#FirstHand #Rally
Crowds Gather to Support Incarcerated Social Worker

1939 | Lai Chi Kok Reception Centre
Crowds of citizens could be seen gathering outside of Lai Chi Kok Reception Centre to show their solidarity with an incarcerated social worker, Lau Ka Tung, who was convicted of obstructing a police officer performing from his duties and harshly sentenced for a one-year imprisonment.

Citizens shouted, "Support Lau Ka Tung, Support Social Workers, Support Our Comrades" to show their solidarity.

#Jun22 #Solidarity #LauKaTung #SocialWorker

#FirstHand #Rally

2006 | Lai Chi Kok Reception Centre
Police Raises Blue Flag And Threatens Crowds With Arrests

#Jun22 #PoliceState #Solidarity #LauKaTung #SocialWorker

#FirstHand #Rally

2012 | Lai Chi Kok Reception Centre
Police Seen Advancing to Disperse Crowds

#Jun22 #PoliceState #Solidarity #LauKaTung #SocialWorker

#FirstHand #Rally
Police Advances to Disperse Crowds on Road Junction, Leading to Verbal Clashes

2016 | Lai Chi Kok Reception Centre
Police could be seen advancing on and dispersing crowds. Some civilians remarked that they were on a road junction, and that they had the right to cross the road.

A police officer could also be heard saying aggressively, "What are you journalists doing? Why are you only retreating?"

#Jun22 #PoliceState #Solidarity #LauKaTung #SocialWorker

#FirstHand
Social Work Organizer Explains Why They Gather Here Tonight

2037 | Lai Chi Kok Reception Centre

#Jun22 #Solidarity #LauKaTung #SocialWorker

"I want to say that there are lots of social worker colleagues here tonight, not only to support our comrades, but to be on duty if there is a conflict arises and to do their job of protecting Hong Kong people. If you are social worker, please raise your social worker ID. This ID is only worth HK$400, [it’s from] taking a course. However, a life is invaluable. The justice we are upholding is invaluable."

Source: First Hand

COVID-19 Updates (Jun 22)

At the time of writing, 8,985,016 cases of the coronavirus had been reported with 468,881 deaths.

The US, Brazil, and Russia continue to be the worst affected by the pandemic.

India has now surpassed the UK in the number of infections nationwide.

Latin America coronavirus cases surpass 2 million.

Hong Kong reported 30 new imported cases of COVID-19, all were from Pakistan.

Drug company plans to test inhaled version of remdesivir as potential COVID-19 treatment.

Beijing can test nearly 1 million people a day, health commission says.

Beijing locks down two construction sites after three workers test positive for COVID-19.

WHO reports record number of new virus cases in 24 hours, spurred by outbreak in the Americas.

The Australian state of Victoria sees new rise in cases.

India records over 12,000 new coronavirus cases for fifth straight day.

PepsiCo shuts a factory in Beijing after coronavirus cases reported.

Germany’s coronavirus reproduction rate soars after outbreak at meat processing plant.

Source: CNN, John Hopkins University, Stand News HK

#LegCoElection
No priority queue for the elderly in LegCo election

Pro-establishment lawmakers had requested to set up a priority queue for the elderly and the disabled in the upcoming LegCo election. Secretary for Constitutional and Mainland Affairs Erick Tsang Kwok-wai supported their cause. However, the Electoral Affairs Committee announced today (Jun 18) that the practice of the DC election will be kept, and voters in need can sit down to wait.

Also, to increase the transparency of the election, the Committee will allow voters to witness staff crossing out their names after registration. A notice will also be posted to notify voters about the the maximum number of voters allowed in the venue.

The Committee stated that the verification process and ballot distribution will not be conducted electronically, because the system cannot be set up before this year’s LegCo election.

Pan-democratic lawmaker Wu Chi-wai agreed with this decision, suggesting that it was reasonable. DAB criticised the Committee for being “useless” and failing the keep the election fair.

Source: Inmedia
#Jun18 #LegCo

#ProtestersVoice #SocialWorker
A letter from Lau Ka-tung - the first social worker imprisoned for performing his duty on protesting scenes

Social worker Lau Ka-tung has been involved in many ways in pro-democracy movements. He missed the opportunity to take part in Legislative Council (LegCo) election this year as he initially planned when he was convicted of obstructing police officer performing from his duty and harshly sentenced for a one-year imprisonment. In prison cell, Ka-tung reminded Hongkongers that belief is invincible. Even when being entrapped within four walls, Ka-tung is determined to stand alongside protesters to defend social justice.

Read Ka-tung’s letter to Hongkongers:
⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️
https://t.me/guardiansofhongkong/22728

#ProtestersVoice
A letter from Lau Ka-tung - the first social worker imprisoned for performing his duty on protesting scenes

This is Ka-tung’s letter to Hongkongers:
https://t.me/guardiansofhongkong/22727

"I am Lau Ka-tung, a dedicated social worker determined to safeguard life.

The rule of law in Hong Kong is dead. The court has become a tool for political score-settling. Hong Kong has fallen that even a social worker, who buffers in conflicts, is sent to prison immediately for one year, denying even his opportunity to appeal on bail.

It was estimated that around 50 social workers have been arrested since the anti-ELAB movement began last year. My case is only the tip of an iceberg and a start. As the first registered social work being convicted in the movement, first and the foremost, my registered qualification of social worker will be defied. I hope that elected members of the Social Workers Registration Board, which comprises 8 elected members and 7 appointed members, will hold on to this last line of defense. If anything has gone wrong in Registration Board election in the future, the whole social welfare sector would fall with no hope of reprieve.

National Security Law will soon be enacted. Facing the tyranny, continue protesting is Hongkongers’ only way out. Participating in an election is also a means of protest but should not be an end in itself. It is a pity that things go athwart as I cannot announce my consideration to enroll in LegCo election on June 17.

Nevertheless, I still hope that everyone will not forget the huge social movement Hong Kong has been going through. What Hong Kong wants is not only 35+ seats in Legislative Council, but 35 determined legislators with strong will to fight on.

Chances for me to take part in LegCo election is slim, but I know several acquaintances of mine in social welfare sector are considering. Although I have utter confidence in social welfare constituency, I still hope for us to always remember Five Demands, and this election should be taken as a pathway leading towards universal suffrage, as we have already paid the dear prices of the whole generation of Hong Kong.

In addition to social workers, first-aiders, doctors, nurses, and priests were also involved in Humanitarian support of the movement. In foreseeable future, the tyranny will continue to crack down those supporting the movement with their profession. At the moment, initiating an appeal is one of the means for Ka-Tung to continue his fight, defending mission and belief of a social worker.

Even though I am in prison, I still hope that Hongkongers will not give up. Anti-ELAB movement has not over yet. LegCo election is one of the protesting fronts in the lengthy pursuit to liberate Hong Kong. I wish to go back to battlefield with you to witness our success.

Fellow social workers, be social workers to the end;
Fellow protesters, protest to the end."

Source: Lau Ka-tung’s Facebook #Jun20
#PoliceState #FailedState #SocialWorker #LauKaTung

#OpinionArticle #FinanceFellow

Feeling Inspired on the night of 4 June, 2020 in Hong Kong

Image: Telegraph UK

⬇️⬇️⬇️Continue
https://t.me/guardiansofhongkong/22730

#OpinionArticle #FinanceFellow

Feeling Inspired on the night of 4 June, 2020 in Hong Kong

Image: https://t.me/guardiansofhongkong/22729

(4 Jun) Today, Fellow saw a bunch of posts condemning the hypocrisy of Hong Kong celebrities by showing their old photos, especially those in The Concert for Democracy in China, as well as when people like Leung Chun-ying (Third Chief Executive of Hong Kong) and Priscilla Leung Mei-fun (Hong Kong barrister and legislative conciliator) supported the Tiananmen Square protests in 4 June 1989 and condemning Chinese Communist Party.

Maybe we’ll consider them disgraceful and laughable, but when we think about it, on the path of a revolution, both you and me are bound to be tempted by the enemy at all times.

Recently, Fellow rewatched the Sci-fi movie, The Matrix, which was a favourite during my school days. The most classic scene in the movie is one where the protagonist Neo (Keanu Reeves) had to choose between the “Red Pill” or “Blue Pill”, aka “to awake” or “to indulge”.

1. Choosing the “Blue Pill”—to be comfortable with the status quo
Stay in the past, where truth and justice are not the purposes of life; As long as life is good and stable, everything else can be ignored, and it does not matter even if life is virtual.

2. Choosing the “Red Pill”—to pursue the truth
Leave the comfort zone to face the unacceptable truth, and live a life that others may not understand, and even have his own safety threatened.

In the movie, Neo chose the Red Pill. He woke up to see himself (and all of mankind) always being the slaves to the Matrix, where the past was just a virtual dream created to cultivate humanity as a source of energy. Afterwards, Neo embarked on a harrowing adventure to defy the Matrix while being hunted. Indeed, one year ago, many Hongkongers chose the Red Pill to protest, few million people once took to the street against the demonic Extradition Bill. But we can reverse our original choice at any time.

In the movie, there’s an antagonist called Cypher, who had the Red Pill before Neo and joined the Anti-Matrix revolutionary army. But as time went on, Cypher started to get tired of being in the real world, even more so of having to eat monotonous food that tasted bad every day. Thus, seduced by the Matrix, he decided to betray his comrades in arms and told Agent Smith (the lobbyist the Matrix sent to seduce him), “You know, I know this steak doesn't exist. I know that when I put it in my mouth, it's the Matrix telling my brain that it is juicy and delicious. After nine years, you know what I realize? Ignorance is bliss. I don't want to remember nothing. NOTHING! You understand? (Give me the Blue Pill again) And I wanna be rich. You know, someone important, like an actor.” The Matrix answered his demands on the condition that he kills the other anti-Matrix revolutionaries.

Of course, in the end, Cypher's devious plan failed and he became one of the most hated characters in the movie.
In reality, 31 years ago there were 1.5 million Hongkongers who took to the street for democracy; But today, how many of them have become useless elderly and blue ribbon (pro-government people)? From going against the CCP to flattering it? Every one of them has taken the Blue Pill like Cypher.

After one year of protest, have you become numb and jaded (about the sadness and unfairness in our daily life)? Will you choose to go back to the false life and continue with the status quo? I hope today's portrait of the hypocrites will serve as a reminder for us in the future.

I also declares once again that as long as tyranny is not extinguished, we will continue to fight even if it is our last breath.

Never jaded, never forget.

#LiberateHongKong
#RevolutionOfOurTime

Source: Finance Fellow’s Facebook

#Matrix #Neo #TiananmenMassacre #4June1989 #HongKongProtest #AntiELAB #HongkongersFight #Tyranny