#FirstHand #Feb14
Riot Police Insolently Clearing Out Civilians of a Peaceful Rally

2200
Riot police disrespectfully drove nearby civilians away. In the meantime, a reporter was intercepted and asked to show his media pass. Soon afterwards, riot police requested all civilians on the scene to leave, including those on pavement.

#Feb14 #ValentinesDay #ChineseCoronavirus #LoveandSolidarity #PoliceState

#FirstHand #Feb14
2208 | Lai Chi Kok
A group of grey-hair protesters, including Grandpa Chan, member of the voluntaey police watchdog "Protect the Children", came into conflict with police officers on the scene.

#Feb14 #ValentinesDay #LoveandSolidarity

#FirstHand #Feb14
2215| Lai Chi Kok
Police shone strong light at citizens, and continued to disperse the crowd.

#Feb14 #ValentinesDay #LoveandSolidarity #PoliceState

#Feb14 #FirstHand
Police lose their temper in front of Civilians

2213 | Lai Chi Kok
Riot police continued their verbal intimidation to the civilians on site, while questioning passers-by who were filming. Police shone strong lights at civilians and cameras.

#ValentinesDay #HongKongProtests #HappyValentine #LoveandSolidarity

#CoronavirusOutbreak #ValentinesDay
The Mosted Wanted Valentine's Day Gift in Hong Kong During Coronavirus Outbreak

In a survey conducted by a dating company in Hong Kong, 30% of the interviews want to receive face masks and disinfectants on Valentine's Day in 2020.

Source: Now News #Feb14
Image: Internet

#FaceMasks #HappyValentine #HongKong2020

Granny rather wears home-made napkin mask to save supply for family members
https://t.me/guardiansofhongkong/17170

The Contrast Between Police and Medics in Hong Kong
https://t.me/guardiansofhongkong/17053

2020 Valentine's Day: We Have Each Other
https://t.me/guardiansofhongkong/17171

#DailyUpdate #Feb14
COVID-19 World Updates (14/2):

⁃ The number of global infected has risen to 64,460 while the number of deaths in now at 7171.

⁃ The World Health Organization-led joint mission to China is expected to touch down this weekend.

⁃ US CDC director: Novel coronavirus is "probably with us beyond this season, beyond this year"

⁃ German citizen tests negative twice after previously testing positive for coronavirus

- Egypt confirmed first new case of COVID-19 with no obvious symptoms.

- COVID-19 infection in Japan expands, new cases in 6 places including Tokyo

⁃ Japan announces $140 million fund to combat the coronavirus

⁃ The Japanese government announced on 12 Feb that she would grant subsidies to mask manufacturers, requiring factories to switch to 24-hour production, so as to provide at least 100 million masks per week, and it is expected to ease the mask shortage as soon as next week.

⁃ No talk yet about how coronavirus could affect summer Olympics in Japan, health official says

⁃ Russian woman escapes coronavirus quarantine by short-circuiting the lock

⁃ Cambodia welcomes stranded cruise ship passengers after they have been turned away from ports around Asia over fears they could be carrying the new coronavirus finally began disembarking in Cambodia on Friday.

⁃ Singapore's Prime Minister Li Xianlong said that due to the impact of the new coronavirus epidemic, Singapore's economy may enter a recession and the economy may be severely hit in the coming quarters.

⁃ Diamond Princess disembarkations complete for today

Source: CNN, John Hopkins University, Mingpao, Stand News, NHK, NYT

#COVID19

#DailyUpdate #Feb14
COVID-19 China Updates (14/2):

⁃ China's National Health Commission revises down death toll after "duplication", the total deaths reduced by 108, the number of confirmed cases reduced to 63,918

⁃ China officially announces for the first time 1,716 medical staff are infected and 6 deaths

⁃ Chinese President Xi Jinping called the coronavirus outbreak a “big test” for the country in a speech to Communist Party members, state television reported Friday night.

⁃ Shenzhen Metro will fully implement the real-name system from Sunday to track the itinerary of patients with new pneumonia and track close contacts.

- Shanghai implements traffic control, non-Shanghai license vehicles are not allowed to enter Shanghai

⁃ Agglomerated infections have occurred in 4 companies after the resumption of work in Chongqing, Jiangsu Suzhou, Hunan Loudi, Shanxi.

⁃ Following the release of the first “wartime control order” in Zhangwan District, Shiyan, Hubei, on 13 Feb xiaogan Dawu County and Yunmeng County respectively announced their entry into “wartime management” status. On the evening of 14 Feb, Honghu City also announced that it entered the "wartime management" state.

⁃ Hilton has temporarily closed 150 hotels in China due to the coronavirus outbreak. That's more than 60% of the hotels the brand has in the country.

⁃ Pan Asia International suspends certain plants and restaurants operations in China in response to epidemic. The graphene production plant in Jixi, Heilongjiang Province, and restaurant operations in Shanghai and Chengdu, China were suspended.

Source: Business Insider, RTHK, MP Weixin qq, Weibo CN

#COVID19

#CourtCase
Hong Kong's High Court Allows Appeal by the Government: Citizens will remain restricted from Civic Square

The High Court’s Appeals Division issued a written judgement on Feb 14, allowing the government’s appeal for their restrictions for the east wing of the government quarters commonly known as the “Civic Square”, or literally a square for all civilians.

On the eve of Umbrella Movement in July of 2014, dozens of civilians attempted to enter the Square in a rally in protest of the government's issurance of funding to develop the northeastern New Territories of Hong Kong.

The authorities have since closed off the Square and had fences installed. Citizens are banned from entering from Monday to Saturday, whereas on Sundays and public holidays, citizens will have to apply and get an approval to use the space for any rally or activities.

Cheung Tak-wing, a retired photographer believes that these measures have restricted the freedom of speech and assembly of Hong Kong citizens. He submitted a judicial review in 2014, and judge Thomas Au Hing-Cheung of the High Court ruled against the government-imposed restrictions on the area in 2018.

However, the Department of Justice later appealed.

The High Court’s Appeals Division issued a ruling on 14 Feb allowing the government’s appeal and Cheung will be required to pay the cost.

The Chief Judge of the High Court Jeremy Poon Shiu-chor, Vice-President of the Court of Appeal of the High Court, Johnson Lam and Justice of Appeal of the Court of Appeal of the High Court Justice Aarif Tyebjee Barma unanimously ruled that the Administration Department's appeal was allowed, referring to the constitutional measures of the Administration Wing are helpful in order to maintain the "orderly operation of the legislative building".

Source: Stand News #Feb14
http://bit.ly/37nLIjh
#CivicSquare #JudicialReview

#Rumour
Paper Over the Cracks: Civil servants Pushed to Buy Masks for Government

On an online platform, government staff revealed that they were pushed to buy masks for the government online. In normal cases, the Government Logistics Department is to be responsible for supporting other departments in areas of procurement and supplies. However, according to the report, other civil servants, even senior officials like Senior Engineers (SE) and Chief Engineers (CE), were drafted in to purchase masks online.

They were now assigned a target number of masks and were asked to search for sources online themselves, while transactions were restricted to be below $5000 and in accordance with standards of Correctional Services Institutes. However, the statement pointed out that under the preexisting Stores and Procurement Regulations, it will be illegal to do so as it forces staff to make repeated purchases. Despite higher officials’ best efforts to appease the staff, many public servants voiced their discontent for being forced to commit illicit acts. “You haven’t been using your brain. How come you still can’t use it now?”

#Feb14 #FailedState #IllicitActs #HKSARG

Money speaks louder than humanity:
World Photography Awards remove Hong Kong protest images raise speculations about self-censorship

Hong Kong artist Chung-Ming Ko entered finalist round of 2020 Sony World Photography Awards with his works “Wounds of Hong Kong.” However, on #Feb14, he found the link to his collection was broken, who went on and discovered two more series “Battleground Hong Kong” by American photographer David Butow and “Hong Kong Protestors” by Australian artist Adam Ferguson were disappeared. The WPO defended the decision, in an initial reply to inquiries, by saying they were taken down temporarily over the “sensitive nature” of his images.

The edited series was uploaded, with only four left out of the original series of 10 pictures. Ko bewailed the decision by the judges. “I don’t know who’s complaining and what their concerns are. But why should any ‘concerns’ not be addressed by the judges at the judging phase?” asked Ko in a response to Hong Kong Free Press. Nevertheless, he still hoped to share his photos in Hong Kong (now numbered at 20). “If WPO couldn’t release these Hong Kong protest-related photos for now, I hoped to share it here,” he said on his Facebook Page.

Link to Ko’s works “Wounds of Hong Kong”:
https://bit.ly/39NsHbL

Only 5 pictures remained in another series “Battleground Hong Kong” by David Butow:
https://bit.ly/2SW4v06

No pictures were deleted in Adam Ferguson’s “Hong Kong Protestors”.
https://bit.ly/2SVJwud

Ironically, photojournalist Mustafa Hassona won 3rd place in last year’s WPO by “Palestinian Right of Return Protests”, which captured moments in the Palestinian movement.
https://bit.ly/2HCLhr5

Meanwhile, Title Sponsor of WPO Sony Corporation, hardly-battered over accusations of self-censorship, issued a statement that affirms that although Sony is the title sponsor, the contest was operated by the WPO independently.

WPO team
https://www.worldphoto.org/meet-the-team

Source: USP, HKFP #Feb19 #SelfCensorship

#Newspaper

Award-winning protest photos, "Wounds of Hong Kong", were again removed on the Sony World Photography Awards website

(9 Jun) The Stand News journalist entered the Sony World Photography Awards official website and found that the 10 photos that once appeared this morning have been removed again, with only 4 photos remaining. Award winner Chung Ming Ko responded on facebook, “It’s pointless to look into the reasons why they have been posting and deleting the photos”. The public could view the full collection on Ko’s facebook page.
 
The Stand News wrote to the organizer, enquiring why some of the winning photos were deleted again. The organizer’s PR reply said, "As an international award and platform, we will consider our reach when publishing content, as well as the responsibility to be aware of the audience’s point of view. We encourage people to learn more about the award-winning photographers, and explore their full collection through the photographers’ channel and the links from our website”.
 
Editor’s note: Photos from Ko’s collection, “Wounds of Hong Kong”, were previously removed by the organizer in the finalist round due to the “sensitive nature” of his images
https://t.me/guardiansofhongkong/17751

Source: Stand News

#Sony #Censorship #Kowtow #SharpPower

Meet the Hong Kong expat proving to be a thorn in HSBC’s side

On New Year’s Day last year Hong Kong politician Ted Hui was temporarily blinded by a riot officer who lifted his protective goggles to fire a stinging pepper spray into his eyes.

Days later the 38-year-old vowed to return to the frontlines of the pro-democracy movement, calling it his duty to hold the police accountable. He refused to hold back in the months that followed, dropping rotten plants and stink bombs during council sessions in protest against new laws which suppressed democracy in the city.

Source: Telegraph #Feb14

#TedHui #HSBC #Blinded #Democracy

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/business/2021/02/14/meet-hong-kong-expat-proving-thorn-hsbcs-side/

The vow under totalitarianism: Lester Shum and Nicole Yu look each other in the eye and grow together

Arrest, imprisonment, exile, emigration, border closure, quarantine, surprise inspection… Over the past year or so, the ruthless regime has forced people apart for short and for long. Freedom to unite was striped off. 

Saying "never part and never give up" these day requires unwavering determination to defy. 

"I, Nicole Yu, take you, Lester Shum, to be my wedded husband."

"From this day onward, we shall walk side by side, never part and never give up.” 

"May we always look each other in the eye and firmly hold each other's hands."

"In love, we care for each other and grow together. In hardship, we embrace each other."

"Time will pass but our love has no end."

Source：Standnews #Feb14

#Interview #Vow #LesterShum #NicoleYu #Together #HongKong #NationalSecurityLaw

https://telegra.ph/The-vow-under-totalitarianism-Lester-Shum-and-Nicole-Yu-look-each-other-in-the-eye-and-grow-together-06-06

#StudentsUnion #Rights #FreedomOfSpeech
“Resist till the end”: Hong Kong Student Union vow to carry on the fight for student rights and academic freedom

The Student Development Services of City University (#CUHK) in Hong Kong has demanded its Student Union to vacate and return its premises by February 14, claiming that the union failed to comply with a request to submit 16 years of audited financial records within two weeks.

On February 14, representatives of the student union executive committee staged a parting ceremony before returning the office space. They marched from the office to Cut Price, a store run by the student union which offered stationery, snacks and other items to CityU students at a discounted price.

Using a calligraphy brush, a student wrote the phrases “freedom of thought,” “academic autonomy,” “[we will] not yield a single step” and “resist till the end” at the store entrance.

The march ended at the “democracy wall,” a message board previously used by students to share their views on political events. Next to the wall was the Goddess of Democracy statue, a monument commemorating Beijing’s military crackdown on a student-led democracy movement in Tiananmen Square on June 4, 1989.

Some students pushed over the red barricades surrounding the wall to put up memo stickers with final messages to the student union.

“Thank you, student union,” one note read.

Another one read: “Grateful that we have walked together for 37 years. Add oil, hang in there!”

Source: Inmediahk, HKFP, CityU Students Union Facebook; #Feb14
https://www.facebook.com/387603714763860/posts/1841380409386176/

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