly so.  There's been a brain drain from Taiwan and HK to the mainland and not the other way around BTW. You are so out of the loop.

And what are you talking about anyway ? Under Westphalian norms, Hong Kong is within the borders of China. And it operates at the consent of China.  Nothing else.

but I personally have no dog in this fight. Mainland China was totally naive to let Hong Kong crawl with foreign spies and US empire democracy scum anyway. So they probably deserve it. Mainland China thought that they were above Russia. They really thought that the Americans would'nt give them the Ukraine treatment. But guess what China ? You aren't above anyone in the Americans eyes. You are one of the few lands not under the umbrella of US hegemony. So you deserve to be trashed. And that's what is happening.

----------


## OhOh

> But guess what China ? You aren't above anyone in the Americans eyes. You are one of the few lands not under the umbrella of US hegemony. So you deserve to be trashed. And that's what is happening.


Are you not "counting your chickens before their hatched"? Some might also say, "It is too early to say".

----------


## Latindancer

> Excuse me ?
> 
> there was exactly ZERO intents of mainland China to dissolve Hong Kong or make ANY changes to 1 country 2 systems.


Nonsense.

The way Mainland Chinese work is mostly by tiny increments......they use the thin end of the wedge. And they wanted to bring in a law allowing them to take convicted people out of Hong Kong, to the Mainland.

And we know what that means, don't we ? It means that political protesters will be sent to gulags or else disappeared entirely.

The Hong Kong people are not as naive as you....they knew exactly what was being proposed. Hence the protests.

----------


## harrybarracuda

> Mainland China was totally naive to let Hong Kong crawl with foreign spies and US empire democracy scum anyway.


Another multinic wanker.

----------


## Backspin

> Nonsense.
> 
> The way Mainland Chinese work is mostly by tiny increments......they use the thin end of the wedge. And they wanted to bring in a law allowing them to take convicted people out of Hong Kong, to the Mainland.
> 
> And we know what that means, don't we ? It means that political protesters will be sent to gulags or else disappeared entirely.
> 
> The Hong Kong people are not as naive as you....they knew exactly what was being proposed. Hence the protests.


You dont even know whats going on there. Let me bring you in on the big secret.

The protesters are all young people.  Hong Kong is run by a corrupt Boomer oligarchy. There is no shortage of land in HK, but what the corrupt oligarchs do, is artificially reduce the supply of housing by not allowing adequate development permits.  This pushes up the value of real estate and pushes up the cost of rent. To the point where anyone who wasn't in early, is being squeezed to shit. 
These young people have no future and no hope of getting ahead. They are pissed. And their ill advised plan to take down the oligarchs is to promote democracy. Notice how mainland China and the CPP hasn't been mentioned yet ?

This stupid idea of democracy has excited the US regime changers since that is their specialty- the US's only export. So this young mob has accepted help from the US regime changers. Because the US wanted to give Mainland China a bloody nose anyway. 



          Hong Kong protest figurehead Joshua Wong, who has been rocking up to ‘pro-democracy’ meetings with various Western officials in recent weeks, has been spotted hanging out with the chairman of the White Helmets in Berlin.    
Wong attended the ‘Bild 100’ summer party in Berlin this week, where he seems to have bumped into White Helmets boss Raed Al Saleh. That’s a tad awkward, since the Syrian first-responders group operates solely in areas controlled by anti-government fighters and has been heavily suspected of links to Al Qaeda and US-sponsored jihadist militias – a fact that did not go unnoticed on Twitter.


There was another familiar face in the snaps, too: Mayor of Kiev Vitaly Klitschko, who was, for a time, himself a Western favorite when Ukraine was in Washington’s regime-change crosshairs.

----------


## OhOh

Those damn "peaceful protesters" are using bamboo! 

Will blow pipes be next?

Some of course are still using paving slabs and now bamboo catapults aiming to kill, maim or mutilate HK police officers, burning shops, banks, ATM, metro stations and commercial offices.

As long as no bowls of porridge are fired all will be OK.

https://twitter.com/i/status/1180842014239158272

https://www.zerohedge.com/geopolitic...-anti-mask-law

One wonders if those HK citizens and foreign terrorists, cheering on the use of illegal, life threatening weapons of war are equally liable to be arrested. 

One suspects if utilised in the "civilised exceptional west", a different more lethal response from the authorities would be utilised.

----------


## Backspin

> Nonsense.
> 
> The way Mainland Chinese work is mostly by tiny increments......they use the thin end of the wedge. And they wanted to bring in a law allowing them to take convicted people out of Hong Kong, to the Mainland.
> 
> And we know what that means, don't we ? It means that political protesters will be sent to gulags or else disappeared entirely.
> 
> The Hong Kong people are not as naive as you....they knew exactly what was being proposed. Hence the protests.


The tension is between young people of Hong Kong and the Boomer oligarchs of Hong Kong who artificially drive housing prices up by not allowing development permits. The young people (wrongly) want to solve this with democracy. The young ppl have made allies with US imperial democracy promotion outfits. And since they got involved, they've made it about mainland China. 

Reality is, Mainland China has little to nothing to do with the original conflict.

However, its in play now. The US is using it to give China a bloody nose. Just like they did in Ukraine against Russia.

----------


## harrybarracuda

> The tension is between young people of Hong Kong and the Boomer oligarchs of Hong Kong who artificially drive housing prices up by not allowing development permits. The young people (wrongly) want to solve this with democracy. The young ppl have made allies with US imperial democracy promotion outfits. And since they got involved, they've made it about mainland China. 
> 
> Reality is, Mainland China has little to nothing to do with the original conflict.
> 
> However, its in play now. The US is using it to give China a bloody nose. Just like they did in Ukraine against Russia.


It's actually quite the opposite. Baldy orange cunto has deliberately stayed out of it to try and coax the chinkies into a trade deal.

The US has nothing to do with this, you dim twat.

----------


## Hugh Cow

> The tension is between young people of Hong Kong and the Boomer oligarchs of Hong Kong who artificially drive housing prices up by not allowing development permits. The young people (wrongly) want to solve this with democracy. The young ppl have made allies with US imperial democracy promotion outfits. And since they got involved, they've made it about mainland China. 
> 
> Reality is, Mainland China has little to nothing to do with the original conflict.
> 
> However, its in play now. The US is using it to give China a bloody nose. Just like they did in Ukraine against Russia.


Is this OhOh in a new nik?

Once the Chinese are convinced businesses wont leave in a big crack down, they will move in and will crush the protesters.

----------


## OhOh

> Is this OhOh in a new nik?


There is only one OhOh, no need for such childish actions.

----------


## OhOh

> Once the Chinese are convinced businesses wont leave in a big crack down


Approx. 3% of China's GDP if you look at the combined figure. Some would conclude the loss of 3% disastrous. To China it's currently growing annually, at 6%. 

China :

GDP                 
13608.15
12143.49
13608.15
47.21
                                      USD Billion



https://tradingeconomics.com/china/gdp

Hong Kong:

GDP                                                             (USD Billion)                                                         
                                                         363
Dec/18
342
1.32 : 363
                                                         Yearly


https://tradingeconomics.com/hong-kong/indicators






1Some would consider the exit of the London managed/owned/based HSBC as a  blessing, too many dealings with drug dealers and terrorists foreign  and domestic.

 Multi billion fines/bribes paid quite regularly by sanction setting administrations.


                                                                                               Retail Banking and Wealth Management                                                                                                                             Commercial Banking                                                                                                                             Global Banking and Markets                                                                                                                             Global Private Banking                               


Someone's opinion of their "value".

*HSBC Never Left the Dope Trade nor the Crown: Why HSBC Is No ‘Victim Institution’ in the Huawei Case 

*https://www.strategic-culture.org/ne...n-huawei-case/

----------


## harrybarracuda

What does that have to do with the Hong Kong people wanting freedom from Winnie the Pooh's tyrannical reign?

----------


## harrybarracuda

South Park has disappeared from chinky internet after they did an episode spoofing the recent Houston Rockets drama, where one of their team said the Hong Kong people deserve better and the chinkies spat the dummy. No doubt those in Hong Kong find it a lot more interesting than those on the mainland.

What mystifies me is how it stayed up there in the first place.

Anyway, it's always good to share stuff that gets the chinkies in a snit, so here's the episode in question.

----------


## Backspin

> It's actually quite the opposite. Baldy orange cunto has deliberately stayed out of it to try and coax the chinkies into a trade deal.
> 
> The US has nothing to do with this, you dim twat.


The CIA and the permanent bureaucracy work outside the purview of the president. 

Plus, I never said that the US had anything to do with the actual conflict. They are just taking the opportunity to throw more wood on this fire. Like they always do. And its just ridiculous to deny this like you are.

*Color revolutionaries of the world, unite. Hong Kong protest leader pictured with White Helmets boss and Ukraine mayor.*

----------


## OhOh

> the Hong Kong people deserve better


Possibly so, but they have had how many chances/democratic election opportunities, 4, 5 ? unfortunately the HK system carries on as it has done for centuries. 

In the future when China, under the agreed time scale, takes charge of HK, things will improve When is the next HK election scheduled?

I suspect it's a "National Security" affair, seems many have views on that subject.




> Hong Kong people wanting freedom


I suspect that within the agreement agreed between China and UK there will have been clauses covering that subject. I also expect HK policing now continues as it has been for decades, probably still managed by the same pre-return round eyes.

----------


## Backspin

> Possibly so, but they have had how many chances/democratic election opportunities, 4, 5 ? unfortunately the HK system carries on as it has done for centuries. 
> 
> In the future when China, under the agreed time scale, takes charge of HK, things will improve When is the next HK election scheduled?
> 
> I suspect it's a "National Security" affair, seems many have views on that subject.
> 
> 
> 
> I suspect that within the agreement agreed between China and UK there will have been clauses covering that subject. I also expect HK policing now continues as it has been for decades, probably still managed by the same pre-return round eyes.


Hong Kong has constitutional govt and common law. It has never had mobocracy and never should. China is skeptical that democracy can work.

----------


## harrybarracuda

> Possibly so, but they have had how many chances/democratic election opportunities, 4, 5 ? unfortunately the HK system carries on as it has done for centuries. 
> 
> In the future when China, under the agreed time scale, takes charge of HK, things will improve When is the next HK election scheduled?
> 
> I suspect it's a "National Security" affair, seems many have views on that subject.
> 
> 
> 
> I suspect that within the agreement agreed between China and UK there will have been clauses covering that subject. I also expect HK policing now continues as it has been for decades, probably still managed by the same pre-return round eyes.



Whatever is in the agreement is irrelevant. Hong Kongers do not want to be "disappeared" off to China and everything that was the straw that broke this particular camels back.

The question is: Will the chinkies hope they can just wear them down or will they send the troops in?

----------


## harrybarracuda

> The CIA and the permanent bureaucracy work outside the purview of the president. 
> 
> Plus, I never said that the US had anything to do with the actual conflict. They are just taking the opportunity to throw more wood on this fire. Like they always do. And its just ridiculous to deny this like you are.


It's actually more ridiculous that the US have said next to nothing, but I've explained why.

Perhaps these things are a bit too simple for a conspiracy theorist whackjob.

----------


## Cujo

> Is this OhOh in a new nik?


Reads like one of those ultra nationalist Chinese that posts on the China Daily forums.
They're all over the net defending the Chinese people's hurt feelings.

----------


## misskit

^ What he said.

----------


## Backspin

> Whatever is in the agreement is irrelevant. Hong Kongers do not want to be "disappeared" off to China and everything that was the straw that broke this particular camels back.
> 
> The question is: Will the chinkies hope they can just wear them down or will they send the troops in?


Mainland China (naively) has zero intentions of dissolving HK.

----------


## harrybarracuda

> Mainland China (naively) has zero intentions of dissolving HK.



Just as well, that sounds really bad.

What does it mean?

----------


## Klondyke

*Apple pulls police-tracking app used in Hong Kong protests after consulting authorities*

SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - Apple Inc (AAPL.O) on Wednesday removed an app that protesters in Hong Kong have used to track police movements from its app store, saying it violated rules because it was used to ambush police.

The U.S. tech giant had come under fire from China over the app, with the Chinese Communist Partys official newspaper calling the app poisonous and decrying what it said was Apples complicity in helping the Hong Kong protesters.

Apple had only just last week approved the HKmap.live app, which crowdsources the locations of both police and protesters, after rejecting it earlier this month.

Apple said in a statement that it had begun an immediate investigation after many concerned customers in Hong Kong contacted the company about the app and Apple found it had endangered law enforcement and residents.

The app displays police locations and we have verified with the Hong Kong Cybersecurity and Technology Crime Bureau that the app has been used to target and ambush police, threaten public safety, and criminals have used it to victimize residents in areas where they know there is no law enforcement, the statement said.

Apple did not comment beyond its statement. The company also removed BackupHK, a separate app that served as mirror of the main HKlive.map app. Hong Kong police had no immediate comment.

The app consolidated content from public posts on social networks and that moderators would delete content that solicited criminal activity and would ban repeated attempts to post such content in the app, it said.

The majority of user review(s) in App Store ... suggest HKmap IMPROVED public safety, not the opposite, it added.

In a separate move, Apple also removed the Quartz news app from its App Store in China because Chinese authorities said the app violated local laws.

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-h...-idUSKBN1WP09U

----------


## OhOh

*Petrol bombs thrown in Hong Kong metro, protesters defy face mask ban*_
"HONG KONG (Reuters) - Petrol bombs were thrown inside a Hong Kong metro station on Saturday

__The Kowloon Tong station was seriously damaged in the attack, the  government said in a statement. Riot police deployed in the streets of  Kowloon and inside several metro stations afterward. 

_
_Hundreds of  protesters, many young and wearing face masks, were marching in Kowloon  at the time and were headed to a district near the Kowloon Tong station.   

_
_Some protesters erected road barricades using public garbage bins and  water-filled plastic barriers used for traffic control and security. 
_
_Protesters elsewhere set fire to a government office in Kowloon and vandalized shops and metro stations, the government said. 
_
_There  were no skirmishes between protesters and police and by nightfall  protesters had dispersed into small groups scattered around Kowloon."

More at;

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-h...-idUSKBN1WR02X
_

Numbers dwindling to double digits.

Illegal "protesters" using life threatening violence.

Illegal "protesters" illegally destroying HK infrastructure, upon which millions of HK citizens rely on every day.

Illegal "protesters" illegally setting fire to HK government offices.

Illegal "protesters" illegally vandalising HK citiens shops.

No police reaction to failing "protesters" illegal action.

International "governments" concern evaporated with their obvious regime change failure.

----------


## Cujo

It's not going to end well and H.K. will certainly never be the same.
I believe it will end with China tightening its grip on HK, not the other way around.

----------


## OhOh

It's up to the HK citizens to elect a government of their choosing at the next scheduled election. Isn't that the agreed democratic way in the China/UK agreement?

The Chinese government has signed international agreements which they are honouring.

Unlike some countries governments who disregard any they choose, at any time, causing serious problems.

----------


## aging one

> It's up to the HK citizens to elect a government of their choosing at the next scheduled election. Isn't that the agreed democratic way in the China/UK agreement?
> 
> The Chinese government has signed international agreements which they are honouring.


Bullshit Mao Mao.  You damn well know you are supporting anti democracy.

----------


## harrybarracuda

> It's up to the HK citizens to elect a government of their choosing at the next scheduled election. Isn't that the agreed democratic way in the China/UK agreement?
> 
> The Chinese government has signed international agreements which they are honouring.
> 
> Unlike some countries governments who disregard any they choose, at any time, causing serious problems.


The Hong Kong people did not elect Carrie Lam.

Why do you keep lying?

----------


## Backspin

> Bullshit Mao Mao.  You damn well know you are supporting anti democracy.


So ? I am not a democrat. I oppose democracy. Its a horrible system. Constitutionalism does not need democracy.

----------


## Backspin

> The Hong Kong people did not elect Carrie Lam.
> 
> Why do you keep lying?


Its a constitutional system. Not a democratic one. 

 Since 1990, all 4 of South Korea's x presidents have been arrested and gone to jail. But you know, democracy. The vote.

----------


## harrybarracuda

> Its a constitutional system. Not a democratic one. 
> 
>  Since 1990, all 4 of South Korea's x presidents have been arrested and gone to jail. But you know, democracy. The vote.


Yes, imagine if it was a dictatorship, leaders like Hun Sen would be in jail as soon as......



Oh.

----------


## OhOh

> You damn well know you are supporting anti democracy


I have stated my assumption plainly many times here in this forum, as I did in the post you replied to.




> It's up to the HK citizens to elect a government of  their choosing at the next scheduled election. Isn't that the agreed  democratic way in the China/UK agreement?


The methodology of the election/appointment of the HK government officers is in the China/UK agreement. As adopted by the G7 at the time.

What is the point of agreeing a procedure for electing an alleged democratically elected Government , gaining agreement from an ex-lessee, spreading the story far and wide, that the UK has left a fully democratic system (to "protect" the Chinese citizens it left behind, the foreign/local financiers and the embedded movers and shakers) and now suggesting the procedure is now considered undemocratic.

If one wishes to propose that all government officers must be "democratically elected" by a citizens vote, otherwise it is not consider a true democracy, I suggest you review the UK and the ameristani systems and explain how two small cabals actually decide who will be their counties Prime Minister/President. Not by an all citizens vote. Should one assume you believe, the UK and ameristani governments,  are not democratically elected?

If you believe the HK system/methodology, as formally agreed, is undemocratic say so. Whether your "opinion" will be adopted by the HK, Chinese, UK governments and the G7, is I'm afraid, a moot point.

This allegedly, Refworld.org

https://www.refworld.org/docid/3ae6b525c.html

 and Wiki 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sino-B...nt_Declaration

The clause:

_"The Government of the [HKSAR] will be composed of local inhabitants.  The chief executive will be appointed by the Central People's Government  on the basis of the results of elections or consultations to be held  locally. Principal officials will be nominated by the chief executive of  the [HKSAR] for appointment by the Central People's Government. Chinese  and foreign nationals previously working in the public and police  services in the government departments of Hong Kong may remain in  employment. British and other foreign nationals may also be employed to  serve as advisers or hold certain public posts in government departments  of the [HKSAR]."[14]"_

Whether the "elections" are considered, by you as "democratic", you will have to ask the appropriate governments, China, Hong Kong and all the then G7 countries, who all allegedly adopted the agreement wording in totality.

 ::chitown:: 




> The Hong Kong people did not elect Carrie Lam.
> 
> Why do you keep lying?


The methodology of the election/appointment of the HK government officers is in the China/UK agreement.

Care to substantiate your "opinion" on the China/Hong Kong agreement wording on the HK Government election procedures?

 ::chitown::

----------


## harrybarracuda

> I have stated my assumption plainly many times here in this forum, as I did in the post you replied to.
> 
> The methodology of the election/appointment of the HK government officers is in the China/UK agreement. As adopted by the G7 at the time.
> 
> Care to substantiate your "opinion" on the China/Hong Kong agreement wording on the HK Government election procedures?


Yes, go back and the read the post (or posts) you repeatedly ignored where I pointed out where the chinkies had added a whole load of stooges to make sure they elected only a candidate suitably snivelling, fawning and willing to do whatever the chinkies tell them.

You know, like you.

----------


## Backspin

> Yes, imagine if it was a dictatorship, leaders like Hun Sen would be in jail as soon as......
> 
> 
> 
> Oh.


See ? There is no truth in politics or systems. I'd say that the 4 elected S.Korea presidents that ended up in jail, is a sign that voting doesn't work. 

But you will find a way to flip it on its head. Not because you are wrong or right but because there's no truth in politics.

----------


## OhOh

Oh dear it appears somebody has been injured in HK. Bricks hitting heads, javelins through a heart, petrol bomb in the face, or being poked by an umbrella, none of these much more serious.

Allegedly 6 locals attacked the victim with hammers and spanners, real or LEGO is not stated.

Photo of the scene of the crime,  

Looks very serious:



https://pbs.twimg.com/media/EHEcjMAUcAAe6Pf.jpg

Nae worries, a passing ambulance took him a government hospital and an hour later good as new:



One plaster, no cuts, no smashed teeth, no broken nose, no bruises, no overnight stay in case of concussion ....

The miracles the doctors and nurses can do in HK.

https://www.zerohedge.com/geopolitic...mmers-wrenches

----------


## harrybarracuda

> See ? There is no truth in politics or systems. I'd say that the 4 elected S.Korea presidents that ended up in jail, is a sign that voting doesn't work. 
> 
> But you will find a way to flip it on its head. Not because you are wrong or right but because there's no truth in politics.


The reason I compared Chinastan to other South East Asian dictatorships is because they are all run by dictators supported by a bunch of fucking cronies and a well paid military/police apparatus.

You gormless twat.

The reason 4 Korean politicians got jailed is precisely because they don't exercise that level of control.

----------


## Bettyboo

One suepects, this HK protests will end, quite brutally, quite soon.

----------


## OhOh

> South East Asian dictatorships is because they are all run by dictators supported by a bunch of fucking cronies and a well paid military/police apparatus.


Only in SE Asia. :Roll Eyes (Sarcastic):

----------


## harrybarracuda

> Only in SE Asia.


Not at all, there are others, but these fuckers are all mates.

----------


## Dragonfly

> One suepects, this HK protests will end, quite brutally, quite soon.


indeed, question of time

----------


## misskit

*China plans to replace Hong Kong leader Lam with 'interim' chief executive: FT*(Reuters) - China is drawing up a plan to replace Hong Kong leader Carrie Lam with an “interim” chief executive, the Financial Times reported, citing people briefed on the deliberations, which would bring to a close Lam’s rule after months of often-violent pro-democracy protests. 


Lam has become a lightning rod for protests over fears that Beijing is tightening its grip, limiting the freedoms enjoyed under the “one country, two systems” principle enshrined when colonial ruler Britain handed Hong Kong back to China in 1997. 


Sources told the FT that officials in China want the situation in Hong Kong to stabilise before making a final decision, as they do not want to be seen to be giving in to violence.

MORE https://www.reuters.com/article/us-h...-idUSKBN1X12JG

----------


## harrybarracuda

> *China plans to replace Hong Kong leader Lam with 'interim' chief executive: FT*
> 
> 
> (Reuters) - China is drawing up a plan to replace Hong Kong leader Carrie Lam with an “interim” chief executive, the Financial Times reported, citing people briefed on the deliberations, which would bring to a close Lam’s rule after months of often-violent pro-democracy protests. 
> 
> 
> Lam has become a lightning rod for protests over fears that Beijing is tightening its grip, limiting the freedoms enjoyed under the “one country, two systems” principle enshrined when colonial ruler Britain handed Hong Kong back to China in 1997. 
> 
> 
> ...


What difference does it make? They'll just pick another chinky brownosing lackey.

----------


## OhOh

> They'll just pick another Russian brownosing lackey.


FIFY.

----------


## Bettyboo

> What difference does it make? They'll just pick another chinky brownosing lackey.


She has been quite weak for a Chinese lackey - they're just putting somebody stronger, closer to the mainland Communist party leaders, in place; the situation will get worse then they'll be an abrupt end (not in a good way).

----------


## harrybarracuda

> She has been quite weak for a Chinese lackey - they're just putting somebody stronger, closer to the mainland Communist party leaders, in place; the situation will get worse then they'll be an abrupt end (not in a good way).


What does "weak" mean? What do you think started all this shit off FFS?

Her doing the chinkies' bidding, that's what.

This crisis is being managed from chinastan and she's doing exactly what she's told.

The only reason they haven't replaced her is because they don't want the freedom fighters of Hong Kong to think they have won.

----------


## Bettyboo

> What does "weak" mean? What do you think started all this shit off FFS?
> 
> Her doing the chinkies' bidding, that's what.
> 
> This crisis is being managed from chinastan and she's doing exactly what she's told.
> 
> The only reason they haven't replaced her is because they don't want the freedom fighters of Hong Kong to think they have won.


I know you gooners aren't too sharp, 'Arry, but try to put your best foot forward...

The woman has been weak which make China look weak. Examples would be her suggestions that she wants to leave office but isn't allowed, and her awful showing when she invited in protestors for discussion, got severely berated and gave up - these type of things make China look week, she will be replaced by a stronger lackey - it's that simple. Do try top keep up, 'Arry...

----------


## harrybarracuda

> I know you gooners aren't too sharp, 'Arry, but try to put your best foot forward...
> 
> The woman has been weak which make China look weak. Examples would be her suggestions that she wants to leave office but isn't allowed, and her awful showing when she invited in protestors for discussion, got severely berated and gave up - these type of things make China look week, she will be replaced by a stronger lackey - it's that simple. Do try top keep up, 'Arry...


You are a muppet sometimes Boo.

The only reason the chinkies haven't gone in there Tiananmen style is that in this day and age it would be streamed live.

As for the chinky stooge, she said in the run up to her "election" that if the Hong Kong people didn't want her, she would leave.

She's doing *exactly* what she is being told to do like the little hand picked puppet she is.

----------


## Latindancer

> The only reason the chinkies haven't gone in there Tiananmen style is that in this day and age it would be streamed live.


Exactly.....the Communist Chinese like to do all their nastiest things in secret. It has happened time and again.

----------


## misskit

*Hong Kong medics join anti-government protests to ‘resist tyranny’*HONG KONG (Reuters) – Hong Kong medical workers plan to rally in the heart of the city’s financial centre on Saturday, angry at perceived police brutality during more than four months of sometimes violent anti-government protests.


Pro-democracy activists have attacked police with petrol bombs, rocks and lasers shone in their eyes. One officer was slashed in the neck with a knife.


Police have responded with tear gas, water cannon, rubber bullets and occasional live rounds, wounding several protesters, many of whom received treatment from volunteer medical workers at the roadside.


Protesters are angry about what they see as creeping Chinese interference in Hong Kong, which Britain returned to China in 1997 under a “one country, two systems” formula intended to guarantee freedoms that are not enjoyed on the mainland.


China denies meddling. It has accused foreign governments, including the United States and Britain, of inciting the unrest.


Saturday’s “resisting tyranny” protest is due to begin at 7 p.m. (1100 GMT).



https://www.thaipbsworld.com/hong-ko...esist-tyranny/

----------


## misskit

*Thais visiting Hong Kong advised to avoid protest sites for next 5 days*The Thai Consular Office in Hong Kong is strongly advising Thai people travelling to the territory to avoid protest sites this weekend and on Thursday October 31stfor their safety, because the protests can turn violent without warning.


The Office also warned travellers not to take pictures of the protestors or police at or near the protest sites, and avoid any act which may be seen as provocative.  They were also informed that travel around the city, by car or MRT, may take longer than usual.


If any Thai citizen needs help from the Thai Consular Office, they can call the following numbers:



(+852) 6821-1545(+852) 6821-1546(+66) 2-572-8442 (Bangkok Call Centre)

The latest information on the protests and travel can be found on the websites of the Hong Kong police and the MTR operator.

Specific areas to be avoided are:

Saturday 26th

Tamar Park in the Admiralty areaChater Garden in the Central area
Sunday 27th (PM)

Salisbury Garden in the Sha Tsui area of KowloonKwun Tong Promenade in the Kwun Tong area
Thursday 31st (from 7pm)

MTR Prince Edward area


https://www.thaipbsworld.com/thais-v...r-next-5-days/

----------


## Backspin

> You are a muppet sometimes Boo.
> 
> The only reason the chinkies haven't gone in there Tiananmen style is that in this day and age it would be streamed live.
> 
> As for the chinky stooge, she said in the run up to her "election" that if the Hong Kong people didn't want her, she would leave.
> 
> She's doing *exactly* what she is being told to do like the little hand picked puppet she is.


did you support the Iraq regime change too ?

----------


## Backspin

> Exactly.....the Communist Chinese like to do all their nastiest things in secret. It has happened time and again.


The communist chinese is the internationally recognized govt of China. You understand that right ?

----------


## harrybarracuda

> did you support the Iraq regime change too ?


WTF does that have to do with what I said? (and the answer is no but not because Iraq dissolved into civil war, it was going to do that eventually).




> The communist chinese is the internationally recognized govt of China. You understand that right ?


Well whiney the poo is, but whatever floats your boat.

Would you support the chinkies if they went into Hong Kong guns blazing?

Do you think the Chinkies have a right to invade Taiwan?

----------


## Backspin

> WTF does that have to do with what I said? (and the answer is no but not because Iraq dissolved into civil war, it was going to do that eventually).
> 
> 
> 
> Well whiney the poo is, but whatever floats your boat.
> 
> Would you support the chinkies if they went into Hong Kong guns blazing?
> 
> Do you think the Chinkies have a right to invade Taiwan?


You are questioning the legitimacy of standing governments. Whether its Iraq or China , its the same thing. 

Don't ask me to pick a side. 

This is all just geopolitics. It has nothing to do with rights or morals. 2 great powers are pushing up against each other. The American and the Chinese. And you are supporting the American side.

----------


## harrybarracuda

> You are questioning the legitimacy of standing governments. Whether its Iraq or China , its the same thing. 
> 
> Don't ask me to pick a side. 
> 
> This is all just geopolitics. It has nothing to do with rights or morals. 2 great powers are pushing up against each other. The American and the Chinese. And you are supporting the American side.


What the fuck has Hong Kong got to do with America?

P.S. I notice you dodged the question about Taiwan.

----------


## Backspin

> What the fuck has Hong Kong got to do with America?
> 
> P.S. I notice you dodged the question about Taiwan.


Ask the US congress 


I have a confession to make. I despise the US and China and hyper globalism in general. And I support anything that will continue the bifurcation of Chimerica, with the hope that both of these houses of cards can fall at the same time. 

It was the US who recognized the CCP in the 1970's. It was the US who gave China under the CCP, its Most Favored Nation status status under WTO.  Recognizing the 1 China policy IE that Taiwan doesn't exist, was part of those terms. So it would be hypocritical for the US and against treaty obligations, for it to recognize Taiwan. For all intents and purposes, Taiwan is China's.

----------


## OhOh

> So it would be hypocritical for the US and against treaty obligations


They react with instant, violent acts, hypocrisy has been erased from their education system, they are the exceptional  300 Spartans.

Hup, Hup, BANG. 

Oh dear they are our own troops. Never mind ship in some more newly pass-ported citizens, from the country across the Rio Grande

----------


## harrybarracuda

> Ask the US congress 
> 
> 
> I have a confession to make. I despise the US and China and hyper globalism in general. And I support anything that will continue the bifurcation of Chimerica, with the hope that both of these houses of cards can fall at the same time. 
> 
> It was the US who recognized the CCP in the 1970's. It was the US who gave China under the CCP, its Most Favored Nation status status under WTO.  Recognizing the 1 China policy IE that Taiwan doesn't exist, was part of those terms. So it would be hypocritical for the US and against treaty obligations, for it to recognize Taiwan. For all intents and purposes, Taiwan is China's.


If you are going to claim historical precedent, for all intents and purposes, China is Taiwan's.

----------


## OhOh

> for all intents and purposes,





> China is Taiwan's


Claimed by whom?

----------


## harrybarracuda

> Claimed by whom?


See, you have no education whatsoever.

You just snivel around toeing the Whiney the Poo line.

----------


## harrybarracuda

Another snivelling chinky stooge, this time inciting foreigners to snitch on their bosses.

And no doubt from the other side of his mouth whinging that "foreigners should stay out of Hong Kong's business".




> Former Hong Kong chief executive Leung Chun-ying has encouraged domestic workers in Hong Kong to report their employers for possessing any “illegal items” related to the anti-government demonstrations.
> In a Facebook post on Tuesday, Leung shared a photo of a flyer asking domestic workers to report sightings of “offensive weapons” and “defensive gear” including petrol bombs, slingshots, batons, helmets, gas masks and goggles in their residences. The post says that cash rewards will be offered for anyone who does so.
> 
> https://www.hongkongfp.com/2019/10/31/ex-hong-kong-leader-urges-domestic-workers-report-employers-protest-gear/

----------


## HuangLao

Side note:

Seems to be a flurry of protests, revolutionary activities, and common resistance of the last couple of months from all corners of the globe. 
Especially, escalating of the last 2-3 weeks. 

The empires are breaking, as the people have had enough.

----------


## bsnub

> Claimed by whom?


Jeezus are you that ignorant? Oh wait of course you are.

----------


## harrybarracuda

> Side note:
> 
> Seems to be a flurry of protests, revolutionary activities, and common resistance of the last couple of months from all corners of the globe. 
> Especially, escalating of the last 2-3 weeks. 
> 
> The empires are breaking, as the people have had enough.


Fuck off jeff.

----------


## OhOh

> See, you have no education whatsoever.





> Jeezus are you that ignorant?


Checkout the UN countries.

----------


## harrybarracuda

> Checkout the UN countries.


Where's the till?

----------


## Backspin

Hong Kong crisis is a Boomer Oligarchy vs the Millenial/zoomer have-nots with the great powers trying to coop the conflict for their own ends

1)After the UK realized they couldn't keep HK & considering they made much of their money from land sales, they began selling off as much land as possible.


2)They began selling most of it to a cartel of 4 powerful families' companies. Henderson Land Group, SHK Properties, CK Asset Holdings & New World Development. They sold at such an alarming rate that during negotiations the Chinese govt had them limit selling 50 acres per year


3)Now today, this cartel of families own much of the land, supermarkets, transit, electronic shops, pharmacies, telecom, hotels, electricity & gas business, container ports and much more, essentially never really transferring ownership to China, but selling it to these tycoons


4)These handful of tycoons who now essentially own Hong Kong, use their power to prevent competition, price fix the market, and continually enrich themselves. It was the same kinds of business communities who supported much of the public housing programs years before the handover


5)This is why when Li Ka-shing (one of the 4 mega families) spoke up for protestors recently, some who know the history of HK & believe one reason for unrest is wealth issue related, recognized the irony and essentially asked "how about you help out by pitching in some property?"

----------


## cyrille

> Hong Kong crisis is a Boomer Oligarchy vs the Millenial/zoomer have-nots


Someone oughta mention it to them, then.

I'm sure they wouldn't have the foggiest idea what he was talking about.

----------


## Dragonfly

interesting take, backspin

----------


## misskit

*Hong Kong police shoot protester as flashmob rallies target rush hour*HONG KONG: A Hong Kong police officer shot at masked protesters on Monday (Nov 11) morning, hitting one in the torso, as anger sparked by the recent death of a student spilled into the rush hour commute and wreaked fresh chaos.


The shooting, which was broadcast live on Facebook, is the latest escalation in more than five months of pro-democracy protests that have engulfed the international financial hub and battered its reputation.



Footage showed a police officer drawing his sidearm in the district of Sai Wan Ho as he tried to detain a masked person at a junction that had been blocked by protesters.


Another unarmed masked individual then approached the officer and was shot in the chest area, quickly falling to the ground, clutching their left side. Local media said the protester was in critical condition after undergoing surgery. 


Seconds later, two more live rounds were fired as the officer scuffled with another masked protester who fell to the ground. Both were detained by officers.




VIDEO
Read more at https://www.channelnewsasia.com/news...an-ho-12081540

----------


## bsnub

Clearly not trained by the former British colonists..

----------


## OhOh

Only one?

----------


## harrybarracuda

Well they've got until the year 2047.

----------


## OhOh

It appears that the "millions of young peaceful protesters" are out on their Sunday stroll in HK, "peacefully calling" for "reforms" 

Bullshit.*

Man set afire as rioters escalate violence in HK*




*Man set afire as rioters escalate violence in HK*


_"Hong Kong witnessed one of the most disturbing incidents on Monday  amid the ongoing protests that first erupted in mid-June, as a man was  set on fire by a masked radical.
_
_As seen in a video circulating online, the man's clothing was ignited  by a radical protester after he was doused with what is believed to be  an accelerant as he quarreled with several others on a footbridge in Ma  On Shan, New Territories.
_
_During the confrontation, the man, wearing a green shirt, argued with  the protesters and told them they were all Chinese, the video showed.
_
_He ended up suffering severe burns and is in critical condition in a hospital. The attacker is believed to have escaped.
_
_Earlier, the green-shirted man was seen trying to stop some  protesters from vandalizing Ma On Shan MTR Station, another video  showed.
_
_Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Chief Executive Carrie Lam  Cheng Yuet-ngor stressed on Monday that the SAR government will not  yield to the violence of rioters and accede to their demands. The  rioters will never succeed, she said.
_
_"If there's still any wishful thinking that by escalating violence,  the Hong Kong SAR government will yield to pressure to satisfy the  so-called political demands, I'm making this statement loud and clear  here — this will not happen," Lam said.
_
_She made the remark while addressing a news briefing after citywide riots caused dozens of injuries among residents on Monday.
_
_Lam reiterated that violence will not provide any solution to the  current problems of Hong Kong. She called on all people in Hong Kong,  regardless of their political views, to agree that the priority was to  stop the violence and restore calm in the city as soon as possible.
_
_In a news conference on Monday afternoon, police confirmed the attack on the man and called it "inhumane".
_
_Strongly condemning the attack, a police representative criticized  the suspect for "disregarding the life of others to make a political  stand".
_
_Police are investigating the case. As of 6 pm Monday, no one had yet been arrested, police said.
_
_The attack was condemned by prominent figures. Solicitor Kennedy Wong  Ying-ho said the incident is "absolutely shocking" as the radical  attacked someone who did not even have any physical conflict with him.
_
_He noted that the perpetrator could be charged with attempted murder, which carries a maximum penalty of life imprisonment.
_
_Lau Siu-kai, vice-president of the Chinese Association of Hong Kong  and Macao Studies, told China Daily that the incident showed that the  emotionally driven radicals, often armed with dangerous items, posed a  grave danger to unarmed citizens.
_
_Urging the rioters to show more respect for others' safety, Lau also  called for more powerful and effective measures from authorities to  quell violence and uphold public safety.
_
_Fresh round of violence_
_Hong Kong suffered a fresh round of violent unrest on Monday as  protesters attacked and vandalized numerous public facilities, subway  stations and university campuses.
_
_Besides setting fires at Hong Kong Polytechnic University, they also  vandalized facilities at Hong Kong Baptist University where they  targeted shops such as Pacific Coffee and a school canteen owned by  restaurant chain Maxim's._
_Pacific Coffee is owned by a mainland group, and the eldest daughter  of Maxim's founder recently voiced opposition to violence by the  protesters.
_
_On Monday morning, two gasoline bombs were thrown into a train car full of passengers at Kwai Fong Station._
_The protesters also hurled gasoline bombs into Tung Chung Station and set fires in Heng On Station.
_
_Twenty-five MTR stations had to shut down temporarily and several metro lines suspended service, MTR Corp said in a statement._
_Because of the mayhem on Monday, nearly all universities in the city suspended classes."_

Man set afire as rioters escalate violence in HK - Chinadaily.com.cn

As for MK's shit, did she notice the surrounded truck driver applauding the HK Traffic Police.

It appears that a  few "5 body shots SOP", Arizona police are required;




The usual "could have done this, could have done that", "standard procedures".... excuse were the officers defence. 

HK terrorists have previous, did the unarmed citizen begging for his life?

----------


## Backspin

when are people going to realize, to stay the fuck away from the mob ? Instead of raising your finger like a principled Boomer ? JFC 

what the mob did was fucking sick. But what kind of an IDIOT starts lecturing a dangerous mob ?

----------


## OhOh

> But what kind of an IDIOT starts lecturing a dangerous mob


An "idiot" who thought they were,




> "young peaceful protesters" out on their Sunday stroll in HK, "peacefully calling" for "reforms"


You know as portrayed in local and international media, including some on web sites, such as TD.

----------


## Norton

> It appears that the "millions of young peaceful protesters" are out on their Sunday stroll in HK, "peacefully calling" for "reforms"


Gonna get far worse. Stay tuned. The Honkies are stirred up.

----------


## Backspin

> Gonna get far worse. Stay tuned. The Honkies are stirred up.


Honkies ?

----------


## OhOh

It appears the "peaceful protesters" had another stroll around and a sunny afternoon picnic, in the HK parks.

After their snooze they went onto reinforce their interpretation of  foreign governments words

_“We urge Beijing to honor the commitments it made in the Sino-British   Joint Declaration,” which includes protecting “the freedoms of   expression and peaceful assembly – core values.

_*

Beijing Slams US 'Hypocrisy' Over Soaring HK Violence As Students Launch Arrows At Police*

_"In Beijing's own condemnation of 'moderate rebels' moment, the Chinese foreign ministry on Tuesday slammed the United States and Britain for rank hypocrisy  for their failure to condemn the serious escalation in protest violence  this week, after a pro-mainland man was set on fire and after a police  officer shot a protester in separate incidents. And overnight Tuesday  students at the city's main public university were filmed attacking police with bows and arrows. _ _Describing prior events on Monday as deeply disturbing – foreign ministry spokesman Geng Shuang said “their lip service to justice has shown their double standards and ill intentions”._




_This after the State Department merely expressed "grave concern" and condemned the violence on "all sides" on a day in which a gruesome viral video showed a pro-mainland man being doused in combustible liquid, then set on fire as he argued with demonstrators over their attempting to shut down a nearby train station.
_
_  After one of the most horrifying scenes of violence by a mob of Hong  Kong pro-independence protesters to have played out after months of  unrest, Beijing is outraged that the US and Britain again managed to turn the spotlight back on China

__State Department spokeswoman Morgan Ortagus said,  “We urge Beijing to honor the commitments it made in the Sino-British  Joint Declaration,” which includes protecting “the freedoms of  expression and peaceful assembly – core values that we share with Hong  Kong,” according to the official statement._ 
_  This week has witnessed large sectors of the city gridlocked and  essentially shut down due demonstrators attacking public transportation  and blocking roads.

_
_

_
_Many observers have noticed violence and clashes with police have gotten so fierce, that Hong Kong riots appear to have entered an "end game" of sorts,  given Monday marked one of the most violent episodes to take place in  weeks, amid continued disruptions of the morning commute as HK's MTR  public transit shut down several stations.

And through Tuesday evening severe clashes with police raged in and  around the Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK) campus, which involved  students raiding sports facilities to obtain weapons such as javelins and bows & arrows, reportedly being used against police.
_
_

_
_According to London's The Times:
__Students armed with javelins and bows and arrows fought  police at the Chinese University of Hong Kong today amid official  warnings that the territory was “on the brink of total breakdown”._
_The scenes, mirrored at other campuses in the city, marked a drastic  escalation in the protests, which began in June. Yesterday police shot a protester at close range and a man was doused with petrol and set on fire by demonstrators._
_Upset that police had encroached on their campuses yesterday, university students set up barricades early today.
__  And elsewhere anti-Beijing social media accounts also circulated  images of students raiding a campus warehouse and staging bows, arrows,  and javelins to use against invading security forces."_

More at:

https://www.zerohedge.com/geopolitic...-arrows-police

----------


## harrybarracuda

Oh look, HoHo posting more chinky propaganda.

There's a surprise.

----------


## Chittychangchang

Expat friend of mine posted this pic...

----------


## Backspin

Young people around the world are probably taking notes. This might be how we bring down the Boomer oligarchy. If a mob started in my city, I'd don a mask and join them in destroying the city

edit: Im not young. I only feel young because im just as fuct as i was 10 years ago. Even after working hard and saving my money

----------


## OhOh

^^
Bamboo, what would Asia do without it.




> If a mob started in my city


Some "cities" have different containment/dispersion methods and tolerance scales, check you local MSM for advice.  :Roll Eyes (Sarcastic): 

https://twitter.com/i/status/1194176298806939648

https://twitter.com/hashtag/HongKong?src=hash

<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/HongKong?src=hash" target="_blank">https://twitter.com/i/status/1194634650737504256

----------


## harrybarracuda

I'm sure the chinkies were hoping it would all blow over.

Looks like that's not going to happen.

The more they arrest, the more it seems to get people out on the streets.

----------


## Chittychangchang



----------


## Chittychangchang

> ^^
> Bamboo, what would Asia do without it.
> 
> 
> 
> Some "cities" have different containment/dispersion methods and tolerance scales, check you local MSM for advice. 
> 
> https://twitter.com/i/status/1194176298806939648
> 
> ...


Some interesting clips in them links!

----------


## Chittychangchang

Replying to @steve_hanke
In #HongKong, the police pepper spray an unarmed pregnant protester in the face. #Chinese Communist control rears its ugly head in the form of vicious police brutality.

----------


## misskit

A bit off topic for this thread, but a history lesson here.

*Former Top Kuomintang Aide James Soong Joins Taiwan Presidential Race*Former top KMT official James Soong entered Taiwan's presidential race onWednesday, representing the People First Party he founded in a move that could draw support away from pro-China opposition KMT candidate Han Kuo-yu.

Soong, whose party favors a gradual rapprochement with China, could split the "blue" vote: people who oppose Taiwan forging an identity for itself on the international stage, something that Beijing has blocked at every turn.

"The election on Jan. 11 for the president of the Republic of China will be my sixth and final campaign," said Soong, a veteran politician with deep roots in the former nationalist KMT-ruled Republic of China that fled to Taiwan after losing a civil war to Mao Zedong's communists in 1949.

Soong said he decided to run again after Taiwan's richest man, the Foxconn boss and billionnaire Terry Gou, announced he would be withdrawing from the race, causing him "sleepless nights."

Soong will run on a platform that favors maintaining the sovereignty of the Republic of China -- which now controls the islands of Taiwan, Penghu, Kinmen and Matsu -- rather than supporting a specifically Taiwanese identity on the world stage.

There was no mention at his campaign launch of the 1992 informal accord between Taiwan and China that has been roundly rejected by Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) incumbent Tsai Ing-wen, to Beijing's fury.

That understanding, known as the 1992 Consensus or the "one-Chinapolicy," saw both the Taiwan-based Republic of China and the People'sRepublic of China under the Chinese Communist Party as differentexpressions of the same entity -- China -- effectively blocking Taiwan from membership in international bodies and from forming diplomatic ties in its own right.

Since her election in 2016, Tsai has rejected the agreement as infringing on Taiwan's de facto sovereignty, and vowed to defend the island's freedoms and democracy after Beijing warned it wouldn't wait indefinitely to annex the island.

Beijing wants to rule Taiwan under the "one country, two systems" concept used to take back the former colonial cities of Hong Kong and Macau.

Tsai has been an outspoken critic of the Hong Kong government since the anti-extradition, pro-democracy protest movement gripped the city in early June, calling on Beijing and chief executive Carrie Lam to heed the call of the people of Hong Kong for fully democratic elections.


'White Terror' in Hong Kong


After riot police raided the Chinese University of Hong Kong on Tuesday, raining down tear gas and rubber bullets on students, university staff and college president Rocky Tuan, Tsai drew parallels with the "white terror" era of dictatorship under the one-party rule of the KMT in Taiwan.

"During the white terror, the armed police also entered universitycampuses, and police suppressed freedoms," she wrote on her Facebookpage. "These are sad memories that we have no wish to see repeated."

"It was hard for Taiwan to emerge from those dark times, and now HongKong is entering them," she said in a reference to the island's struggle for democracy that saw the KMT crack down on all forms of political dissent for decades.

"Hong Kong's freedoms and the rule of law are being eroded byauthoritarian power," Tsai wrote. "Taiwan is at the forefront of the global fight against the spread of authoritarianism."

Soong said that, if elected, he would ensuring the continued existence of the Republic of China and its current freedoms.

"[I will ensure] that votes continue to be cast, investments continue to flow, the internet remains open, that prayers are still said and offerings still made, and that the president continues to be the target of insult and criticism: in short, all the trappings of a democratic society," Soong said.

KMT hopeful Han Kuo-yu, whose campaign has been marred by gaffes and aperception that he lacks diplomatic skills, has also vowed to defend the Republic of China and to uphold freedom and democracy, but his campaign includes a commitment to "love Chinese culture," differentiating him from the "green" vote that prefers a Taiwan-centric world view.

Asked about Hong Kong, Soong, a former aide to late supreme KMT leaderChiang Ching-kuo, gave a conflicting message.

"Both sides should calm down and communicate better," Soong said."Armed opposition and conflict are not good for Hong Kong."

"I believe that Hongkongers are a lot like folk in Taiwan; they think that freedom and democracy are their inalienable right," he said, but didn't specify how such a right could be defended without conflict, in the event that the government of the day refused to grant it.


Checkered past


National Chengchi University literature professor Chen Fang-ming said the KMT under Chiang Ching-kuo had behaved in a very similar manner to the Hong Kong government when it sent in armed troops to put down pro-democracy demonstrations during the 1979 Kaohsiung, or Formosa,Incident.

"Stop trying to alter your own memories now that times have changed. We all remember," Chen said, adding that Soong's claim that Chiang hadtreated the nascent Tangwai political opposition in Taiwan with respect and leniency was "fake" and "a lie."

"[When the demonstrations were over], they sent police to arrest people in their homes, one by one," he said.

"He shouldn't mess with our memory of history," Chen added. "I became a political activist after that incident. Taiwan may have solved the problem [of democracy], but James Soong has not; he still lives in that era."

Taiwan began a transition to democracy following the death of ChiangChing-kuo in January 1988, starting with direct elections to the legislature in the early 1990s and culminating in the first direct election of a president, Lee Teng-hui, in 1996.

It has never been controlled by the Chinese Communist Party, nor formed part of the People's Republic of China.

Chinese president Xi Jinping said in a Jan. 2 speech that Taiwan must be "unified" with China. The People's Liberation Army (PLA) echoed thesentiment in a military white paper in July.

Tsai has repeatedly responded that Taiwan's 23 million population have no wish to give up their sovereignty.

Taiwan was ruled as a Japanese colony in the 50 years prior to the end of World War II, but was handed back to the 1911 Republic of China under the KMT as part of Tokyo's post-war reparation deal.



https://www.rfa.org/english/news/chi...019154133.html

----------


## misskit

*Holed up in university, Hong Kong protesters issue demands*HONG KONG (AP) — Protesters who have barricaded themselves in a Hong Kong university partially cleared a road they were blocking and demanded that the government commit to holding local elections on Nov. 24.

One lane of the Tolo Highway was cleared in both directions Friday morning, but the road remained closed after workers sent to clean up shattered glass and other remaining debris were threatened by protesters with bows and arrow and hard objects, authorities said.


“Since the highway is still filled with hard objects and devoid of any road signs or traffic cones, reopening the road would certainly cause danger to road users,” a government statement said.

The protesters at the Chinese University of Hong Kong said the road would be blocked again and warned of other unspecified consequences if the government didn’t meet their demand within 24 hours.


The district council elections are seen as a barometer of public sentiment in the semi-autonomous Chinese territory, which has been riven by anti-government protests for more than five months. Pro-democracy activists say the government may use the escalating violence as a reason to cancel the elections.

The police, meanwhile, said they would investigate the death of a 70-year-old man who was hit in the head by a brick as a murder case.


The man died of injuries Thursday night, and the Hong Kong government expressed outrage over what it called “the malicious acts of the rioters.”

In London, Hong Kong Justice Secretary Teresa Cheng was pushed to the ground by activists who were following her and shouting at her, injuring her hand, the Chinese Embassy said.


“We express strong indignation and unequivocally condemn the activists,” the embassy said in a statement. “Now, they are taking such violence abroad and into the U.K.”

Hong Kong leader Carrie Lam called the attack “barbaric” and said it violated the principles of a civilized society.


Students and other protesters have taken over major campuses in Hong Kong, building barricades and stockpiling gasoline bombs and other weapons.


A masked protester at Chinese University announced in a 3 a.m. statement to assembled media that the group would clear the road for 24 hours.

https://www.thaipbsworld.com/holed-u...issue-demands/

----------


## Backspin

> I'm sure the chinkies were hoping it would all blow over.
> 
> Looks like that's not going to happen.
> 
> The more they arrest, the more it seems to get people out on the streets.


The Millenial and Zoomer have-nots believe that voting will solve their problems. It wont. Just look at France and the Paris riots.  

This has nothing to do with mainland China. Its the have-nots vs the Hong Kong Boomer oiligarchy

----------


## harrybarracuda

> The Millenial and Zoomer have-nots believe that voting will solve their problems. It wont. Just look at France and the Paris riots.  
> 
> This has nothing to do with mainland China. Its the have-nots vs the Hong Kong Boomer oiligarchy


Better tell Whiney the Pooh then, because he's been bleating about it at the BRICS conference.

Although you're partially right in that even if they were free to elect their own leader, the chinkies wouldn't let that person do anything substantive anyway.

Because it has EVERYTHING to do with mainland Chinastan.

----------


## OhOh

Maybe it's all the HK gold?

----------


## harrybarracuda

> Maybe it's all the HK gold?


Maybe what is?

----------


## OhOh

> the police pepper spray an unarmed pregnant protester in the face


Did this " pregnant female" not think she was putting her foetus at risk, acting illegally and attacking police officers? Or is this an "entitled generation" thing




> It appears the "peaceful protesters" had another stroll around and a sunny afternoon picnic, in the HK parks.
> 
> After their snooze they went onto reinforce their interpretation of foreign governments words
> 
> “We urge Beijing to honor the commitments it made in the Sino-British Joint Declaration,” which includes protecting “the freedoms of expression and peaceful assembly – core values.


It appears "attacking" an ambulance, by throwing paving slabs into it, aimed at the occupants, rocking it violently and soaking the ambulance inhabitants with "liquid". We now know what "liquids", the peaceful protesters throw at HK citizens, deadly flammable ones. 

Has this attitude now become  a  "core value", an acceptable "expression of freedom“?

Maybe in some countries they are allowed. I suspect not in the UK, Canada, Qatar or Thailand and they probably constitute an illegal or terrorist act, but I don't personally know of one. 

Are they acceptable/tolerated in your country of origin?

Videos of the incidents are available here"

https://www.rt.com/news/473683-hong-...ers-ambulance/

----------


## harrybarracuda

Stop posting your stupid pro-chinky Russian state propaganda HoHo, everyone knows it's bullshit.

----------


## OhOh

*China State Council Appoints New Police Chief in Hong Kong - Report*

_"The appointment  comes amid fierce clashes between protesters and police, which saw  demonstrators hurling petrol bombs, bamboo poles and bricks, and  shooting arrows at officers.
__
China's  state council has appointed Tang Ping-Keung, also known as Chris Tang,  as a new police chief for Hong Kong, Xinhua said Tuesday. The  appointment reportedly follows the retirement of Stephen Lo from the  position.__
On Monday evening, about 70 injured protesters  trapped at the besieged Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU)  - after police closed all university exits following violent clashes -  surrendered.
_
_John Lee, secretary of security in Hong Kong, said that everyone  trapped inside PolyU would be arrested for taking part in the rioting.
_
_The protesters reportedly occupied PolyU last week, creating a  temporary stronghold while hurling petrol bombs at police during a week  that has seen the most intense violence in over eight months of  anti-government rallies.
_
_Massive peaceful protests began in Hong Kong in mid-March over a controversial extradition bill which was finally withdrawn in October._
_Frustrated with the local authorities’ heavy-handed responses to the protests, demonstrators expanded their demands  to add an independent investigation into allegations of police  brutality as well as seeking greater civil liberties, including  universal suffrage, while calling for the resignation of Hong Kong Chief  Executive Carrie Lam.
_
_Beijing has insisted that the Hong Kong protests are the result of  foreign interference in China's domestic affairs, and have fully  supported the actions of security forces and the local government."_

https://sputniknews.com/asia/201911191077345248-china-state-council-appoints-new-hong-kong-police-chief---report/

One would have thought the HKSAR had this role

Appointed by, but being previously nominated by, the HKSAR.

_"The Government of the [HKSAR] will be composed of local inhabitants. The  chief executive will be appointed by the Central People's Government on  the basis of the results of elections or consultations to be held  locally. Principal officials will be nominated by the chief executive of  the [HKSAR], for appointment by the Central People's Government."_

https://www.cmab.gov.hk/en/issues/jd2.htm

Eerily similar, it seems, as the UK/Oz and UK/Canook and other current Kingdom entities, setup.

The allegedly "peaceful protesters", "_would be arrested for taking part in the rioting"

_As China claims it has evidence of "_foreign interference" to use. They will be h_opefully charged, tried, and sentenced, if found guilty, to some place such as Guantanamo/Nauru Island/Christmas Island/Mauritius and the Seychelles, for indefinite detention/"re-education". Even used as labour to rebuild the Universities or road gangs, to rebuild the HK facilities that they have wrecked.

----------


## Klondyke

And after all, they do not mind paying their gas 10 times more than the oppressed Iran people... 
Any support from Pompeo?



> Secretary of state retweets message stating support for ‘the proud Iranian people’ amid demonstrations over hikes in gas prices

----------


## OhOh

*Hong Kong appoints new police chief Chris Tang, says fake news undermining reputation*


_"Hong Kong  appointed the new police chief, Chris Tang, today. He took office  with a warning that "fake news" was undermining the reputation of his  police force.
_
_Tang replaced Commissioner Stephen Lo in the face of major  anti-government protests in the city, which have now escalated into a  scuffle at a university. The protests have been ongoing for the last  five years against the government of Hong Kong and the influence of  China on the city.
_
_"First of all, regarding our relationship with the community, I  understand that there is a certain segment of the community (that) have  different views of about police enforcement. But you have to understand  that as a law enforcement agency, we have to enforce the law. And we  have to maintain the law and order in Hong Kong'', Tang said.
_
_Even though the size of demonstrations  has dwindled in recent weeks, clashes have become violent and angry  after a protestor was shot by the police. Another man, who was set  alight is contributing to the agitation of the people. The city of Hong  Kong continues to be on lockdown with tear gas serenading otherwise calm  streets."

https://www.police.gov.hk/ppp_en/01_...sofficers.html
_
https://www.wionews.com/world/hong-k...utation-263048

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-h...-idUSKBN1XT086

The Reuter rolling in blood report and the same fake political message paragraphs, have been updated 25 minutes ago to include this change.

This man, Commissioner Stephen Lo, retired to where?;_



This man Commissioner Chris Tang, steps up to the plate;

_

----------


## harrybarracuda

So the chinkies have put a hardliner in charge?

----------


## OhOh

^No idea, 

"It's too early to say".

It does appears the former didn't have any solutions.

----------


## Norton

> It does appears the former didn't have any solutions.


Nor will the new guy. Hong Kong folks are not gonna fold up their protest tents and go home. A get tough new chief will only make the protesters more determined as did this get tough episode did generations ago. 

Not a generational thing OhOh other than it is often the young which let us see the folly we allow our governments to pursue.

----------


## harrybarracuda

Well it appears that they are being put on trains to China for for a bit of Uighur style "re-education".

https://www.taiwannews.com.tw/en/news/3819595

Or perhaps for their kidneys and livers.

https://www.forbes.com/sites/zakdoff.../#1e213ad72ec7

I suppose we'll know if they are ever seen again.

----------


## OhOh

> Not a generational thing OhOh other than it is often the young which let us see


Unfortunately the MSM are pushing the young, as being the main protestors, even down to school kids. hence the outrage in the police handling of these "innocent and gullible children". 

Is that where society is going, allowing young, immature - physically, mentally and morally, to determine society for all. With no place for the advice, institutions or systems of those that may have seen some similar issues previously in the lives? Studied history for clues, but being 30+ years old they cannot express their opinions If they do they are burnt to death on the streets, shot with arrows, have paving slabs dropped on their heads, schools closed, train, bus and car travel destroyed, peoples businesses and livelihoods ruined.

As such and viewing the "protestors" on videos released there doesn't seem to be any, shall we say visible "mature" handlers. That of course may be by design.

There appears an absence of any elected HK political parties forcefully stating objections in any political arena, why not? Is there no opposition in the HK parliament? If so why not? If it's because there have been no real elections for years why have the current problems arisen? Please dont suggest an extradition bill caused all this.

If as some suggest a new election, under the same setup as agreed between China and the UK to last for 50 years, will solve these problems I ask why? 

One more election which the "opposition" lose, as allegedly they have done in the past few attempts, will just create another reason for more lethal terror attacks in HK.

If this was only HK it may require but one local remedy, but look around the world, Europe, N & S America, Middle East, Africa and Asia, chaos is running amuck many streets somehow or another.




> put on trains to China


But have they been charged with any offences, received legal advice, pleaded guilty or not, .........?

I suspect there is a long way to go before they leave HK police custody ....

But I may have been wrong and believed my dreams rather than reality. it's happened before, too  many times to be precise .....

Off to bed

----------


## harrybarracuda

> There appears an absence of any elected HK political parties forcefully stating objections in any political arena, why not? Is there no opposition in the HK parliament? If so why not?


Of course there isn't, they're all politicians and probably being offered very large sticks and carrots to toe the chinky line.




> If it's because there have been no real elections for years why have the current problems arisen? Please dont suggest an extradition bill caused all this.


People can only take so much and it only needs one thing to tip them over the edge.

The Arab Spring started when one single Tunisian man, trying to scrape a living selling fruit and veg, was assaulted and had his wares confiscated by some fucking whore of a government jobsworth and her goons. He had had enough and set fire to himself.

That lit the fires across Africa and the Middle East, some of which are still burning today.

Clearly the one insidious chinky bill didn't set the Hong Kong people off, they must have been increasingly concerned at the chinkies poking their noses in and that was just the final tipping point. Even then the protests were mild and may well have petered out if that stupid chinky stooge hadn't sent the police wading in with tear gas and batons.

Now the protesters know peaceful doesn't work.

----------


## baldrick

the protestors were outplayed

the protests were allowed to go on long enough that the average citizen is now wanting things back to normal and then the hard core allowed themselves to be corralled somewhere they could be controlled and removed

the result will be that hong kong will become a very tightly controlled city

----------


## Norton

> the protests were allowed to go on long enough that the average citizen is now wanting things back to normal


Just talked to an old HK friend yesterday. An average citizen by any measure and he would disagree.

----------


## harrybarracuda

Oooh this will get Whiney the Pooh whining!

 :smiley laughing: 




> The US Senate has passed legislation aimed at protecting human rights in Hong Kong amid a crackdown on the pro-democracy movement, as dozens of protester spent a fourth day stranded in a university campus.
> The “Hong Kong Human Rights and Democracy Act” will go to the House of Representatives, which approved its own version last month. The two chambers will have to work out their differences before any legislation can be sent to President Donald Trump for his consideration.
> “The people of Hong Kong see what’s coming – they see the steady effort to erode the autonomy and their freedoms,” Republican Senator Marco Rubio said at the start of the brief Senate debate, accusing Beijing of being behind the “violence and repression” in the Asian financial hub.
> The Senate passed a second bill, also unanimously, that would ban the export of certain crowd-control munitions to Hong Kong police forces. It bans the export of items such as tear gas, pepper spray, rubber bullets and stun guns.
> 
> https://www.theguardian.com/world/2019/nov/20/hong-kong-anger-in-china-as-us-senate-passes-bill-protecting-protesters-rights

----------


## harrybarracuda

Meanwhile the chinkies threw their toys out of the pram and Sweden told them to fuck off and grow up.

Petulant little wankers, the chinkies.




> Swedens prime minister has rejected threats from China that Sweden will suffer the consequences for awarding a freedom of speech prize to the detained Chinese-born Swedish publisher Gui Minhai.
> 
> Gui was one of the five Hong Kong-based publishers and booksellers who disappeared in 2015 having printed books critical of the Chinese government. He reappeared in 2016 in custody, saying on Chinese state television that he had surrendered after fleeing a fatal drink-driving incident 11 years before. Released in 2017 but prevented from leaving China, Gui was seized by plainclothes police while travelling to Beijing with two Swedish diplomats in January 2018. Since being filmed making what supporters believe was a confession under duress, he has been imprisoned.
> 
> Earlier this month, Swedish PEN announced that it would be giving Gui the Tucholsky prize, named after the German writer Kurt Tucholsky who fled Nazi Germany for Sweden. It is awarded annually to a persecuted or exiled writer, with previous recipients including Salman Rushdie and Belarusian Nobel laureate Svetlana Alexievich. Swedish PEN said it had chosen Gui to honour his tireless work for free speech.
> 
> In response, the Chinese embassy in Stockholm said that the decision to award the prize to Gui was not only a sheer farce, but also a mockery of genuine freedom of speech and a slap in the face of Swedish PEN itself, born out of an ulterior political agenda and consistent biases and hostility against China.
> 
> As is known to all, Gui Minhai is a criminal who has committed serious offences in both China and Sweden. He is a lie-fabricator and rumour-spreader, said the embassy, calling on Swedish PEN to cancel the prize. The producers of this farce ignore the will of Gui Minhai himself, and act on their own wishful thinking, self-righteousness and arrogance. They will surely suffer the consequences of their own actions.
> ...

----------


## OhOh

> aimed at protecting human rights in Hong Kong


It does appear the UN already has such legislation in it's charter, defining  the acceptable and unacceptable which already applies to all countries which have  signed up.

https://www.un.org/en/universal-decl...-human-rights/ 

In addition the UN has a committee for these types of allegations to be determined, judged and can call for action. If the regime on Mexico's northern border  wishes to inform the UN of it's unbiased opinion I'm sure it will be noted, along with all other countries opinions.

The regime government on Mexico's northern border, could always withdraw from the UN Charter and start it's own organisation. This of course will have only the "here today gone tomorrow" regime leaders definition/commitment to abide by. Which has credence for only an hour or two in some instances. 

One can only hope the regime on Mexico's northern border and other countries, continue to condemns all countries governments and corporations that do not "protect human rights" world wide. I presume the UN committee have the definitive definition of "protecting human rights" that should be applied, as opposed to a single country legislator's definition.

One suspects the regime on Mexico's northern border's military and corporations, may be the worst offenders. 

But the complete list would be a pretty long one.

----------


## OhOh

> Gui Minhai is a criminal who has committed serious offences in both China and Sweden.


A true or false statement?




> We have freedom of expression in Sweden


But does it match the UN definition?

_"Article 19.

__Everyone has the right to freedom of  opinion and expression; this right includes freedom to hold opinions  without interference and to seek, receive and impart information and  ideas through any media and regardless of frontiers."

https://www.un.org/en/universal-decl...-human-rights/_





> the egregious case of injustice against Gui Minhai


This person is an internationally respected legal expert?

----------


## OhOh

It seems the mice have finished their "nibbling phase". Having explored the HK environment and deduced it's not for them, they try and retire back to their home



 via the sewers.*

Hong Kong students' sewer escape thwarted*

_"Some anti-government protesters trapped inside a Hong Kong university on  Wednesday tried to flee through the sewers, where one student said she  saw snakes, but firemen prevented further escape bids by blocking a  manhole into the system.

__Reuters witnesses said fewer than 100 protesters remained inside the  Polytechnic University, surrounded 24 hours a day by riot police, after  more than 1,000 were arrested beginning late on Monday. 
_
_Some  surrendered while others were held during escape attempts that included  trying to clamber down ropes to waiting motorbikes on Monday night, with  protesters throwing petrol bombs and police responding with tear gas,  rubber bullets and water cannon. 
_
_I told my mom when the police  started storming that I wasnt leaving. I told her: I want a democratic  society and you are not willing to stand up and fight for it, Jack,  21, an accounting and finance student, said on Wednesday. 
_
_She wrote back with a crying emoji, he said. My parents just keep saying they love me, and to keep healthy. 
_
_The streets were quiet on Tuesday and Wednesday._ 

_Protesters,  wearing waterproof boots and carrying torches, resurfaced inside the  campus after unsuccessfully probing the sewers - where fast-rising water  levels are also a hazard - for a way out during the night. 
_
_Police  said six people were arrested on Wednesday - four while removing a  manhole cover outside the campus and two climbing out.  
_
_Firefighters, whom the students let on to the campus, were in place  to stop any further attempts, blocking the only feasible entrance into  the sewer system in an underground car park on campus. 
_
_The sewer  was very smelly, with many cockroaches, many snakes. Every step was  very, very painful, said Bowie, 21, a student at Hong Kong University  who was forced to turn back. 
_
_Id never thought that one day I would need to hide in a sewer or escape through sewers to survive. 
_
_The  university on the Kowloon peninsula is the last of five that protesters  had occupied to use as bases from which to disrupt the city over the  past 10 days, blocking the central Cross-Harbour Tunnel and other  arteries.  
_
_This mission is a loss, said Brutus, 21, who became a  protest frontliner in August. He and his girlfriend were taking a break  to eat an orange, a Snickers bar and hard-boiled eggs in one of the  classrooms._ 
_After all of the things that happened, I  dont think protesters taking control of the universities was a good  option. We dont have gear like the police. We are not well-organized  like the police.  
_
_Brutus said he also felt bad about damage to  the university. Breaking the CCTV cameras was fine, he said, because  that was about protecting people. But other damage was wrong   especially to the library. 
_
_We are here to learn. Now we cant pass those books to the students coming in next year. That is a great loss._ 
_He and his girlfriend left to look for a way to escape. 
_
*ROTTEN FOOD* 

_Police said nearly 800 people had left the  campus peacefully by late on Tuesday and they would be investigated,  including nearly 300 under the age of 18. At least 24 were seen walking  out on Wednesday. 
_
_Hong Kong leader Carrie Lam has called for a  humane end to a siege that saw the most intense clashes since the  protests escalated more than five months ago. 
_
_Police said they  had no plans to storm the campus, now wrecked and daubed with graffiti,  parts of it stinking of petrol used to make Molotov cocktails and rotten  food, with broken glass everywhere.  "

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-h...KBN1XU052?il=0
_

----------


## OhOh

*An article suggesting once the illegal demonstrators chose a redoubt, the movement ended.

End of stand-off at the Hong Kong Polytechnic marks the beginning of the end of China’s patience*


_"Together with the surrender of the hold-outs amongst the rioters  who’d commandeered the Polytechnic, it marks a significant turning point  in what had become an existential challenge to Chinese rule in Hong  Kong.
_
_My own rule of thumb would be that when protest moves from  the fluid and temporary to the static and permanent, it ceases to be a  protest and becomes a challenge for power. And no regime on earth still  capable of resisting can possibly tolerate that for long."

https://www.rt.com/op-ed/473908-hong...sity-standoff/
_

----------


## Norton

> My own rule of thumb would be that when protest moves from the fluid and temporary to the static and permanent


...it is only a matter of time until the suppressing government falls.

----------


## Backspin

> Oooh this will get Whiney the Pooh whining!


The USA and China are each others biggest trade partners. China is the US's biggest external creditor. These 2 economies are one house of cards.

Its funny to watch homers from each side, (like seppo Harry here) taking shots at each other. Without realizing that its mutually assured economic destruction.

----------


## OhOh

> it is only a matter of time until the suppressing government falls.


Are you suggesting the next hour, following a diversion tweet from a  foreign countries leader under investigation for illegal actions?

The next quarter, as demanded by some failing private and national financial entities? 

The next year, as demanded by a foreign candidates, election manifesto?

The next 3+ years to match the next HK government election? (HK election history suggest more of the same results.)

The next 20+ years when this guy retires?



*
**Xi Jinping                                              *  
Current Titles
Since

General Secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China
November 2012

Chairman of the Central Military Commission
November 2012

Leader of the Central Leading Group for Foreign Affairs
November 2012

Leader of the Central Leading Group for Taiwan Affairs
November 2012

President of the Peoples Republic of China
March 2013

Leader of the Central Leading Group for Comprehensively Deepening Reforms
November 2013

Chairman of the Central National Security Commission
November 2013

Leader of the Central Leading Group for Internet Security and Informatization
February 2014

Leader of the Central Leading Group for National Defence and Military Reform of the Central Military Commission
March 2014

Leader of the Central Leading Group for Financial and Economic Affairs
June 2014

Commander-in-Chief of the Joint Battle Command of the Peoples Liberation Army
April 2016

Chairman of the Central Commission for Integrated Military and Civilian Development
January 2017


"Whiney the Pooh", awarded by The TD's Self Elected Foreign Minister, 'arry 
August 1055                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              BC          
 
The publication of China's next millennium Plan?

----------


## harrybarracuda

Whack-a-mole....

Be interesting to see what happens in the upcoming elections.




> *Hong Kong protesters and pro-police group clash during lunchtime demonstration in Central*Hundreds take to streets in financial district, where they are met by dozens of police supporters, leading to scufflesRiot police move in to disperse both sides amid more lunchtime protests held in rage against city government


https://www.scmp.com/print/news/hong...p-clash-during

----------


## HuangLao

> Just talked to an old HK friend yesterday. An average citizen by any measure and he would disagree.



After the dust has settled, I don't believe there will be such a beast as normalcy - as they know it. 

All this over sensationalized chaos, by every media circle, has led me to wonder what the real percentage break down of those pro/con, resisters/extremists, reasoned indifference, or those wanting to remain the course. I might be a little skeptical as to wanting to understand the true numbers [that have been placed] of vocal separatists in ratio to those good HKers, regardless of class, who could go either way. 


"Internationally" speaking, this mess has grown to be a convenient media [pro or con] circus with all the predictable trimmings. 
Almost a manufactured and promoted distraction in a manner. 

Nothing will come of it and no one will benefit, with the exception of the controllers.

----------


## OhOh

> Be interesting to see what happens in the upcoming elections


One hopes the polling stations are peaceable.

Any idea what the turnout and results were last time/

*Hong Kong district shows why Sunday's local election is a key test*

_"Nearly six months of anti-government protests are set to thrust Hong  Kongs lowest-tier of government onto the international stage on Sunday  with elections that will be a test of support for the embattled  administration of Chief Executive Carrie Lam.

__Pro-establishment parties dominate Hong Kongs 18 district councils,  which function as advisory bodies and control local spending. With a  record number of candidates, this year will be the first time that all  452 seats are contested. 
_
_The rural district of Yuen Long near the  Chinese border has traditionally been a pro-establishment stronghold.  But having experienced months of demonstrations and some of the most  violent unrest, the balance of power in the 45-seat council is likely to  face a severe test on Sunday. 
_
_District council is not that  powerful, but it is not totally powerless, said Tommy Cheung, a  pan-democratic candidate for Yuen Long who is a former student leader of  the Umbrella Movement pro-democracy protests of 2014 that paralyzed  parts of the financial center for 79 days. 
_
_Cheung, 25, runs a business that trades agricultural products and had  planned to study abroad until an attack in Yuen Long on July 21 made  him change his mind. 
_
_That night, more than 100 white-shirted men  beat black-clad anti-government protesters and commuters in Yuen Long  train station. The incident left protesters seething at what they felt  was a lack of prompt police action to intervene and protect those  bloodied by the suspected triad gangsters. 
_
_Angered by  the assault, Cheung  who grew up and lives in the nearby district of  Tuen Mun  decided to run for office in Yuen Long and vows to launch an  investigation into the attack. 
_
_Cheung said that while district  councillors must tend to neighborhood matters, it would be inappropriate  to focus solely on local issues given the simmering, often violent,  protests that have shaken the China-ruled city. 
_
_Political  factors will be much more important than the community issues, said  Cheung. But in Yuen Long, July 21 is not only a political issue  its  also a community issue. 
_
_My residents and voters want change. 
_
_Gripping  a walking stick because his feet were swollen from canvassing, Cheung  added: I dont think the movement will end in the short term. The  movement will go on for years. 
_
*BACKLASH FROM MODERATE VOTERS? 
*
_Underlining  the added significance of the district elections, a record 4.1 million  people out of a population of 7.4 million have registered to vote, in  part a result of registration campaigns during the protests. 
_
_If the pro-democracy campaigners gain control of the district  councils in Sundays vote, they could secure six seats on the citys  Legislative Council, or parliament, and 117 seats on the 1,200-member  committee that selects Hong Kongs chief executive. 
_
_Although  pro-democracy campaigners expect to gain votes, Ivan Choy, a senior  lecturer on electoral politics at the Chinese University of Hong Kong,  said the camp may not have the support of many moderate voters.
_
_If  the district council elections had been conducted in May, June, or  July, I think the democrats would have had a landslide victory, said  Choy. 
_
_After five months ... Im worried that there will be some backfire from the moderate voters who want to restore order. 
_
_It has been long dominated by conservative and rural forces, Choy  said. If the democrats can get more seats in Yuen Long district, it  would mean the support of the movement and the sentiment against the  July 21 incident are very strong. 
_
_Jason Chong, a 28-year-old  candidate from the Democratic Alliance for the Betterment and Progress  of Hong Kong  the territorys largest pro-Beijing party  said he is  eager to improve quality of life in his hometown. 
_
_With three  years experience as a community officer for his political party, and  advice from his father  a former district councillor  Chong is  familiar with the role and said this election is a totally different  game, likening candidates during the protests to doctors serving in war  zones. 
_
_Before the war, youre just doing normal jobs. But  during the war, you have to do a lot more  theres a lot more patients  coming in. I think its a little bit similar in politics, Chong said. 
_
_One problem he wants to address is young peoples disillusionment with the government and fears for their future. 
_
_You  have to listen to what they say, Chong said. If not, were going to  lose them. They may leave Hong Kong, or they may do something stupid  that they may regret afterwards and end up in jail. 
_
_Cheung  Chor-yung, a political scientist at City University in Hong Kong,  believes the pro-democracy camp will fare well if there is a high voter  turnout. 
_
_If the opposition network can really penetrate every  district, this is a kind of political force that you cannot ignore,  whether you are in the government or Beijing, he said. 
_
_If they can sustain the community work after the election, it could be a kind of fundamental change._ 

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-h...KBN1XX07F?il=0

----------


## OhOh

*Why The Hong Kong Riots Are Coming To An End*

_"The U.S. sponsored riots in Hong Kong are mostly over. They were sustained much longer than we had expected.

The "marginal violence" campaign of the "pro-democratic" students has failed to win more support for them.

 Regular Hongkongers are increasingly willing to take a stand against further provocations:__
Demonstrators gathered at about 12.30pm on a bridge outside  Exchange Square, which houses Hong Kong’s stock exchange in the city’s  financial heartland, in another round of lunchtime protests that have  been staged most days over the past two weeks. Scuffles broke out after a pro-police group of about 50 people showed  up about an hour later, but police arrived soon after to clear the  area.

 During at least two altercations between some members of each group,  an anti-government contingent yelled “go back to China” at their  adversaries, and one of their number kicked a woman walking towards the  smaller group.


__Ten days ago the core of the black clad rioters began to paralyze  Hong Kong's traffic during regular workdays. They ransacked nearly every  metro stations and barricaded large thoroughfares and tunnels. Schools  were closed, businesses and workers were severely harmed.

 One 70 year old street cleaner was killed when he was hit by a stone  thrown by the rioters against civilians who tried to remove a barricade.  A 57 year old man was drenched with gasoline and set alight after he  verbally disagreed with the rioter's ransacking of a metro station. A  policeman was shot with an arrow.

 The rioters occupied the Chinese University and the Polytechnic  University (PolyU) which are next to large streets and the important  Cross-Harbor-Tunnel. Using the universities as logistic bases and  fortifications they managed to keep many roads closed throughout day and  night. After some negotiations with the president of the Chinese  University the rioters evacuated from there while leaving some 8,000 petrol bombs behind. They concentrated in the PolyU next to the Cross-Harbor-Tunnel.

 That was a mistake.

 Last Sunday the police surrounded the PolyU and let no one leave.  Those who wanted out were either arrested or, when under 18, identified  and handed to their parents. There were several violent battles when the  rioters attempted to break through the police cordon but only a few  escaped.



bigger After a few days most of those inside PolyU surrendered to the police.

       Today there are still some 30 rioter  holed up in a PolyU building. The police are waiting them out. They  said that it had made more than a thousand arrests. The university is  ransacked and there was significant battle damage. The rioters again left thousands of Molotov cocktails and other weapons behind.

 The blockage of the city traffic and the increasing damage caused by  rioter vandalism has alienated even those away who earlier supported  them. As the police now have most of the core rioters under arrest there  is little chance that such violent protests will continue.

 On Sunday there will be citywide district council elections in Hong  Kong. China had pushed for the elections to go forward under all  circumstances. Riot police will guard all polling stations.

 Weeks ago the "pro-dem" candidates, who supported the rioters, were  still poised to win more seats than they had held before the protests.  But they now fear that the general public will punish them for the  mayhem they have caused and will choose establishment candidates:__
Chinese University political scientist Ivan Choy Chi-keung  said while the turnout could set another record, the overall situation  was more unpredictable than before. “The pan-democrats could have won a landslide victory if the  elections had been held in the summer, when the protests erupted,” Choy  said. “But after the recent clashes at two universities, undecided  voters may be worried about public order and be discouraged from voting.

 He was referring to fiery battles protesters fought with police  outside Chinese University on November 12, followed by more  confrontations outside Polytechnic University last week.

 “It will be difficult for the camp to win more than half of the seats, as some originally envisaged,” Choy said.


__The Hong Kong government has conceded none of the protesters' "five  demands". The only thing that the protesters have won is the passing of legislation by the U.S. Congress:__
The House of Representatives on Wednesday followed the lead  of the Senate in overwhelmingly approving two pieces of legislation: The  Hong Kong Human Rights and Democracy Act, which requires the president  to annually review the favourable trading status that the US gives to  Hong Kong, threatening to revoke it and impose penalties against  officials if freedoms are determined to have been quashed; and the  Protect Hong Kong Act, which will block the sale of tear gas and other  policing items. The former, although largely symbolic, could alter Washington’s relationship with Hong Kong and Beijing.

 US President Donald Trump has a straightforward choice on legislation  passed on to him by the United States Congress supporting the protests  that have engulfed Hong Kong – approve or veto. Coming amid tough  bargaining on his trade war with China, he may be tempted to make his  decision part of the negotiations.
...

But Beijing sees such  measures as striking at the heart of Chinese sovereignty. Radical  protesters could be spurred to greater violence. Unspecified  countermeasures are promised should Trump give his approval. 
...

But  the trade war, violence and legislation have damaged business sentiment  in Hong Kong. Approval or not, pessimism and uncertainty have already  been deepened. There can be no winners.

__
Trump wants the trade deal with China and will therefore likely veto the bill:__
Speaking on the “Fox & Friends” morning program, the  president said that he was balancing competing priorities in the  U.S.-China relationship. “We have to stand with Hong Kong, but I’m also standing with  President Xi [Jinping], he’s a friend of mine. He’s an incredible guy,  but we have to stand … I’d like to see them work it out, okay?” the  president said. “I stand with freedom, I stand with all of the things  that I want to do, but we are also in the process of making one of the  largest trade deals in history. And if we could do that, it would be  great.”

__
A veto would only have a temporary impact as the law has passed the House and Senate by veto proof majorities.

 The idea behind the protests and the rioters In Hong Kong was all along to provoke another Tian An Men incident. This was quite obvious since the start of the protest. 

It now gets publicly acknowledged:__
BBC Newsnight @BBCNewsnight - 11:00 UTC · Nov 19, 2019 

“Some of the protesters seem to have an objective to provoke a  military confrontation with China. They seem to want a Tiananmen Square  outcome as success.”

 Fmr Foreign Sec @Jeremy_Hunt says he is “concerned with the tactics” with some of #HongKong’s protesters

__
Had China moved troops to Hong Kong, or allowed more force to be used  against the protesters, the U.S. would have used that to press its  allies to put strong sanctions on China. The protesters' violence was  designed to achieve that outcome. The plan was part of the larger U.S.  strategy of decoupling from China.

 The plan failed because China was too smart to give the U.S. what it  wanted. Now it is Trump who is under pressure. He needs the trade deal  with China because the current trade war is doing harm to the U.S.  economy and endangers his reelection.

 Which is probably the real reason why the protests have died down."_

      Posted by b on November 22, 2019 at 19:02 UTC | Permalink

 https://www.moonofalabama.org/2019/1...-end.html#more

----------


## Klondyke

*Trump said Hong Kong would be 'obliterated' without him
*
11/22/2019 10:11 AM EST

President Donald Trump boasted on Friday that he is the only reason China has not yet "obliterated" Hong Kong, where protesters have been marching against Beijing for months.

“If it weren't for me, Hong Kong would have been obliterated in 14 minutes,” Trump said in a phone interview on “Fox & Friends,” the morning news show known for its fierce defenses of the president.

China, Trump said, "has got a million soldiers standing outside of Hong Kong that aren’t going in only because I asked him,” he continued. “Please don’t do that. You will be making a big mistake. It’s going to have a tremendous negative impact on the trade deal, and he wants to make a trade deal.”

The comment comes as U.S. trade talks with China have yet again hit a snag, despite indications that a limited deal was close to being signed. The protests roiling Hong Kong are also emerging as a potential source of friction. Congress recently approved legislation that could remove Hong Kong's special trade status if Beijing encroaches too much on the territory's semi-autonomous status.

Trump ducked a question about whether he would veto the bill, which China has demanded, declaring he stands with both the protesters seeking more control over their government and his “friend,” Chinese President Xi Jinping.

“Well I'll tell you, we have to stand with Hong Kong but I'm also standing with President Xi,” he said. “He is a friend of mine. He is an incredible guy, we have to stand. I would like to see them work it out. We have to see them work it out. I stand with Hong Kong, I stand with freedom, I stand with all the things we want to do.”

Trump doubled down on his assertion that he is single-handedly saving lives in Hong Kong through his ongoing trade negotiations with China, saying “thousands of people” would be dead without the trade talks.

“If it weren't for me, thousands of people would have been killed in Hong Kong right now,” he concluded. “And you wouldn't have any riots. You would have a police state. But thousands of people. The only reason he is not going in because I'm saying it is going to affect our trade deal. You don't want to do that. I speak to him.”

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) rebuked Trump's refusal to commit to signing the bipartisan Hong Kong Human Rights and Democracy Act, calling the decision "bewildering."

“Make no mistake: President Trump's words today do not reflect what the American people or the Congress think about President Xi's oppressive policies toward the people of Hong Kong," Schumer said in a statement released Friday afternoon. "For a guy who promised to be tough on China, President Trump's reliable deference to President Xi is all the more bewildering. Being tough on China when it comes to human rights will also help us win the battle on trade.”

https://www.politico.com/news/2019/1...ng-kong-072875

----------


## OhOh

^Cringe worthy. 

UK citizens have had similar "elected representatives" for decades.

The country north of Mexico only the past one.

It seems a long pull on the toilet is required in the white house. Surely the mansion should be renamed to suit all shades of the countries citizens.

----------


## harrybarracuda

Oh god he's back to posting whackjobbery again.

----------


## Backspin

Keep Trump out of this thread. Trump is a mentally ill seppo retard. An embarrassment to the human race.

----------


## harrybarracuda

> Keep Trump out of this thread. Trump is a mentally ill seppo retard. An embarrassment to the human race.


When you're a mod you can decide what people type in threads.

Until then, best to just go and fuck yourself.

----------


## harrybarracuda

Hong Kong's voters turned out in record numbers Sunday for local council elections that the city's pro-democracy movement hopes will pile pressure on the Beijing-backed government to heed their demands after months of violent protest.

Lengthy queues snaked out of polling stations across the territory in the election for 18 district councils, where high turnout is expected to benefit democratic forces.

The Electoral Affairs Commission said a record 56 percent of the 4.13 million citizens registered to vote had cast their ballots by Sunday evening.

It was already the highest turnout in Hong Kong's history of district council elections post handover from British rule, with five hours of voting still to go.

The selection of 452 councillors - handling community-level concerns such as bus routes and garbage collection - traditionally generates little excitement, but has taken on new significance following months of political unrest.

Hong Kong has been battered by months of mass rallies and violent clashes pitting police against protesters who are agitating for direct popular elections of the semi-autonomous Chinese territory's government, as well as a probe into alleged police brutality.

District councils have long been dominated by the pro-Beijing establishment, and voters seeking change hope that weakening that grip will give their movement fresh momentum.

"Even though one ballot can only help a little, I still hope it can bring change to society and support street protests in some way," 19-year-old student Michael Ng, voting for the first time, told AFP.

The vote is the closest Hong Kongers get to direct representation.

The territory's top-level legislature is elected by a mix of popular vote and seats reserved for industry groups stacked with China loyalists, which ensures Beijing's control of the city of around 7.5 million.

The pro-democracy camp is calling Sunday's vote a referendum on Chief Executive Carrie Lam and the pro-Beijing government, who have resisted the movement's demands.

"We are voting to give our judgement on what has happened... we're also voting to make a choice for what is yet to come," said Jimmy Sham, a pro-democracy candidate and a prominent figure in the largely leaderless protest movement.

But the polls are not entirely symbolic: some candidates for next year's legislative elections will be drawn from district councillors, and the bodies also will contribute 117 members to the 1,200-strong Beijing-controlled electoral college that chooses the chief executive.

Protests have been muted in recent days after pro-democracy figures urged citizens to cease disruptions to avoid giving the government an excuse to delay or suspend the polls.

No major disturbances were reported.

"I'm pleased to say that... we should have a relatively peaceful and calm environment to conduct these elections successfully," Ms Lam said after voting in her constituency on Hong Kong island.

The political unrest kicked into high gear with giant rallies in June against a bill backed by Lam that would allow extraditions to China's opaque justice system.

The bill was eventually withdrawn as public pressure grew, but the anger that it unleashed sparked wider calls for democracy.

Chinese state media also ground into gear for election day, trotting out editorials urging Hong Kong residents "to vote to end violence" - which Beijing blames on rioting youths.

In a tweet the state-run Global Times posted a bizarre rap video splicing shots of violent clashes and positive interactions between Hong Kong residents and the police, opining "Go tell 'em / people want a peaceful place."

Analysts expect pro-democracy candidates to see gains in the district councils but still fall short of a majority of slots.

Campaigning has been marred by acrimony, with one pro-democracy candidate having his ear bitten off in an attack, while 17 other candidates of all stripes have been arrested over protest-related activities.

Election authorities banned leading democracy activist Joshua Wong from running in the district poll for backing Hong Kong "self-determination".

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/201...rendum-carrie/[/COLOR]

----------


## OhOh

Peaceful elections and apparently a decisive swing in the results.

*Hong Kong democrats romp to local election landslide after months of protests*

Hong Kongs democrats romped to a landslide and symbolic majority in  district council elections after residents turned out in record numbers  on Sunday to vote following six months of anti-government protests in  the embattled city.

In a rare weekend lull in the unrest that has rocked the financial  hub, democratic candidates across the city of 7.4 million people secured  more than half of the 452 district council seats for the first time  against a strongly resourced and mobilized pro-establishment opposition.  

When the results began trickling in after midnight, including  upset wins for democrats against heavyweight pro-Beijing opponents, some  voting centers erupted in loud cheers and chants of Liberate Hong  Kong. Revolution Now - a slogan used by many protesters on the streets  over the past six months.  

Some winning candidates said the  result was akin to a vote of support for the demonstrators and could  raise the heat on Hong Kongs pro-Beijing chief executive, Carrie Lam,  amid the citys worst political crisis in decades. 

This is the power of democracy. This is a democratic tsunami, said  Tommy Cheung, a former student protest leader who won a seat in the Yuen  Long district close to Chinas border. 

The voting ended with no major disruptions in a day that saw massive, though orderly, queues form outside voting centers. 
Pro-democracy  candidates had secured a clear majority by 8.00 a.m. (midnight GMT  Sunday) with 333 of 452 seats, compared with 52 for the  pro-establishment camp, according to media estimates. Democrats only  secured around 100 seats at the previous polls four years ago. 

Almost  three million people voted, a record turnout of more than 71% that  appeared to have been spurred by the turmoil, almost double the number  last time.  

Hong Kongs district councils control some  spending and decide a range of livelihood issues such as transport.  They also serve as an important grassroots platform to radiate political  influence in the China-ruled city. 

*PATH OF STRUGGLE*

I  believe this result is because there are a lot of voters who hope to  use this election and their vote to show their support for the (protest)  movement, and their five demands, and their dissatisfaction with the  Hong Kong government, said former student leader Lester Shum, who won a  seat. 

The protesters demands include full democracy, as well as an independent inquiry into perceived police brutality. 

The  district council is just one very important path of struggle. In  future, we must find other paths of struggle to keep fighting, Shum  said. 

The state-run China Daily newspaper said in an  editorial on Monday the election will hopefully have served as an  opportunity to return the city to normal. 

The relative  tranquility the city enjoyed since several days before the election  suggests all stakeholders regarded it as an opportunity to air their  views. 

Jimmy Sham, a leader of the Civil Human Rights Front, which organized  some of the anti-government rallies, won his electoral contest, as did  Kelvin Lam, who stood in after prominent activist Joshua Wong was barred  from running. 

A number of pro-Beijing heavyweights including Junius Ho, whose abrasive  public comments have made him a hate-figure among many protesters, lost  to pro-democracy challengers. He described it on Facebook as an  exceptional election, and an unusual result.

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-h...KBN1XY0MZ?il=0

----------


## panama hat

The people have spoken . . . and China will refuse to listen

----------


## harrybarracuda

Precisely. Let the people elect a new Chief Executive and the pro-chinky candidates would be out on their arses.

The chinkies will never let it happen.

----------


## Backspin

> Precisely. Let the people elect a new Chief Executive and the pro-chinky candidates would be out on their arses.
> 
> The chinkies will never let it happen.


Per the Westphalian order, Hong Kong is inside China. And anything that happens there is at the consent of China.

----------


## harrybarracuda

> Per the Westphalian order, Hong Kong is inside China. And anything that happens there is at the consent of China.


Oh good, not only do we have Jeff and Klondyke stating the fucking obvious, now our new multinic wanker is at it, too.

----------


## OhOh

> The people have spoken . . . and China will refuse to listen


I agree, the people of HK have spoken peacefully and IMHO  democratically. Let us discover how the newly elected representatives act  and more importantly how and what they deliver, in their area of  responsibility.

As for mainland China refusing, I believe they will await for the  situation returning to peace and the elected officials delivering,  peacefully, their manifestos. Biding their time, to watch if the  experiment is successful and can be used in China and elsewhere.  




> Let the people elect a new Chief Executive  and the pro-chinky candidates would be out on their arses.


Unfortunately 'arry the China, UK agreement has strict rules about  changes to the China/HK relationship, including political processes, 50  years I believe. 

The adopted China/UK agreement follows the previous "rules", where the  UK imposed the Chief Executive's position. You know, a UK accepted HK  "group/cabal", suggested a person for the position, but it was the UK  who after "discussions" with the "group/cabal", had the final decision.

 Those agreed rules may hamper your suggested changes. 

But China is well known for instigating "proposed changes", instigated  from their grass roots, citizens representatives, in one experimental  area. If proved successful, expanding the "then proven positive,  changes", to more areas. 

It's their democratic system, win/win for all citizens, not just the 0.001% top dogs.

----------


## cyrille

> As for mainland China refusing, I believe they will await for the  situation returning to peace and the elected officials delivering,  peacefully, their manifestos. Biding their time, to watch if the  experiment is successful and can be used in China and elsewhere.


Yeah, that's what their actions so far suggest. They see a possible model for the future of China, and can't wait to see how it turns out.

 :Roll Eyes (Sarcastic):

----------


## harrybarracuda

> Unfortunately 'arry the China, UK agreement has strict rules about  changes to the China/HK relationship, including political processes, 50  years I believe.


And yet it changed the voting process for Chief Executive to put more chinkies in charge of it, and then tried to bring in a law saying anyone could be spirited away to Chinastan for a bit of "re-education" or "live organ donation".

Try and keep up.




> But China is well known for instigating "proposed changes", instigated  from their grass roots, citizens representatives, in one experimental  area. If proved successful, expanding the "then proven positive,  changes", to more areas.


I think you mean "Chinastan is well known for being an evil, insidious dictatorship that will do anything to maintain its merciless grip on power".

If you don't, you should do.

----------


## OhOh

*Fresh headache for China after Hong Kong democrats rout pro-Beijing candidates*_"Yet on Sunday, amid a rare lull, nearly three million people - about  three-quarters of eligible voters - queued on a crisp, cerulean autumn  day to exercise their democratic rights, with pro-democracy candidates  ultimately winning nearly 400 of the 452 seats. "

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-h...-idUSKBN1XZ0RB
_

----------


## harrybarracuda

I particularly like the chinky stooge's comment that there are “various analyses and interpretations” of the voting results, and “quite a few are of the view that the results reflect people’s dissatisfaction with the current situation and the deep-seated problems in society.”

The remainder are "You got your fucking arse kicked lady" and "nobody likes you, so fuck off like you promised".





> HONG KONG—For months, members of Hong Kong’s pro-Beijing establishment have spoken of a “silent majority” here. The argument, parroted by government-friendly pundits and talking heads, offered a convenient counter-narrative to months of demonstrations and violent clashes that have ripped through the city: A large portion of the population, the fable went, had grown tired of the protests but remained quiet for fear of being attacked for their unpopular views. On voting day, they would emerge, cast their ballots, and restore an order of normalcy.
> 
> That story line, flimsy from the start, has now collapsed entirely.
> 
> Voters in Hong Kong’s district-council elections, the city’s only fully democratic contest, delivered a humiliating rebuke of the government. In a record voter turnout, pro-democracy candidates captured more than 80 percent of the 452 seats in contention and gained control of 17 of Hong Kong’s 18 district councils, all of which were previously pro-establishment following the 2015 election.
> 
> “The silent majority is more of a metaphor than a real group of people,” Samson Yuen, an assistant politics professor at Lingnan University, told me. “The voting results tell us it doesn’t exist.”
> 
> While councillors do not make laws and instead fulfill neighborhood duties—overseeing community issues such as trash removal, the upkeep of parks, and in some areas, the nuisance of foraging wild boars—they do have some citywide powers. Five seats are reserved on Hong Kong’s 70-person legislature for district-council members and, crucially, district councillors make up about a tenth of the 1,200-member election committee that chooses Hong Kong’s chief executive. The enormous gains secured by the pro-democracy camp would not only allow it to be a “significant stakeholder” in the 2022 chief executive’s election; they also give the group power over local budgetary decisions and allocations of funding, as well as access to resources, such as offices and assistants that could help build the grass roots of the movement, Yuen said.
> ...

----------


## Backspin

> *Fresh headache for China after Hong Kong democrats rout pro-Beijing candidates*
> 
> _"Yet on Sunday, amid a rare lull, nearly three million people - about  three-quarters of eligible voters - queued on a crisp, cerulean autumn  day to exercise their democratic rights, with pro-democracy candidates  ultimately winning nearly 400 of the 452 seats. "
> 
> https://www.reuters.com/article/us-h...-idUSKBN1XZ0RB
> _


How is it a headache for China ?

Democracy isn't going to solve any of the core problems. How is democracy going to solve the crony capitalism , inflation problem and poor upward mobility for the young ? Hong Kong has one of the closest systems to full democracy already. Univesal suffrage will just make it all worse.

Which is why there was a brain drain from Taiwan and Hong Kong to the mainland in the first place.

----------


## panama hat

> Which is why there was a brain drain from Taiwan and Hong Kong to the mainland in the first place.


Except there wasn't.  Many investors and businessmen moved their operations or started operations there, but a bran-drain it wasn't.






> How is it a headache for China ?


It's a massive headache because it underlines that given the opportunity to criticise China, people do and will.  This isn't lost on the mainland population, especially in the border regions.  The CCP needs full adherence to its system or they are right royally screwed if things start a downward trend, econmically

----------


## Backspin

> Except there wasn't.  Many investors and businessmen moved their operations or started operations there, but a bran-drain it wasn't.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> It's a massive headache because it underlines that given the opportunity to criticise China, people do and will.  This isn't lost on the mainland population, especially in the border regions.  The CCP needs full adherence to its system or they are right royally screwed if things start a downward trend, econmically





> Except there wasn't. Many investors and businessmen moved their operations or started operations there, but a bran-drain it wasn't.


TAIWAN’S BRAIN DRAIN HAS CAUSED PEOPLE TURNING HEADS TO CHINA
Jessica Ho is a full-time graduate student in UC Berkeley’s Master of Development Practice program.


Why is one of the “four tigers of Asia,” the once so-called “miracle economy” losing professionals at such a high rate? GlobalTalent from Oxford has ranked Taiwan the highest in “Brain Drain” globally by 2021. The government has calculated that about 7.2% of the workforce will leave Taiwan in search of better job opportunities with the bulk of it going to China.




> It's a massive headache because it underlines that given the opportunity to criticise China, people do and will. This isn't lost on the mainland population, especially in the border regions. The CCP needs full adherence to its system or they are right royally screwed if things start a downward trend, econmically


If things start a downward trend economically eh ? Like in Hong Kong ? Where they have "free" press, constitutional govt, common law and all the fixings already ?

The whole American designed proto state narrative is so laughably dated and has been shown for what it is. And the mainland Chinese know this. Sure China has problems. Sure they will have economic trouble. But how many of them will be clamoring for the American end of history model ? None.  But we are still being sold this prospectus in our own countries and the narrative is still spread like religion. So the gullible still think its a thing. Stuck in the 1990's.

----------


## OhOh

> You got your fucking arse kicked lady"


I was under the impression that the recent election was for the   lower level administration not at the "lady's" level. As such the "Lady"  will be available for reselection at the appropriate, as defined in the  HK election laws, time.

If there is a return to illegal actions on the HK  streets one can rightly assume the lack of carnage on streets during  the election was a sham.

If the recently elected politicians are  unable to deliver a safe environment for the HK citizens further  elections will be required, at the legally defined, appropriate time.




> nobody likes you


Many politicians are "disliked" around the world. Are you suggesting mass illegal actions , revolutions, elsewhere?




> so fuck off like you promised


Do you have a link to the lady's "promise"?

----------


## harrybarracuda

> How is it a headache for China ?


Looks like you need to learn more than one new word a week.

As PH says, China is terrified that a freedom movement will spread to the mainland.

Whiney the Pooh is ripe for a takeover.

----------


## Backspin

> Looks like you need to learn more than one new word a week.
> 
> As PH says, China is terrified that a freedom movement will spread to the mainland.
> 
> Whiney the Pooh is ripe for a takeover.


Lol the freedom movement he says ! 

Hong Kong has common law and constitutional government right now. It is one small step away from full retard democracy. The best thing China could do now, is give HK its full retard democracy. 

Somehow 1 man 1 vote is going to solve Hong Kongs chronic structural problems ? And all the millennial rioters are going to go back to their parents rental flat and not worry about anything anymore ? And mainland China is going to see this ? and want to emulate them ? Even though they have no riots and the govt is popular ?

----------


## harrybarracuda

> Lol the freedom movement he says ! 
> 
> Hong Kong has common law and constitutional government right now. It is one small step away from full retard democracy. The best thing China could do now, is give HK its full retard democracy. 
> 
> Somehow 1 man 1 vote is going to solve Hong Kongs chronic structural problems ? And all the millennial rioters are going to go back to their parents rental flat and not worry about anything anymore ? And mainland China is going to see this ? and want to emulate them ? Even though they have no riots and the govt is popular ?


You really *are* an idiot, aren't you?

The whole point of choosing the people you elect is to get the policies you want.

As opposed to having them dictated to you, emphasis on the word dictated.

----------


## Backspin

> You really *are* an idiot, aren't you?
> 
> The whole point of choosing the people you elect is to get the policies you want.
> 
> As opposed to having them dictated to you, emphasis on the word dictated.


Ah yes. Just as Greece did in 2015. Or any other election in the last 5 years. 

So again. Mainland China should speed up HK's drive to full retard democracy. 

It would be lefty boomer oligarchs vs righty boomer oligarchs. Just as any US election, the only thing both parties would agree on is boomer preferential treatment. 
But it would feel more fair. Universal suffrage is the communism of politics 

And the civil war resulting from wealth inequality can restart in ernest

----------


## harrybarracuda

> Ah yes. Just as Greece did in 2015. Or any other election in the last 5 years. 
> 
> So again. Mainland China should speed up HK's drive to full retard democracy. 
> 
> It would be lefty boomer oligarchs vs righty boomer oligarchs. Just as any US election, the only thing both parties would agree on is boomer preferential treatment. 
> But it would feel more fair. Universal suffrage is the communism of politics 
> 
> And the civil war resulting from wealth inequality can restart in ernest


Ah, so we learned the word "boomer".

I do laugh at people who use the word "boomer".

They're normally the ones scraping together some change to see if they can afford a large Chang instead of a small one.

Bad case of "boomer envy" there, backspin.

 :rofl:

----------


## harrybarracuda

The chinkies are grizzling and throwing their toys out of the diplomatic pram.




> (Bloomberg) -- China is making a habit of issuing vague retaliation threats. So far, however, it hasnt actually done much.
> 
> The foreign ministry gave another warning on Thursday after President Donald Trump signed bills backing Hong Kongs protesters, using language that mirrored a statement last week.
> 
> China issued similar threats earlier this year after the U.S. approved arms sales to Taiwan, sanctioned companies over human-rights abuses in Xinjiang and put Huawei Technologies Co. on a blacklist.
> 
> We suggest that the U.S. stops sticking obstinately to its course or China will take resolute countermeasures, the foreign ministry said. The U.S. side will bear all responsibility for the consequences.
> 
> Later, foreign ministry spokesman Geng Shuang dodged questions on when China would reply or whether it would impact trade talks, telling reporters to stay tuned.
> ...

----------


## harrybarracuda

Oh the Taiwanese are rubbing it in.




> Taipei, Nov. 28 (CNA) President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) on Thursday welcomed United States President Donald Trump signing congressional legislation that supports democracy and autonomy in Hong Kong.
> 
> Trump signed the Hong Kong Human Rights and Democracy Act (HKHRDA) of 2019 into law on Wednesday, according to the White House. The legislation, which cleared the U.S. Congress last week, addresses Hong Kong's status under U.S. law and imposes sanctions on those responsible for human rights violations in the territory.
> 
> "The legislation gives encouragement to Hong Kong people and lets them know they are not alone in their quest for freedom and democracy," said Tsai in a media interview after inaugurating a national nature park in Kaohsiung.
> 
> Noting that democratic countries around the world are closely monitoring the situation in Hong Kong, Tsai urged its government to heed the call of its people for democracy, highlighting the universal values of freedom, democracy and human rights.
> 
> Meanwhile, Taiwan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) said the passage of HKHRDA by the U.S. Congress and Trump's willingness to sign it demonstrate widespread U.S. support for democracy in Hong Kong.
> ...


President Tsai welcomes U.S. legislation backing Hong Kong protesters | Politics | FOCUS TAIWAN - CNA ENGLISH NEWS

----------


## harrybarracuda

Meanwhile pity the poor US ambassador to Chinkystan, who surely has more important things to do on Thanksgiving than listen to some snivelling chinky all day. Like basting the turkey and folding the napkins.




> Chinese government has summoned the U.S. Ambassador to that country to protest against President Donald Trump signing the the Hong Kong Rights Bill, and demanded that Washington should not interfere in China's internal affairs.


https://www.rttnews.com/story.aspx?Id=3049152

----------


## PlanK

The difference between now and Tienanmen Square is that in those the days 'The Revolution will not be televised' was a true statement.

These days it will be all over social media, and every worthless 'influencer' on Instagram will be publishing it.  That's the only reason the Chinks haven't sent the tanks in.  They don't really know how to navigate the global internet PR landscape.  Sure they can censor everything in their home country.  They were big on publishing the recent results on the Hong Kong elections until it went in a direction they couldn't control, after which they cut off the coverage.

Given the Chinese military have advanced by leaps & bounds over the last decade, they must still be cognoscenti that bad PR was a contributing factor to the US losing the Vietnam war, and that the US lost much confidence in their latest wars due to negative press beyond their control.

What chance do they have in convincing the world that a deadly solution in Hong Kong is morally right when they still struggle to positively spin the use of Chinese made hardware in our 5G networks.




Look forward to HoHo's next C&P from ChinkiePropaganda.com

----------


## harrybarracuda

> The difference between now and Tienanmen Square is that in those the days 'The Revolution will not be televised' was a true statement.
> 
> These days it will be all over social media, and every worthless 'influencer' on Instagram will be publishing it.  That's the only reason the Chinks haven't sent the tanks in.  They don't really know how to navigate the global internet PR landscape.  Sure they can censor everything in their home country.  They were big on publishing the recent results on the Hong Kong elections until it went in a direction they couldn't control, after which they cut off the coverage.
> 
> Given the Chinese military have advanced by leaps & bounds over the last decade, they must still be cognoscenti that bad PR was a contributing factor to the US losing the Vietnam war, and that the US lost much confidence in their latest wars due to negative press beyond their control.
> 
> What chance do they have in convincing the world that a deadly solution in Hong Kong is morally right when they still struggle to positively spin the use of Chinese made hardware in our 5G networks.
> 
> 
> ...


Talking of which that crook from Huawei is due for extradition hearings on January 20th and the trial is expected to last until October.

----------


## OhOh

> out of the diplomatic pram


Jaw, Jaw or war, war. Your choice is rather depressing.




> Oh the Taiwanese are rubbing it in


Judging by ameristan's track record, I suspect a disappointment from a known perfidious country, at the vinegar strokes.Ask the North American Indians and expand on that "morally correct" choice.




> What chance do they have in convincing the world that a deadly solution in Hong Kong is morally right


As we both know some other foreign countries have utilised deadly force for centuries, on millions of unarmed foreigners to gain a, here today gone tomorrow, advantage. China is not such a country and hasn't been for Centuries.




> when they still struggle to positively spin the use of Chinese made hardware in our 5G networks


Care to post how many countries are allowing Chinese equipment companies to bid for 5g network systems? 

No need to quote any ameristani companies, there are none. Hence the squeals from the regime north of Mexico.

----------


## OhOh

> that crook


That "crook" has yet to be charged, tried, let alone found guilty of a crime.

----------


## OhOh

duplicate

----------


## OhOh

> Sure they can censor everything in their home  country. They were big on publishing the recent results on the Hong Kong  elections until it went in a direction they couldn't control, after  which they cut off the coverage.


Unlike some country's companies with a 'truly' moral stance, that censor the whole world.




> They were big on publishing the recent results on the Hong Kong  elections until it went in a direction they couldn't control, after  which they cut off the coverage.


Not in China or HK. Possibly you need to widen your sources.

----------


## PlanK

> As we both know some other foreign countries have utilised deadly force for centuries, on millions of unarmed foreigners to gain a, here today gone tomorrow, advantage. China is not such a country and hasn't been for Centuries.


Deadly force for centuries?  I guess the Romans, the Persians, the Mongols maybe?, the Babylonians, the Turkish had a good go at it.  How long did the Arab conquests last?  Chinese had a few dynasties that tried and failed but hey, they're trying again, so points to them.






> Care to post how many countries are allowing Chinese equipment companies to bid for 5g network systems? 
> 
> No need to quote any ameristani companies, there are none. Hence the squeals from the regime north of Mexico.


The more accurate question would be how many countries are willing to ignore Cisco patents to buy a cheap Chinkie ripoff thus saving millions?  The answer would be quite a few.  But it's alright, they can assuage their guilt by banning piratebay and claiming the high moral ground.





> A bunch of other bollocks


It's obvious you have no idea how technology or the world works, but if you pay attention, you might learn a few things.  Good luck on your journey of discovery, I think you will be richly rewarded.

----------


## OhOh

> Quote Originally Posted by OhOh View Post
> A bunch of other bollocks


Where did you find this?

Inventing more lies?

----------


## harrybarracuda

> That "crook" has yet to be charged, tried, let alone found guilty of a crime.


Don't worry HoHo, it's just a formality.

 :bananaman:

----------


## OhOh

*Hong Kong police secure THOUSANDS of PETROL BOMBS, GAS CANISTERS & CHEMICALS as PolyU campus standoff ends*



          Hong Kong police have completed searches at the Polytechnic  University, removing a disturbingly vast arsenal of urban warfare  weapons, including firebombs and hazardous liquids, from the recently  besieged campus.      
Police officers from  explosive ordnance teams have secured hundreds of petrol bombs, cans of  gas and buckets of chemicals after they cleared the Polytechnic  University (PolyU) early on Friday.
The find adds to 3,800 petrol  bombs, 921 gas canisters and 588 chemicals, including acid and other  corrosive liquids, recovered the previous day, local media report.

Police  have also found over 40 damaged cars parked outside the campus; the  protesters are believed to have siphoned petrol from them to make  Molotov cocktails – a weapon widely used in recent street battles.

The university premises will now be checked for hazardous items by  fire brigades. It will be handed over to the PolyU management later on  Friday, with the police simultaneously lifting the cordon around the  area.
One of Hong Kong’s most prestigious universities has been on  lockdown since mid-November. At that time, masked rioters pelted police  with petrol bombs and set fire to the campus which they used as a  hideout for several days.

Petrol bombs and other incendiary devices were thrown not only at police officers but also at those disagreeing with the increasingly violent movement.
The  unrest unfolded in the former British colony back in May, with  protesters voicing unease over a proposed bill allowing extradition of  locals to mainland China. The controversial legislation was swiftly  dropped, but demonstrators ramped up their demands, directing their  anger at what they see as Beijing’s _“oppressive rule.”
_
On multiple occasions, the rioters damaged public property,  vandalized subway stations and tried to seize government buildings,  prompting police to respond with force.
Some Western nations have  backed the protest movement, with the US even passing legislation that  threatens sanctions over China’s response to it. Beijing, which  recovered the territory from the UK in 1997, insists that the Hong Kong  unrest is purely an internal affair and strongly rejects foreign  interference.

https://www.rt.com/news/474618-hong-...versity-bombs/



In some counties one can be arrested, charged, tries and convicted of terrorism for discussing, planning or purchasing supplies to enact such crimes.

In others ,kidnapped, transported around the world, placed in indefinite custody, without any legal trial or evidence, in foreign lands.

In others, "expertly" shot dead on the street legally and applauded by law abiding citizens media and politicians,  for carrying such deadly weapons without trial.



Somehow all of theses acts, if performed by the peace loving people of HK, are declared  politically and morally acceptable by foreign governments, media and some posters, here on TD.

One wonders what the supporters, of the HK terrorists and their illegal actions, would do if these types of events arrived in their own street, village or city.



Run out and join them or use their legally acquired sub machine guns, out of their bedroom window, whilst keeping a tally to boast about with their friends.

----------


## Klondyke

All that in the name of democracy... 

Any link what was written in the love letter from over the ocean?

----------


## panama hat

> All that in the name of democracy...


You're saying it isn't worth fighting for when confronted with the world's largest army and a repressive communist regime?






> Any link what was written in the love letter from over the ocean?


Eh?

----------


## OhOh

> the love letter from over the ocean


For you and the other deviants at TD.



https://nypost.com/2019/11/28/rocky-...ong-kong-hero/

This one?



https://zh-prod-1cc738ca-7d3b-4a72-b792-20bd8d8fa069.storage.googleapis.com/s3fs-public/styles/inline_image_desktop/public/inline-images/trump%20signs%20HK%20bill.jpg?itok=_kaByO-q


or this one?

https://www.congress.gov/bill/116th-...nate-bill/1838

He shits out so many turds a day, there may be others.




> Eh?


Possibly a reference to a recent new ameristan law being passed and signed.  :Smile:

----------


## Norton

h.r.3289 - hong kong human rights and democracy act of 2019

https://www.congress.gov/bill/116th-...bill/1838/text

----------


## HuangLao

> All that in the name of democracy...


Sure it is. 
This Democracy shit appears in numerous forms the world over, yet truly isn't practiced anywhere - even though being fancifully romanticized and championed as if it was a real existing entity.

What is practiced, and forced upon, universally might be closer related to configured Oligarchy-Plutocracy-Corporatism. 

There's no such thing as a free, independent, and self-sufficient Democratic state.

----------


## Klondyke

^Any bill drafted for supporting Iraqi people? some 400 have been killed as per BBC news..

----------


## Norton

> There's no such thing as a free, independent, and self-sufficient Democratic state.


None are perfect but direct democracies like the Swiss employ imho are about as good as they get in modern time. All these "participatory" democracies derived from the Six Nations form of government. Iroquois had it right! World needs a reset to their form.

----------


## Dragonfly

Democracy works in a society that promote intelligence and education,

not consumerism and self promotion,

----------


## Switch

> Democracy works in a society that promote intelligence and education,
> 
> not consumerism and self promotion,


You know less about HK, and China than yo do about Brexit. Stop digging.

XI has acted irresponsibly. Based on his own self importance, he couldn't wait until 2047, correctly realising that he will be dead or senile by then. He fails to understand the modern world is not entirely based on the enforced corruption, that he has imposed on Mainland China. Xi wants his legacy of uniting China and Hong Kong (along with Taiwan) so he can claim his place in history.

No patience these Chinese.

----------


## Norton

> Xi wants his legacy of uniting China and Hong Kong (along with Taiwan) so he can claim his place in history.


Xi can want in one hand a defacate in the other. Defecate hand will overflow long before he gets his wish. The people of Taiwan and Hong Kong will never accept PRC rule and it's government's behavior.

----------


## HuangLao

> None are perfect but direct democracies like the Swiss employ imho are about as good as they get in modern time. All these "participatory" democracies derived from the Six Nations form of government. Iroquois had it right! World needs a reset to their form.


Good one, Norts!
The Iroquois might be a definitive comparison. 
As there were numerous "Iroquois-like" civilisations the world over that have been forcibly lost on historiology perspectives.

A few remember and learn.

----------


## Dragonfly

> You know less about HK, and China than yo do about Brexit. Stop digging.
> 
> XI has acted irresponsibly. Based on his own self importance, he couldn't wait until 2047, correctly realising that he will be dead or senile by then. He fails to understand the modern world is not entirely based on the enforced corruption, that he has imposed on Mainland China. Xi wants his legacy of uniting China and Hong Kong (along with Taiwan) so he can claim his place in history.
> 
> No patience these Chinese.


how can anyone be that ignorant,

oh wait you are a recluse on a remote Indonesian island, pardon my french, you ignore senile cocksucker  :Smile:

----------


## panama hat

> how can anyone be that ignorant,





> 


Except that he is quite right.  Xi was a public servant for the southern province, going to HK hands held open for investment in his region . . . and he was knocked back quite a few times . . until LKS stepped up.  Petty vengeance isn't unheard of in China and their 'face' issues




> XI has acted irresponsibly. Based on his own self importance, he couldn't wait until 2047, correctly realising that he will be dead or senile by then.


Bingo

----------


## misskit

*Hong Kong police fire tear gas as thousands take to the streets in fresh protests*HONG KONG (Reuters) – Police fired tear gas to disperse thousands of anti-government protesters in Hong Kong on Sunday, ending a rare lull in violence, as residents took to the streets chanting “revolution of our time” and “liberate Hong Kong”.


The protest in the busy shopping district of Tsim Sha Tsui followed a march by hundreds of people to the U.S. consulate to show “gratitude” for U.S. support for the demonstrations that have agitated the Chinese-ruled city for six months.


Shops and businesses in the area closed early as police sprayed volleys of tear gas at protesters, including some elderly residents and others with their pets, as they marched past the city’s Kowloon waterfront, home to luxury hotels and shopping malls.


Police made several arrests as the tear gas sent hundreds fleeing toward the harbor.


Hong Kong, a major financial hub, had enjoyed relative calm for the past week since local elections last Sunday delivered an overwhelming victory to pro-democracy candidates.


Activists pledged, however, to maintain the momentum of the anti-government movement. Protests in the former British colony since June have at times forced the closure of government offices, businesses, schools and even the international airport.


Waving posters that read “Never forget why you started” and black flags with the logo “Revolution now”, protesters occupied several main roads on Sunday, with young residents and families with children filling the nearby streets.


“We had demonstrations, peaceful protests, lobbying inside the council, a lot of things we have done but they all failed,” said Felix, a 25-year-old university graduate.


“There are still five demands,” he said, referring to protesters’ calls that include an independent inquiry into police behavior and the implementation of universal suffrage.


Some black-clad protesters wearing gas masks built barricades and blocked roads near luxury stores, including Armani, while others headed toward Hung Hom, a district near the ruined campus of Hong Kong Polytechnic University.


The campus turned into a battleground in mid-November when protesters barricaded themselves in and faced off riot police in violent clashes of petrol bombs, water cannon and tear gas.


About 1,100 people were arrested last week, some while trying to escape.


Police withdrew from the university on Friday after collecting evidence and removing dangerous items including thousands of petrol bombs, arrows and chemicals that had been strewn around the site.


By Sunday night, the crowds of protesters had diminished and some roads reopened to traffic. Police said hundreds of “rioters” had hurled smoke bombs, “stirring up public fear and causing chaos” which forced them to fire tear gas.


*THANK YOU TRUMP*Sunday’s marches, which were permitted by authorities, came as a top Hong Kong official said the government was looking into setting up an independent committee to review the handling of the crisis, in which demonstrations have become increasingly violent.


The protesters are angry at what they see as Chinese meddling in the freedoms promised to the former British colony when it returned to Chinese rule in 1997.


China denies interfering, says it is committed to the “one country, two systems” formula put in place at that time and has blamed foreign forces for fomenting unrest.


Earlier on Sunday, hundreds of protesters waved American flags, with some donning Donald Trump logo hats and t-shirts, as they unfurled a banner depicting the U.S. president standing astride a tank with a U.S. flag behind him.


Trump this week signed into law congressional legislation supporting protesters, despite angry objections from Beijing.
In the morning, hundreds of protesters marched in protest against police use of tear gas.


Carrying yellow balloons and waving banners that read “No tear gas, save our children”, the protesters streamed through the city’s central business district toward government headquarters on the main Hong Kong island.


“We want the police to stop using tear gas,” said a woman surnamed Wong, who marched with her husband and 5-year-old son.


Police have fired around 10,000 rounds of tear gas since June, the city’s secretary for security, John Lee, said this week.
On Saturday, secondary school students and retirees joined forces to protest against what they called police brutality and unlawful arrests.


Further protests are planned through the week. A big test of support for the anti-government campaign is expected on Dec. 8 in a rally planned by Civil Human Rights Front, the group that organized million-strong marches in June.

https://www.thaipbsworld.com/hong-ko...resh-protests/

----------


## Klondyke

> h.r.3289 - hong kong human rights and democracy act of 2019


Wondering what would happen if Onkel Xi would issue e.g. an "Occupy Wall Street Human Rights and Democracy Act"?

----------


## Klondyke

> h.r.3289 - hong kong human rights and democracy act of 2019


*China to suspend U.S. Navy visits to Hong Kong in retaliation for rights law passage
*(that will teach them...)

Beijing also sanctioned the National Endowment for Democracy and Human Rights Watch, saying they had “performed badly.”

Dec. 2, 2019, 5:06 PM +07
By Associated Press
BEIJING — China said on Monday that it would suspend U.S. Navy visits to Hong Kong and sanction a range of pro-democracy non-governmental organizations in retaliation for the passage of legislation supporting human rights in Hong Kong by Congress last week.

Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying repeated accusations that the Hong Kong Human Rights and Democracy Act “seriously interfered” in Hong Kong’s internal affairs and appeared to back up China’s threats the U.S. would bear the cost of the decision.

Along with suspending visits by official U.S. military ships and aircraft, Hua said China would sanction organizations including the National Endowment for Democracy, the National Democratic Institute for International Affairs, Human Rights Watch and others that she said had “performed badly” in the Hong Kong unrest.

https://www.nbcnews.com/news/asia/ch...ights-n1093936

----------


## OhOh

> Police fired tear gas to disperse thousands of prtesters


or




> hundreds of people to the U.S. consulate


or




> Activists pledged, however, to maintain the momentum


or

Recently elected local government officials




> marched past the city’s Kowloon waterfront, home to luxury hotels and shopping malls.


Which group of the above?

Was the route agreed by the organisers and police, or did "some" decide to go on another illegal wrecking spree?




> hundreds of protesters waved American flags


Adults, children or "activists"?




> “No tear gas, save our children”





> Activists pledged, however, to maintain the momentum





> a woman surnamed Wong, who marched with her husband and 5-year-old son.


Taking children into potentially dangerous locations I suspect may lead to charges in some countries and children being taken away into care. 

Or were all the "protesters" briefed by the activists they and their children would be safe engaging on an illegal march through a city centre? 

Where illegal riots are now a daily occurrence. Where petrol bombs are thrown, where the use of lethal bows and arrows are used, where lethal cobble stones are thrown, where lethal catapults are used, where people throw petrol on innocent people and set them alight, where locals cleaning the streets are attacked with metal bars, cobble stones or just pushed over and kicked  ....

But hey MK keep sipping the liquor of life.

----------


## Dragonfly

that chinese leader is over rated,

thank god, we have Trump to take care of it

----------


## Klondyke

Anyway, its's really heart-breaking such a misery and suffering the HK population have to withstand. 

Luckily, there are generous people who always feel with any oppressed and tyrannized, hurrying to help them...(however, sometimes a secret visit in disguise is inevitable)

----------


## Backspin

> Sure it is. 
> This Democracy shit appears in numerous forms the world over, yet truly isn't practiced anywhere - even though being fancifully romanticized and championed as if it was a real existing entity.
> 
> What is practiced, and forced upon, universally might be closer related to configured Oligarchy-Plutocracy-Corporatism. 
> 
> There's no such thing as a free, independent, and self-sufficient Democratic state.


Well put. Well put indeed.

You know its a farce by how many countries extol it. The democratic peoples republic of ___________. 

Republics too. What's so great about republics ?

----------


## OhOh

> you could offer your services as a proof reader



Proof readers are not what they require.

More clarity in their reports however, would be a giant leap forward for mankind. Less propaganda and a more worthy perspective.

But then their lords and ladies may not be amused.




> although on the evidence of it you might struggle.


My literary skills are not relevant to the discussion on matters in HK. Although you and others here on TD seem to rate form above the function of transmitting ones opinion.

If you get my drift. :Smile: 




> He could offer his services to China Daily


It may conflict with a previous agreement and thus may not be acceptable to my patrōnus

Many  foreign news publications need to polish their output a little. They again  though, do get their "drift" through to their readers. However  distasteful it might be to some.

----------


## AntRobertson

> More clarity in their reports however, would be a giant leap forward for mankind. Less propaganda and a more worthy perspective.
> 
> But then their lords may not be amused.


I'll take Reuters as a valid source any day over Chinese and / or Russian State-sponsored media.

----------


## OhOh

> you criticize Reuter’s on the one hand — yet quote them when it suits you


My sources are varied, if they publish clear authoritative news. I have no allegiance to any source.

Many here and you show signs, accept that some "sources" are labelled propaganda. 

An example is MK latest post produced by Reuters. 

Reuters quotes "people" numbers, "protester" numbers and "vigilante" numbers, as if they are all one group. With no distinction.

The article's new content of the event is what 25% of the total. The rest is regurgitated from previous Reuters articles, which have factually been shown as fake.

My latest post, on the new Russian/China pipeline, was from Reuters. Why did I pick Reuters, because it was the first to confirm it other than RT or CD. Sometimes I add two or three sources.

It's up to you which source you use. I post news from others, there are enough here on TD posting the allegedly "true" MSM reports.

Unfortunately time after time they are proven false. But as we know most believe the most quoted, the the easier acceptable to their peer group, the requirement for thumbs up icon.

I will continue offering something to read, here on TD, until I am asked by the owners to stop.

Unless you are the owner, choose the ignore button, then your dozing won't be disturbed.

----------


## OhOh

> Perhaps you should practice what you preach.


You need to define how you choose, what is "propaganda" and "worthy". With hopefully topical examples.

I have my definitions what are yours?

----------


## Little Chuchok

> You need to define how you choose, what is "propaganda" and "worthy". With hopefully topical examples.
> 
> I have my definitions what are yours?



What are your definitions?

----------


## misskit

*Hong Kong's Leader Hits Out at Washington Over Human Rights Law*Hong Kong chief executive Carrie Lam on Tuesday hit back at the UnitedStates over its passing of a law aimed at protecting human rights in the city, which is in the grip of a six-month-old protest movement calling for more democracy and the protection of its traditional freedoms and autonomy.
"The Hong Kong government strongly opposes the Hong Kong Human Rights and Democracy Act passed by the U.S. Congress and signed by the U.S. President," Lam said. "We feel that this bill is completely unnecessary and totally unjustified."

"Of course it will have an impact ... on confidence and because it creates an unstable environment, because companies will worry about the future with regard to the U.S. government," she said.

"Everyone knows that U.S. companies play a very important part in HongKong, with more than 1,300 U.S. companies, most of them ... headquartered here or having their regional headquarters here," she said.

"This environment of uncertainty and lack of confidence is certainly not beneficial to ... anything in our economy."

Beijing on Monday said it would target U.S.-based NGOs and suspend naval visits to Hong Kong in retaliation for the passing of the Human Rights and Democracy Act by Washington last month.

U.S. President Donald Trump signed the Hong Kong Human Rights andDemocracy Act a week after the legislation cleared the House ofRepresentatives 417-1 in a show of support for Hong Kong after months of pro-democracy protests.

The new act requires the U.S. State Department to report annually toCongress whether Hong Kong is “sufficiently autonomous from China” tojustify keeping the city’s distinct trading status, and whether China has “eroded Hong Kong’s civil liberties and rule of law,” as protected by the city’s Basic Law.

It also enables the U.S. government to freeze the assets of, and refuse visas to, officials deemed responsible for human rights violations in the city.

'Nothing to add'
Tens of thousands of people poured onto the streets of Hong Kong, waving American flags and singing the national anthem of the United States in a gesture of thanks after the new law was passed.

Meanwhile, Lam said there was "no way to avoid" the use of tear gas on a legally approved march of tens of thousands of protesters in Kowloon onSunday.

She declined to comment further on the five demands of the protestmovement, saying only: "There is nothing to add."

Lam eventually withdrew legal amendments that would have allowedextradition to mainland China, but protesters also want fully democratic elections to the city's Legislative Council (LegCo) and for the post of chief executive, an amnesty for the thousands of people arrested since protests began, an end to the use of the term "rioting," and an independent inquiry into police violence.

Lam and her officials have repeatedly ruled out meeting any of the other demands.

But she said her administration plans to dig into its reserves of around H.K.$110 billion to invest in the economy and to help businesses recover.

"We need to make our economy recover as quickly as possible," she said, citing the trade war between Beijing and Washington and the past six months of social unrest at home.

"We want to see which companies and sectors are struggling the most," she said. "We will provide them with some relief, and hope to help them solve the difficulties they are currently in."

And she proposed setting up an "independent review committee" toresearch the causes of the protest movement.

"We don't want to see this social unrest recurring in future," she said, but declined to set up an independent inquiry into police violence against protesters, one of the five demands.

Independent inquiry into police violence
Rights groups, pro-democracy politicians and the protest movement haveall demanded an independent inquiry into police violence and abuse ofpower, saying that the current complaints system adds up to the policeinvestigating complaints against themselves.

Lam said the police complaints commission should be allowed to "finish its investigations," however.

Icarus Wong of Hong Kong Human Rights Monitor group said media reportsof plans to swell the ranks of the police force by more than 1,000 officers by bringing them out of retirement and retraining auxiliaries for "riot control" was contributing to the widely held view that the city is now a police state.

"Not only do we have a very large police force; we have a police force that is using increasingly forceful measures to deal with demonstrations and rallies," Wong said.

"I am particularly concerned by the expansion of the duties [of auxiliaries] to include 'riot control' work," he said.

The Police Public Relations Bureau hadn't responded to requests forconfirmation of those figures by the time of writing on Tuesday.

Pro-democracy lawmaker Lam Cheuk-ting said the police force is now atthe end of its resources after six months of street protests and pitched battles with frontline protesters, but that no new funding requests have been submitted to the city's Legislative Council (LegCo).

"The sums required to finance [overtime] have been astronomical," Lamsaid. "That's why I don't understand how they can be planning to rely on existing, internal resources."

Hong Kong police have arrested nearly 6,000 people since the anti-extradition movement broadened into a city-wide pro-democracymovement in early June, with hundreds of rioting and public orderprosecutions currently in the pipeline.

https://www.rfa.org/english/news/chi...019121252.html

----------


## Backspin

> I'll take Reuters as a valid source any day over Chinese and / or Russian State-sponsored media.


Which is why you've never heard of the Yellow vest protests in Paris

----------


## Klondyke

^If it's not on MSM (or on TD), it hasn't happened..

----------


## AntRobertson

> Which is why you've never heard of the Yellow vest protests in Paris


But I have though.

Any other pointless points?  :Dunno: 




> If it's not on MSM (or on TD), it hasn't happened..



Repeating stuff from non-MSM sources doesn't make you enlightened when it's clear that you haven't bothered fact checking it.

----------


## panama hat

> Repeating stuff from non-MSM sources doesn't make you enlightened when it's clear that you haven't bothered fact checking it.


Far too long a point made, though . . . it's easier to scream "MSM is shit", not realising that the 'MSM' consists of hundreds of sources and outlets.
Lazy demagoguery by those who blast out crap like that

----------


## Backspin

> But I have though.
> 
> Any other pointless points? 
> 
> 
> Repeating stuff from non-MSM sources doesn't make you enlightened when it's clear that you haven't bothered fact checking it.


Oh man. If you are "fact checking" then you already lost the plot. A non partisan watches propaganda from both sides and is skeptical of both as needed.

----------


## AntRobertson

> Oh man. If you are "fact checking" then you already lost the plot. A non partisan watches propaganda from both sides and is skeptical of both as needed.


If you're randomly inserting statements about the yellow vests protests in Paris then you never had a plot to begin with.

And you've also entirely missed the point. Try again.

----------


## Backspin

US backed regime change Nazis show up in HK

_Authored by Ben Norton via TheGrayZone.com,_
*Ukrainian fascists who previously fought in a US-backed neo-Nazi militia joined the anti-China protests in Hong Kong, sharing their tactics and showing off their tattoos.*


Neo-Nazis from Ukraine have flown to Hong Kong to participate in the anti-Chinese insurgency, which has been widely praised by Western corporate media and portrayed as a peaceful pro-democracy movement.

----------


## AntRobertson

> A non partisan watches propaganda from both sides and is skeptical of both as needed.





> US backed regime change Nazis show up in HK
> 
> _Authored by Ben Norton via TheGrayZone.com,_
> *Ukrainian fascists who previously fought in a US-backed neo-Nazi militia joined the anti-China protests in Hong Kong, sharing their tactics and showing off their tattoos.*
> 
> 
> Neo-Nazis from Ukraine have flown to Hong Kong to participate in the anti-Chinese insurgency, which has been widely praised by Western corporate media and portrayed as a peaceful pro-democracy movement.


 :smiley laughing:

----------


## harrybarracuda

What an arsehole.

 :rofl:

----------


## Klondyke

I am puzzled. Normally, I do not see here anything positive, nor favorable once it is about Chinkies. 

Even some members here (please no names here) are obsessed with Chinkies.

But that's not the case of the peaceful population in HK. What is the nationality of the people living in that horrible place? Can somebody please enlighten me?

----------


## Backspin

> 


Ok can someone tell me who these guys are ? Is this all just a photoshop ? These men aren't really in Hong Kong Ant ? You pathetic twat.

----------


## Backspin

> What an arsehole.


Someone please tell me who these guys in the picture are and where they are. Anyone ?

My best guess is, they are Ukrainian Nazis and they are in Hong Kong. But maybe there is a CNN report out there who says they are Australian Nazis in west Pakistan.

----------


## AntRobertson

> Ok can someone tell me who these guys are ? Is this all just a photoshop ? These men aren't really in Hong Kong Ant ? You pathetic twat.


Those men are wherever and whoever what you read tells you they are, socal. 

 :Very Happy:

----------


## Backspin

> Those men are wherever and whoever what you read tells you they are, socal.


Wow. These 2 pathetic cowards are playing dumb and denying that far right Ukrainian neo Nazis joined the Hong Kong protests because I did not use a mainstream outlet to report said Nazis here. 

We can see from the backround of the pictures and from documents that these Nazis are in Hong Kong. The four men posed in front of riot police, a burning railway station and at Polytechnic University. That's not Hong Kong noooooo :Roll Eyes (Sarcastic):

----------


## harrybarracuda

Every organised protest in the world attracts a few nutters Backspin.

What's your fucking point exactly?

----------


## PlanK

Four nutjobs fly to HK so they can ride the coattails of another movement and update their instagram pics and suddenly the whole protest movement is a US-backed Neo-Nazi conspiracy?

It's about as sad as when the Socialist worker party guys would go to student protests and try to sell their magazine subscriptions.

----------


## Backspin

> Every organised protest in the world attracts a few nutters Backspin.
> 
> What's your fucking point exactly?


Its not a good look when Nazis show up is it ... ?    :Roll Eyes (Sarcastic): 

And man, I tried to find a BBC or CNN report about the Nazis going to Hong Kong and i couldn't find anything. There's just nothing about it in the western media. Nothing.

----------


## Backspin

> Four nutjobs fly to HK so they can ride the coattails of another movement and update their instagram pics and suddenly the whole protest movement is a US-backed Neo-Nazi conspiracy?
> 
> It's about as sad as when the Socialist worker party guys would go to student protests and try to sell their magazine subscriptions.


No I wouldn't say its a conspiracy. It just looks bad. 

Which is why there is literally nothing about it in the western media.

----------


## PlanK

Breaking news:  Just found on instagram, shocking pics of Carol & Julia on holiday in Hong Kong with protesters in the background.

Carol & Julia from Norwich both claim they were just taking a harmless, opportunistic holiday snap but our investigations show more sinister hands at work.  Carol & Julia are both active in their local city politics and Carol 'liked' the recent royal wedding on facebook.  I think we can all see that the protests are being covertly funded by the Norwich District Council and are part of a royalist plot to retake Hong Kong for the Queen.

Why has this not being covered by Western media?
What more are they trying to hide?

----------


## Backspin

> Breaking news:  Just found on instagram, shocking pics of Carol & Julia on holiday in Hong Kong with protesters in the background.
> 
> Carol & Julia from Norwich both claim they were just taking a harmless, opportunistic holiday snap but our investigations show more sinister hands at work.  Carol & Julia are both active in their local city politics and Carol 'liked' the recent royal wedding on facebook.  I think we can all see that the protests are being covertly funded by the Norwich District Council and are part of a royalist plot to retake Hong Kong for the Queen.
> 
> Why has this not being covered by Western media?
> What more are they trying to hide?


I wonder if Carol and Julia were hosting an academy of street protest a couple weeks ago, in London.  ::chitown:: 

“Fight for freedom stand with Hong Kong!!” said another post by Filimonov, showing them posing, masked, alongside Hong Kong protesters. 

“Hong Kong welcomed us as relatives,” Serhii Filimonov wrote on Facebook Saturday, sharing a video of himself and other Ukrainian far-right figures in the semi-autonomous Chinese city.
Prominent Ukrainian neo-Nazi figures have been spotted in the Hong Kong protests just weeks after hosting an “academy of street protest” in Kiev.



^Translated by Google

Friends, I have the honor to participate in an interesting and cool Street Protest Academy project where I am invited as a lecturer. So if you have the time, the inspiration and the desire to be socially active - join, apply. And bye

----------


## AntRobertson

> Wow. These 2 pathetic cowards are playing dumb and denying that far right Ukrainian neo Nazis joined the Hong Kong protests because I did not use a mainstream outlet to report said Nazis here.


Incorrect socal... We were discussing sources and I'm laughing at your use of them and melodramatics. 

Stop being such a beta-cuck.  :Very Happy:

----------


## harrybarracuda

> Its not a good look when Nazis show up is it ... ?   
> 
> And man, I tried to find a BBC or CNN report about the Nazis going to Hong Kong and i couldn't find anything. There's just nothing about it in the western media. Nothing.


Maybe no-one cares that a few hangers on from the troublemaker community have gone to create a fuss as they do everywhere there is an opportunity, and realise that their actions have absolutely nothing to do with the real protesters?

Just saying'.

----------


## Klondyke

> Maybe no-one cares that a few hangers on from the troublemaker community have gone to create a fuss as they do everywhere there is an opportunity, and realise that their actions have absolutely nothing to do with the real protesters?
> 
> Just saying'.


*Hong Kong police ‘dispose of 10,000 petrol bombs in a week’*
Police have given the media rare access to their bomb disposal unit.

This weekend marks six months since Hong Kong's pro-democracy protests began.

Ahead of more rallies, police have given the media rare access to their bomb disposal unit.

They say in the past week alone, they have disposed of more than 10,000 petrol bombs used by protesters.

https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2019/...140929795.html

----------


## panama hat

> They say


Luckily they didn't have to prove it




> they have disposed of more than 10,000 petrol bombs used by protesters.


How does one do that?

----------


## OhOh

> How does one do that?


They have connections who can utilise them, if and when prompted.

Knowing a variety of types of people, can be advantageous.

----------


## panama hat

> They have connections who can utilise them, if and when prompted.


Right, but I literally meant, how can they do that:

"_they have disposed of more than 10,000 petrol bombs used by protesters."_

----------


## harrybarracuda

> Right, but I literally meant, how can they do that:
> 
> "_they have disposed of more than 10,000 petrol bombs used by protesters."_


Fill up their police bikes?

----------


## Klondyke

> "they have disposed of more than 10,000 petrol bombs used by protesters."


If it hasn't been on rfa, it had not happened...

----------


## misskit

*Hundreds of thousands march for freedom: Hong Kong update*HONG KONG: Hundreds of thousands of protesters marched through Hong Kong to mark Human Rights Day and press for greater democracy in the city in the biggest rally in about six months.


Protesters still clogged the main streets of the city hours after the masses began to leave the gathering point in Victoria Park in Causeway Bay and wind their way to the Central district. The was the first time in four months that an event organized by the Civil Human Rights Front has been given the go-ahead by the government.


Earlier in the day police said they arrested 11 people and uncovered an arms cache in a raid. Officers seized a semi-automatic pistol, bullet-proof jackets, retractable batons and pepper spray in the raid, which they suspect would have been used by an “extreme” group of people trying to attack police or “create chaos” during the rally, they said at a press conference, citing intelligence reports.

MORE https://www.bangkokpost.com/world/18...ng-kong-update

----------


## OhOh

> The was the first time in four months that an event organized by the Civil Human Rights Front has been given the go-ahead by the government.


Is it the first time the "protestors/terrorists" have stuck to the planned route, refrained from throwing deadly petrol bombs, cobble stones? Firing "poisoned" arrows, utilising large catapults, attacking police offices, wrecking HK's civic buildings, train stations  ........?

----------


## panama hat

> Is it the first time the "protestors/terrorists" have stuck to the planned route, refrained from throwing deadly petrol bombs, cobble stones? Firing "poisoned" arrows, utilising large catapults, attacking police offices, wrecking HK's civic buildings, train stations ........?


No, it's not the first time.  Do you have a failing memory?

----------


## harrybarracuda

> No, it's not the first time.  Do you have a failing memory?


No, just a selective one.

----------


## OhOh

> Do you have a failing memory


I can't remember!




> No, just a selective one.


A failing and selective memory? 

How does one tell?  Please don't say ask the wife.

----------


## harrybarracuda

> I can't remember!
> 
> 
> 
> A failing and selective memory? 
> 
> How does one tell?  Please don't say ask the wife.


Well it's like this:

----------

