#DailyUpdate #May1 #COVID19

COVID-19 Updates (1/5)

At the time of writing, 3,333,193 cases of the coronavirus had been confirmed with 235,121 deaths lworldwide.

Brazil has now overtaken China with 87,187 confirmed cases of COVID-19 nationwide.

US has more than 29,500 new cases recorded on Thursday, bringing the total of confirmed cases nationwide to 1,099,275 cases.

Russia reported 7,933 new coronavirus cases on Friday, it's the biggest single-day jump in cases so far. Bringing the total number of confirmed cases to 114,431 cases.

South Korea announces one new local transmission after reaching milestone of zero cases.

Qatar sees spike in cases among foreign workers as the country confirms 13,409 cases of the virus.

Japan reports nearly 200 new infections as total cases near 15,000.

Singapore records more than 900 new cases after brief respite from spike bringing the nation’s total number of confirmed cases to 17,101 cases.

India extends nationwide lockdown for 2 weeks.

Drug dealers pose as food delivery drivers during coronavirus lockdown, said Interpol.

Expert predicts up to two more years of pandemic misery.

In UK, Heathrow airport expansion is expected to be delayed by at least 2 years because of coronavirus.

British health authorities reported as many as 12 children, some of whom tested positive to COVID-19, were seriously ill in hospital with severe inflammation in the body. It then issued an alert warning that the condition could be related to COVID-19 in children, or that there "may be another as-yet-unidentified infectious pathogen associated with these cases".

Hubei province in China will lower its coronavirus emergency response level from the highest level starting on May 2.

UN chief laments "lack of leadership" in the face of the pandemic.

American, Delta, Frontier Airline require passengers to wear face masks.

Malaysia will reopen most businesses next week.

The US Navy has now tested all crew members on 2 virus-stricken ships.

Australia's government will meet next Friday to consider easing lockdown restrictions.

Ecuador is distributing coronavirus tests door-to-door in one of its hardest hit cities.

Source: CNN, Worldometer

#PoliceState #LabourDay
Heavy Police Deployment during Golden Week: Police Humiliate Disabled Lawyer

At around 10pm on 1 May, riot police re-entered New Town Plaza and encircled a visually impaired female lawyer who insisted to stay and observe police enforcement.

First-hand Photos: https://t.me/guardiansofhongkong/20098

Some officers hurled insults at her, taunting “you are blind, you can see?” while ignoring her request for the officer’s operation call-name of the day.

[Editor's note: In the police operation in Cityplaza on Apr 26, police officers also mocked pro-democracy district councilor Andrew Chiu whose ear injury was caused in an attack alleged by a pro-Beijing supporter months ago.]

Source: Stand News; USP #May1
#ShopwithU #Shatin #PoliceState #Discrimination

Riot police Enters Shopping Mall to Disperse Hongkongers on Labour's Day Holiday
https://t.me/guardiansofhongkong/20066

Police Drive Away Wheelchair-bound Reporter
https://t.me/guardiansofhongkong/20095

#AsiasFinest #Corruption #HongKongPolice #ChrisTang
Third controversy amongst the top brasses of the Police Force, involving Commissioner PK Tang

Previously,

This newspaper first enquired with the police at about 3 pm, last Friday (#May1). At 9 pm, the police replied that Tang had rented the unit, "but moved out of the site last year." At about 1 am the next day, the police added a reply, saying that if the newspaper had relevant information or evidence on the matter, "please inquire or file a complaint to the relevant department, and the relevant personnel will cooperate with the investigation held by that department."

At 5:30 p.m. on the same day, the reporter asked the police again of the time when Tang moved out last year. He also mentioned that the unit was issued a statuary removal order by the Housing Department and asked whether Tang was informed. However, the police's final reply was a repeated one, that the reporter should submit the evidence to the relevant departments.

The police responded to the incident by drop-feeding information.

There are still many doubts that have not been explained to the public regarding on whether Tang leased unauthorized units. This also includes questions of whether the tenant was informed of the illegal modifications when they signed the lease and if they were aware of the existence of the unit before receiving a notification from the Buildings Department, whether the unauthorized unit been used during the entire rental period, and whether in 2017, after learning from the Buildings Department that he had to deal with the problem of unauthorized construction, did he actively assist the Department in contacting the owners and request that it be dealt with as soon as possible, along with other questions regarding the unauthorized building. All of them remained unanswered.

Tanya Chan, the convener of the Democracy Camp Caucus and a member of the Civic Party, criticized Tang for his lack of political sensitivity. She stated that Tang as a senior official, should be more prudent in dealing with the unauthorized building issue, seeing that it is a recurring political scandal, and that "after notifying the owner, he should've tried other methods."

“If he knew that it wasn't legal and that there is a safety issue with the construction, he shouldn't have used it at all."

Chan thinks that Tang cannot be excused just because he is not the owner, or simply because the illegal structures were not built by him.

Council Members now questioning this series of scandals

The Democratic Legislative Council member Lam Cheuk Ting bluntly stated that the police's "clarification" is in fact an attempt to "warp reality".

"Him moving out because of the illegal construction is not a fact."

He believes that if Tang knew of the illegal construction before renting, strictly speaking, he should not have rented it at all. The Security Committee of the Legislative Council will hold a meeting this afternoon, with Tang attending the briefing "Hong Kong Public Security in 2019" and answer questions from the legislators.

It is expected that he will respond to the recent series of scandals of the "one department, three controversies" of the police force. It is difficult to guarantee whether or not he will be questioned. Lam made it clear that he will ask Tang to explain the serious corruption of the police under his management.

Source: Apple Daily #May5
#Scandal

#FirstHand #Interview #BenLam #May1
Police aggression disturbs peaceful night in Mongkok –
Interview with District Councilor Ben Lam Siu-Ben (Mong Kok East)

Q: What happened earlier?

A: Around midnight (May 1), a large group of around 40 riot police disembarked from 3-4 EU police cars at Bank Center, and they set up cordon line at the junction of Shanghai street and Sai Yeung Choi Street South.

Q: What was going on?

A: I didn’t witness the whole incident from beginning to end. There were 10 - 20 civilians wandering around Bank Center, just peacefully going about their night lives. I suspect that the police thought these people might have violated the gathering ban, so they came to drive the people away.

Objectively speaking, yes, the 10-20 people might have been too close together. But to send 40-50 riot police to intimidate them - is that really necessary?

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#FirstHand #Interview #BenLam #May1
Police aggression disturbs peaceful night in Mongkok –
Interview with District Councilor Ben Lam Siu-Ben (Mong Kok East)

(cont'd)

They also briefly set up cordon lines, but less than 10 mins later the whole troop went back to their cars and left.

Q: Several riot police were acting quite aggressively, banging on their shields, yelling at civilians and ordering them to leave at once. How would you comment on their behavior?

A: Yes, banging on shields like that in the middle of the night really disturbs the residents in their homes nearby. They were also quite hostile towards reporters and district councilors on the scene. I saw one civilian using an ATM machine by himself, and the police still went over to intimidate him. He was quite startled.

They set up another cordon line on Nathan Road facing Sai Yeung Choi street South, but only for about one minute. This is completely unnecessary; it's a waste of police resources.

Q: Would you bring up these concerns to the Mong Kok police district commander, particularly their disturbing the peace of the community?

Our District Council has been discussing police aggression in meetings almost every month. However the police representatives who attended were not receptive to our suggestions, and sometimes they even left halfway through the meeting. We certainly will continue to bring up these concerns, but I also would not expect the police to change their ways.

#May2 #PoliceState #HKProtest #YellowEconomy #SingwithU #ShopwithU

Further reading: Riot Police Heavily Deployed in Mongkok
https://t.me/guardiansofhongkong/20104

#PoliceState #PoliceBrutality
Riot Police Repeatedly Thrust and Shove Subdued Men as if Venting Anger

Source: Apple Daily #May1

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https://t.me/guardiansofhongkong/20397

#Baptist
Anti-ELAB and Anti-mask ban Pastor Lo Hing-cho re-elected as the chairman of the Baptist Convention of Hong Kong

Part 1: https://t.me/guardiansofhongkong/20398

Lo Hing-choi pointed out in the campaign recording that there should be a "separation of church and state", and that what is everyone advocating today is actually not innately anti-government.

"It is a stark contrast to what we read in the Bible, and what the progenitors of the Baptist Church fought so hard for."

He shared a verse from Amos, "A lion has roared! Who is not afraid? The Sovereign Lord has spoken! Who can refuse to prophesy? " Refers to the era in which Amos was in a time when the Prophets were forbidden to speak, and praised wealth and power. It is similar to the current situation in Hong Kong.

"It seems to be written for Hong Kong." It also shows that God's love goes beyond believers to all people. If our conscience is bound, voices are banned, movements arw restricted, and dignity is trampled, will God care? I believe that God will care. If so, as the body of Christ, how can we not care? "

The Baptist Convention of Hong Kong is one of the largest Christian denominations in Hong Kong. With more than 80,000 followers. In the past, their political position tended to be conservative. It issued a statement saying that it could not "stay silent" and requested the government to withdraw the Extradition bill.

The statement can still be found on the Baptist convention's website. However, some members of the convention have initiated a joint signature requesting it to retract the statement. As of November last year, 40 Baptist Council members also issued a joint statement, criticizing the government's promulgation of the Mask ban as “fueling chaos” and demanded that the government immediately withdraw the ban on masks, and also demanded that police officets need to display their identification numbers and ID cards while on duty. They also asked for the establishment of an independent investigation committee.

Source: Stand News #May1

Special tactic adopted by the professional Police on 1 May at Shatin New Town Plaza. Despite that citizens were only peacefully singing and chanting, over 200 riot police stormed into the mall
#PoliceState #NewTownPlaza #Shatin #May1