#FirstHand #28Dec
Residents on Riot Police Deployment: "how come are the residents gathering on the podium in an unlawful assembly?"
2159 | Telford Plaza, Kowloon Bay
Riot police retreated and re-stationed in the area of Telford Plaza for the fifth time during the same evening.
2226 | Telford Plaza, Kowloon Bay
Discontent residents said they could not understand why the police did not leave and why they kept returning upon retreating. Some residents asked, "how come the police raised the blue flag in the shopping mall? and "how come are the residents gathering on the podium in an unlawful assembly?"
Residents on Riot Police Deployment: "how come are the residents gathering on the podium in an unlawful assembly?"
2159 | Telford Plaza, Kowloon Bay
Riot police retreated and re-stationed in the area of Telford Plaza for the fifth time during the same evening.
2226 | Telford Plaza, Kowloon Bay
Discontent residents said they could not understand why the police did not leave and why they kept returning upon retreating. Some residents asked, "how come the police raised the blue flag in the shopping mall? and "how come are the residents gathering on the podium in an unlawful assembly?"
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Police Raised Blue Flag on Podium, Stating Residents were Participating in Unlawful Assembly
2113 | #KowloonBay
The blue flag was raised in Telford Plaza last night (Dec 28). Residents stated the reason they were not leaving was that the police officers kept returning every 5 to 10 minutes. This infringement of the rights of the residents is an outright abuse of power by the police. Residents have the rights to be around their residence. However, the police considered this to be an unlawful assembly, and threatened to escalate their actions.
Please click here to read the full news coverage.
#28Dec #FirstHand #AsiasFinest
2113 | #KowloonBay
The blue flag was raised in Telford Plaza last night (Dec 28). Residents stated the reason they were not leaving was that the police officers kept returning every 5 to 10 minutes. This infringement of the rights of the residents is an outright abuse of power by the police. Residents have the rights to be around their residence. However, the police considered this to be an unlawful assembly, and threatened to escalate their actions.
Please click here to read the full news coverage.
#28Dec #FirstHand #AsiasFinest
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#FirstHand #28Dec
1954 | Telford Plaza, #KowloonBay
The video captured how a young boy in white was assaulted in the back and another citizen was also subdued by men who were suspected to be plainclothed police.
Police assaulting shoppers: https://t.me/guardiansofhongkong/14262
1954 | Telford Plaza, #KowloonBay
The video captured how a young boy in white was assaulted in the back and another citizen was also subdued by men who were suspected to be plainclothed police.
Police assaulting shoppers: https://t.me/guardiansofhongkong/14262
Officer Suspected of Taking Photos of Reporter with Personal Phone
Netizens had organized a "Shop With You" event in Telford Plaza yesterday evening (#28Dec), with riot police stationed at Kowloon Bay Station by six in the evening. One officer had raised his phone and pointed it at reporters. Stand News soon discovered the photo of a reporter posted on the public Telegram group for the "Shop With You" event. The angle from which the photo was taken seemed to match the direction in which the officer's phone was pointing. The person who uploaded the photo was also found to have posted the notice for the event in the public group.
Referring back to past reports, police are not allowed to use their personal phones for work purposes. However, they are allowed to use designated work phones while on duty for work purposes, like taking photos at the site of conflicts. Yet it is hard to confirm whether the picture was taken by the officer in question and deliberately posted on the Telegram group as a warning to the reporter or if it was posted by accident.
Said photo was quickly erased by the user. The reporter had asked the officer whether he sent it to the wrong group, but he gave no reply.
Source: Stand News
#28Dec #Shopwithyou
Netizens had organized a "Shop With You" event in Telford Plaza yesterday evening (#28Dec), with riot police stationed at Kowloon Bay Station by six in the evening. One officer had raised his phone and pointed it at reporters. Stand News soon discovered the photo of a reporter posted on the public Telegram group for the "Shop With You" event. The angle from which the photo was taken seemed to match the direction in which the officer's phone was pointing. The person who uploaded the photo was also found to have posted the notice for the event in the public group.
Referring back to past reports, police are not allowed to use their personal phones for work purposes. However, they are allowed to use designated work phones while on duty for work purposes, like taking photos at the site of conflicts. Yet it is hard to confirm whether the picture was taken by the officer in question and deliberately posted on the Telegram group as a warning to the reporter or if it was posted by accident.
Said photo was quickly erased by the user. The reporter had asked the officer whether he sent it to the wrong group, but he gave no reply.
Source: Stand News
#28Dec #Shopwithyou
#ExclusiveInterview #FirstHand
Interview with a witness of mass arrest in Telford Plaza
Starting at around 1900 on 28 Dec, the police kicked off another round of mass arrest on citizens in Telford Plaza, Kowloon Bay.
We asked a woman who was living in this neighbourhood. She witnessed the incident. We asked her to describe what happened. According to her, citizens marched across the Plaza peacefully, but riot police and plainclothes were standing-by and quickly arrested them. The arrested youngsters were heavily beaten, and blood stain was seen.
Full transcript https://telegra.ph/Interview-with-a-witness-of-mass-arrest-in-Telford-Plaza-in-28-Dec-12-28
Photo by RTHK #28Dec #PoliceBrutality #AsiasFinest
Interview with a witness of mass arrest in Telford Plaza
Starting at around 1900 on 28 Dec, the police kicked off another round of mass arrest on citizens in Telford Plaza, Kowloon Bay.
We asked a woman who was living in this neighbourhood. She witnessed the incident. We asked her to describe what happened. According to her, citizens marched across the Plaza peacefully, but riot police and plainclothes were standing-by and quickly arrested them. The arrested youngsters were heavily beaten, and blood stain was seen.
Full transcript https://telegra.ph/Interview-with-a-witness-of-mass-arrest-in-Telford-Plaza-in-28-Dec-12-28
Photo by RTHK #28Dec #PoliceBrutality #AsiasFinest
#28Dec #FirstHand #ExclusiveInterview
Interview with a witness of mass arrest in Telford Plaza
Q: Can you tell us what happened in Kowloon Bay at around 19:00 on December 28?
A: First of all, what I saw was incomplete, it was limited.
I saw some young people, about 10 to 20 of them, marching across the shopping centre (Telford Plaza) very peacefully, chanting slogans occasionally. When they reached this area, they stopped as they found themselves surrounded by plainclothes cops. All of a sudden, the plainclothes dashed towards them from Exit C of the Kowloon Bay Station as well as from the Meiji Japanese Restaurant and the shop named Make Up For Ever beside us.
These kids (referring to the young protestors) were quickly subdued to the ground. Some passersby tried to save them but (A passerby: They rushed towards the crowds again!).
Later, more reinforcements consisting of plainclothes cops arrived, pushing the cordon lines forward. More reinforcements consisting of both riot police and the plainclothes, arrived in numbers of around 60. They subdued these peaceful citizens to the ground and hit them mercilessly. They continued to push the cordon lines forward, forcing everyone to fall back, both onlookers and journalists alike. Meanwhile, as I am also a citizen, I was unable to see what happened next. What I saw is that outside the Pandora store, there were lots of tissue and the ground was covered with blood. Then many citizens were taken away. I can’t tell you how many of them – I was simply too far from the cordon lines!
Q: What do you think about the police operation, what the police did just now?
A: I would ask the police to look from another perspective. If these kids or these shoppers are their family members, how would they feel? Don’t they always ask us to do this? “Don’t only take videos of the police! Also, take some videos of the protestors! Take some videos of the citizens! Take some videos of the rioters!” Perhaps I will put that question back to them! Cops, don’t always ask us! We have been telling them the same thing for months now. Let’s see how they will answer.
Interview with a witness of mass arrest in Telford Plaza
Q: Can you tell us what happened in Kowloon Bay at around 19:00 on December 28?
A: First of all, what I saw was incomplete, it was limited.
I saw some young people, about 10 to 20 of them, marching across the shopping centre (Telford Plaza) very peacefully, chanting slogans occasionally. When they reached this area, they stopped as they found themselves surrounded by plainclothes cops. All of a sudden, the plainclothes dashed towards them from Exit C of the Kowloon Bay Station as well as from the Meiji Japanese Restaurant and the shop named Make Up For Ever beside us.
These kids (referring to the young protestors) were quickly subdued to the ground. Some passersby tried to save them but (A passerby: They rushed towards the crowds again!).
Later, more reinforcements consisting of plainclothes cops arrived, pushing the cordon lines forward. More reinforcements consisting of both riot police and the plainclothes, arrived in numbers of around 60. They subdued these peaceful citizens to the ground and hit them mercilessly. They continued to push the cordon lines forward, forcing everyone to fall back, both onlookers and journalists alike. Meanwhile, as I am also a citizen, I was unable to see what happened next. What I saw is that outside the Pandora store, there were lots of tissue and the ground was covered with blood. Then many citizens were taken away. I can’t tell you how many of them – I was simply too far from the cordon lines!
Q: What do you think about the police operation, what the police did just now?
A: I would ask the police to look from another perspective. If these kids or these shoppers are their family members, how would they feel? Don’t they always ask us to do this? “Don’t only take videos of the police! Also, take some videos of the protestors! Take some videos of the citizens! Take some videos of the rioters!” Perhaps I will put that question back to them! Cops, don’t always ask us! We have been telling them the same thing for months now. Let’s see how they will answer.
#FirstHand #Interview #28Dec
Interview with a First-Aider in Telford Plaza on December 28
First Aiders were often regarded as guardians of frontliners. In most police operations, it doesn't matter if the injured were protestors, civilians or even the police, they treat and rescue them with to best of their abilities. We happened to interview a First-Aider, who revealed to us a frustrating reality.
Q: Can you tell us what happened?
A: So according to a journalist, some arrestees were covered in blood. Therefore, we approached the cordon lines and asked the riot police to find one of their officers or let us go inside to have a look at the situation of the arrestees.
The police initially agreed to have a look. But when we asked again to another officer, the officer shouted us away, pointing pepper spray at us. So, we decided to ask the plainclothes police. By this time, we have already pushed 30 meters to 50 meters away from the casualties. We were not able to see what’s the matter with them, let alone to save them. When we asked the plainclothes officer, he immediately took out his baton, threatening us by saying, “are you guys still asking?” Then he called on 3 more officers and they surrounded us, pointing pepper spray at us. We were still forbidden to approach the injured.
Awhile later, another riot police came by and said that they will call an ambulance. He then pointed to a white packet. The item was in fact just a piece of sterile gauze, which is very common in hospitals. However, until now, we couldn’t see any ambulance coming. All we could see was a puddle of blood on the ground.
Q: Is this common?
A: This is very common actually. They always claim that they will call the ambulance. But as you would have already noticed, all they do is take out a piece of tissue paper and wrap the wounds, which left puddles of blood on the ground. The tissue wasn’t even sterile. I really doubted whether they know what a rescue actually is. I don't even know if the injured actually received the necessary treatment.
Q: Will they later tell you about the situation of the patients?
A: No! We can never get updates on the injured. We do not even have a way to communicate with the police.
Interview with a First-Aider in Telford Plaza on December 28
First Aiders were often regarded as guardians of frontliners. In most police operations, it doesn't matter if the injured were protestors, civilians or even the police, they treat and rescue them with to best of their abilities. We happened to interview a First-Aider, who revealed to us a frustrating reality.
Q: Can you tell us what happened?
A: So according to a journalist, some arrestees were covered in blood. Therefore, we approached the cordon lines and asked the riot police to find one of their officers or let us go inside to have a look at the situation of the arrestees.
The police initially agreed to have a look. But when we asked again to another officer, the officer shouted us away, pointing pepper spray at us. So, we decided to ask the plainclothes police. By this time, we have already pushed 30 meters to 50 meters away from the casualties. We were not able to see what’s the matter with them, let alone to save them. When we asked the plainclothes officer, he immediately took out his baton, threatening us by saying, “are you guys still asking?” Then he called on 3 more officers and they surrounded us, pointing pepper spray at us. We were still forbidden to approach the injured.
Awhile later, another riot police came by and said that they will call an ambulance. He then pointed to a white packet. The item was in fact just a piece of sterile gauze, which is very common in hospitals. However, until now, we couldn’t see any ambulance coming. All we could see was a puddle of blood on the ground.
Q: Is this common?
A: This is very common actually. They always claim that they will call the ambulance. But as you would have already noticed, all they do is take out a piece of tissue paper and wrap the wounds, which left puddles of blood on the ground. The tissue wasn’t even sterile. I really doubted whether they know what a rescue actually is. I don't even know if the injured actually received the necessary treatment.
Q: Will they later tell you about the situation of the patients?
A: No! We can never get updates on the injured. We do not even have a way to communicate with the police.
Journalists Took Photos Of the Arrested Citizens Against All Odds
At around 16:00 in Sheung Shui on Dec 28, some masked people, who claimed themselves to be plainclothes police, joined with the riot police and rushed into Landmark North and arrested more than 10 people at level 4. At one corner inside the mall, the self-claimed plainclothes police surrounded 7 youngsters, cuffed them and forced them to face the wall.
From the photo, a journalist lied on the floor, ignoring the riot police who were staring disdainfully at him, just to take photos of the arrestees.
Editor's note: There have been rumours about arrestees being treated inhumanely, and even beaten to death in detention centres. It becomes widely-believed after a series of "unsuspicious suicide" and stories of the Sun Uk Ling leaked out, told by the victims themselves. Arrestees often yelled "I'll never commit suicide" and asked journalists to take pictures of them just to prevent from being "disappeared".
Source: Resistance Live Media #28Dec
At around 16:00 in Sheung Shui on Dec 28, some masked people, who claimed themselves to be plainclothes police, joined with the riot police and rushed into Landmark North and arrested more than 10 people at level 4. At one corner inside the mall, the self-claimed plainclothes police surrounded 7 youngsters, cuffed them and forced them to face the wall.
From the photo, a journalist lied on the floor, ignoring the riot police who were staring disdainfully at him, just to take photos of the arrestees.
Editor's note: There have been rumours about arrestees being treated inhumanely, and even beaten to death in detention centres. It becomes widely-believed after a series of "unsuspicious suicide" and stories of the Sun Uk Ling leaked out, told by the victims themselves. Arrestees often yelled "I'll never commit suicide" and asked journalists to take pictures of them just to prevent from being "disappeared".
Source: Resistance Live Media #28Dec
On Chater Road in Central, the following line written in French appears on the zebra crossing:
"Quand l’injustice devient loi
La resistance devient un devoir"
(When injustice becomes law, resistance is a must)
Source: Stand News #28Dec
"Quand l’injustice devient loi
La resistance devient un devoir"
(When injustice becomes law, resistance is a must)
Source: Stand News #28Dec
Hong Kong's police were once revered. Now they’re just a blunt tool, ex-cop says
Criticism of the Hong Kong Police Force — once considered "Asia's finest" — has been mounting. In Wong’s case, though, the criticism comes from an unusual source: He is a former beat cop, and not long ago donned the same uniform worn by police officers he is now evading. As a police trainee, he spent months learning about the appropriate use of force. Now, as a protester, he has joined the ranks of those who have accused the police of brutality, unprofessionalism and acting with impunity.
As Beijing’s crackdown on Hong Kong intensifies, more and more citizens avoid speaking to journalists, fearing that it might cause trouble to them. In an interview with the Los Angeles Times, Wong said he had decided to voice his experiences as a former policeman because of his deep misgivings about his former employer’s response to the protests.
Excerpt: Los Angeles Times (28 Dec)
#28Dec #PoliceState #Newspaper #LosAngelesTimes
Criticism of the Hong Kong Police Force — once considered "Asia's finest" — has been mounting. In Wong’s case, though, the criticism comes from an unusual source: He is a former beat cop, and not long ago donned the same uniform worn by police officers he is now evading. As a police trainee, he spent months learning about the appropriate use of force. Now, as a protester, he has joined the ranks of those who have accused the police of brutality, unprofessionalism and acting with impunity.
As Beijing’s crackdown on Hong Kong intensifies, more and more citizens avoid speaking to journalists, fearing that it might cause trouble to them. In an interview with the Los Angeles Times, Wong said he had decided to voice his experiences as a former policeman because of his deep misgivings about his former employer’s response to the protests.
Excerpt: Los Angeles Times (28 Dec)
#28Dec #PoliceState #Newspaper #LosAngelesTimes