#DailyUpdate #Jun13 #COVID19

COVID-19 Updates (Jun 13)

At the time of writing, 7,682,831 cases of the coronavirus had been confirmed with 426,427 deaths.

French government to lift travel restrictions on internal European borders on Monday.

Experiment suggests coronavirus has evolved to infect human cells more easily.

US Oregon governor pauses reopening statewide due to spikes in COVID-19 cases.

European countries sign vaccine deal with AstraZeneca.

Pakistan turns to 'smart lockdowns' as cases spike.

No death figures from Spain for a week.

Fear of second wave in Beijing China after market outbreak.

Brazil Far-right President Jair Bolsonaro continues to play down the virus, focusing on the economic damage of lockdown.

From today, people living alone in England and Northern Ireland can form a support bubbles with another household.

Hong Kong's iconic Ocean Park theme park reopens after more than four months of temporary closure.

Leaked draft report says that racism, stigma, and social inequality may exacerbate COVID-19 risk to UK minorities.

Source: CNN, BBC, John Hopkins University

#FirstHand #PoliceState
"Unapologetic and Unrepentant": District Councillors Blast Police for Agitation Tactics

Read Full Article Below
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https://t.me/guardiansofhongkong/22421

#Jun12 #FailedState #remember612 #OneCountryOneSystem #HongKongProtest #StandWithHK

#FirstHand #PoliceState
"Unapologetic and Unrepentant": District Councillors Blast Police for Agitation Tactics

View full video above:
https://t.me/guardiansofhongkong/22420
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Yau Tsim Mong District Councillors Douglas Tsang and Owan Lee met with reporters after encounters with police in Mong Kok last night, and spoke against their questionable tactics and attitudes.

Blinding Lights and Agitation Tactics: "They Try to Make You Retaliate"

The councillors said that police officers were aiming their high-powered flashlights at reporters as well as councillors observing nearby; the lights were so strong that it was impossible to see anything in its direction, Tsang said. Li added that the police helmets are already equipped with a flashlight; however, the light they shone at the crowd was at least 5 times as bright, as there were 5 emitters visible in the device.

Even more deplorable is how they have used the light, Li continued. While police allowed reporters to come closer, they shone the intense lights at the cameras to blind the cameras. While the police had received new resources and equipment, Li noted that they were being used against the press, to trample upon what little freedom Hong Kong has left - including the freedom of press and the journalists' right to provide coverage. "The abuse of power is completely unchecked; there seemed to be no disciplinary measures handed out against officers violating their general orders. This had directly caused the disintegration of Hong Kong."

Tsang observed that the police was actively trying to agitate everyone at the scene - civilians, journalists, and councillors alike: "they try to make you retaliate, and if you do, they would arrest you." He was glad that the crowd tonight restrained themselves well. but also noted that the police was becoming more and more aggressive in their tactics of agitation, including blinding lights and rude actions and language. Tsang said these issues must not be ignored, and they will continue to be discussed at the district council, including in the meeting this coming Thursday.

Callsigns Unreadable, Accountability Questionable

The councillors also found the police's attitude towards accountability questionable. After having been hit by their blinding lights, Tsang complained to a media liaison officer; the officer promised to pass it on, but came back only to tell Tsang that they had now turned off the lights. Tsang further asked for the callsigns of the officers in the squad involved; however, the liaison officer simply turned and left. Tsang criticized that, while the liaison officer's role is to communicate, they simply abandoned their job halfway through.

Although the officers technically did wear their callsign cards on their jackets, Li observed that they wrapped it in plastic so reflective that he could not make out the text. Had the callsigns been readable, Tsang said, they would have demanded an explanation from the officers in charge on the scene, as well as filing written complaints. As it is, however, the public had no way to identify these officers and hold them accountable.

Protected by such anonymity, the police spoke rudely to councillors, shoved them with shields, and shone intense lights at them, despite repeated requests to stop doing so. "They were unapologetic and unrepentant; how can such a so-called disciplinary force be expected to protect the citizens of Hong Kong?" Li said.

#Jun12 #FailedState #remember612 #OneCountryOneSystem #HongKongProtest #StandWithHK

#PoliceBrutality
Police Allegedly Kneel on Secondary Schoolgirls During Arrest

At around 19:50 on June 12, 2020 a students' concern group set up a booth in Causeway Bay to explain to the public their plan to go on strike on June 20. The public relations branch of the police promised that the police would not disturb the students.

However, 30 minutes later, the police destroyed the booth and yelled, "arrest all these students", while chasing after civilians nearby including district councillor Tiffanny Yuen.

According to witnesses, the police pushed civilians into the nearby Kimberly Mall and onto the ground, almost causing a stampede. The police arrested 3 members of the student group. They were one university male student and two secondary 5 schoolgirls.

The video recorded that the police subdued two schoolgirls by allegedly kneeling on them.

Source: Eastern Hawk Eye; SSStrike #Jun13
#Remember612 #Students #PoliceState

#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

#OpinionArticle

Sony in 1989 VS Sony in 2020

SONY in 1989

“Guys, we have a very special request”, said Mr. Rick Clancy, the vice president of SONY’s media communication department, while he handed out the “tank man”photo taken by CNN and digital photos from other channels. “I am pleading everyone not to report any digital shooting technology seen in this week here. I have already asked our competitors to postpone their reports as well. There is a crisis in China (Tiananmen Massacre), people are still in life-threatening situation.”

Technews TW

SONY in 2020
#SONY removed several photos on the website of 2020 Sony World Photography Awards.

Those photos taken by three photographers are about anti ELAB protests in Hong Kong.

David Butow, one of the these three photographers, said the last response he received from SONY was, “his photo was removed because some regions and markets are sensitive to it”

PTT

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Renminbi (Chinese currency) is attractive, isn’t it?

Source: Facebook, (04-Jun)
#Kowtow

Elderly Protester in Hong Kong: "I am Too Old to be Afraid of Death. I Hope to Protect Young People"

A number of pro-democracy civilians were charged with rioting on the suspicion of entering or staying in the area of the Legislative Council Chamber on July 1. They were mentioned in the Eastern Magistrates Court on 10 June.

There were around 50 supporters cheering for them outside the court, including Grandma Cheng who often appears in protests.

Grandma Cheng showed up with a cross and signs in protest of the National Security Law outside the court. She tild the press that she would continue to support "the kids": "I was arrested yesterday. After being released, I was told that several kids are about to stand trial today, so I rushed to the court from North Point Police Station."

She pointed out that she was arrested at a public event in Central on June 9, the day marking the first anniversary of the 1-million peopled march in 2019.

Grandma Cheng was intimated by the police, "they said they would arrest me for assaulting and obstructing police officers if I kept on talking. At that point I was silent, but they arrested me anyway."

She showed reporters the injuries she had sustained while being arrested, recounting that while she was being arrested, the policewoman "pinched my ribs with her fingers, and handled me in a rough manner, causing bruising and scratches on my body.”

She said that she is too old to be afraid of death, and her greatest worry is that the police will hurt young people, so she tries to attend every event: "I hope to protect young people."

Source: Hong Kong Hang Seng University Student Union
Editorial Board
https://www.facebook.com/451516261637371/posts/2894795750642731/

#Jun9 #HKProtest #PoliceState #PoliceBrutality #Failedstate

The Restaurant refusing to serve Mandarin speakers: Conversation, Pain, and Struggle

Glory Cafe, a restaurant regarded as sympathetic and supportive of the Anti-ELAB Movement, announced on Facebook on 28 January 2020 that it would stop catering to Mandarin speakers in reaction to the government’s refusal to restrict the entry of mainland visitors upon the coronavirus outbreak.

In mid-February, a group of “Hong Kong drifters” (immigrants from China who study or work in Hong Kong who may or may not be permanent residents of Hong Kong) made a visit to the Cafe for a conversation with the restaurant owner during which they ordered food in Mandarin and gifted healthcare products to the restaurant.

A series of articles reporting the event by the organiser posted later on Facebook spurred vigorous debates and criticisms. This is an excerpt from an article by the Initium (HK news media), featuring commentary by various parties, including  participants of the visit. 

Full translation

#Cantonese #Mandarin