#PoliceState #SaveAppleDaily
National Security Police Arrests News Commentator; Pro-democracy #AppleDaily Will Shut Down In One Day
[Update: At around 16:10 on June 23, 2021, Next Digital released a new statement, annnouncing the closure of Apple Daily on June 24, 2021, due to the safety concern of its staff. The last edition will be released and the homepage will cease operating at 23:59 on the same day.]
At around 15:20 on June 23, 2021, #NextDigital, the parent company of #AppleDaily announced that the last edition of the pro-democracy newspaper will be released on Saturday, June 26 the latest, under the current circumstances in Hong Kong.
The homepage of the newspaper will be closed at 23:59 on the same day.
The company thanks the readers for their genuine support and the commitment of the newspapers' journalists, staff and advertisers.
However, according to several sources including iCable News, Now News and Stand News, the newspaper might shut down the earliest on Thursday, June 24, 2021--which is in one day.
On June 17, 2021, the police raided the newspaper, took away at least 38 computers and a large amount of journalistic material and arrested 3 editors and 2 executives on the charge of NationalSecutityLaw. Among them, editor-in-chief #RyanLaw and Next Digital CEO #CheungKimHung have been detained since then.
The founder of the newspaper #JimmyLai has also been jailed.
The authorites froze the assets of the 26-year-old newspaper and three connecting companies, obstructing its operation. The Secretary for Security of the Hong Kong SAR Government, #JohnLee, openly asked people and companies to "cut ties" with the pro-democracy newspaper.
On June 23, the police arrested a 55-year-old man, accusing him of "colluding with foreign powers" and "violating the National Security Law". The man, with the pen name "#LeePing", is a news commentator for Apple Daily's China news.
The police said more arrests might take place.
Source: Apple Daily; Stand News; InMedia #Jun23
#PressFreedom #PoliticalProsecution
https://bit.ly/3gPdn4U
https://bit.ly/3zLZR9w
https://bit.ly/2UyLHIV
====
Related News:
Arrests, National Security Charges and Frozen Assets: Pro-Democracy Apple Daily Might Shut Down in 5 Days
https://t.me/guardiansofhongkong/30172
#NextMegazine chief: “We’ve tried and enjoyed media freedom in the past. We have no regrets.”
https://t.me/guardiansofhongkong/30201
News Anchor Wishes Hongkongers Safe
https://t.me/guardiansofhongkong/30177
Former Staff Bids Farewell to the Newspaper
https://t.me/guardiansofhongkong/30179
Apple Daily Stops its English and Finance News
https://t.me/guardiansofhongkong/30188
National Security Police Arrests News Commentator; Pro-democracy #AppleDaily Will Shut Down In One Day
[Update: At around 16:10 on June 23, 2021, Next Digital released a new statement, annnouncing the closure of Apple Daily on June 24, 2021, due to the safety concern of its staff. The last edition will be released and the homepage will cease operating at 23:59 on the same day.]
At around 15:20 on June 23, 2021, #NextDigital, the parent company of #AppleDaily announced that the last edition of the pro-democracy newspaper will be released on Saturday, June 26 the latest, under the current circumstances in Hong Kong.
The homepage of the newspaper will be closed at 23:59 on the same day.
The company thanks the readers for their genuine support and the commitment of the newspapers' journalists, staff and advertisers.
However, according to several sources including iCable News, Now News and Stand News, the newspaper might shut down the earliest on Thursday, June 24, 2021--which is in one day.
On June 17, 2021, the police raided the newspaper, took away at least 38 computers and a large amount of journalistic material and arrested 3 editors and 2 executives on the charge of NationalSecutityLaw. Among them, editor-in-chief #RyanLaw and Next Digital CEO #CheungKimHung have been detained since then.
The founder of the newspaper #JimmyLai has also been jailed.
The authorites froze the assets of the 26-year-old newspaper and three connecting companies, obstructing its operation. The Secretary for Security of the Hong Kong SAR Government, #JohnLee, openly asked people and companies to "cut ties" with the pro-democracy newspaper.
On June 23, the police arrested a 55-year-old man, accusing him of "colluding with foreign powers" and "violating the National Security Law". The man, with the pen name "#LeePing", is a news commentator for Apple Daily's China news.
The police said more arrests might take place.
Source: Apple Daily; Stand News; InMedia #Jun23
#PressFreedom #PoliticalProsecution
https://bit.ly/3gPdn4U
https://bit.ly/3zLZR9w
https://bit.ly/2UyLHIV
====
Related News:
Arrests, National Security Charges and Frozen Assets: Pro-Democracy Apple Daily Might Shut Down in 5 Days
https://t.me/guardiansofhongkong/30172
#NextMegazine chief: “We’ve tried and enjoyed media freedom in the past. We have no regrets.”
https://t.me/guardiansofhongkong/30201
News Anchor Wishes Hongkongers Safe
https://t.me/guardiansofhongkong/30177
Former Staff Bids Farewell to the Newspaper
https://t.me/guardiansofhongkong/30179
Apple Daily Stops its English and Finance News
https://t.me/guardiansofhongkong/30188
#PoliceState #AsiasFinest
Two more ministers with a police background in Hong Kong; Pro-China lawmaker: "I don’t think there’s any problem with a police state"
Source: InMedia #Jun25
Read more
⬇️⬇️⬇️
https://t.me/guardiansofhongkong/30267
Two more ministers with a police background in Hong Kong; Pro-China lawmaker: "I don’t think there’s any problem with a police state"
Source: InMedia #Jun25
Read more
⬇️⬇️⬇️
https://t.me/guardiansofhongkong/30267
#PoliceState #AsiasFinest
Two more ministers with a police background in Hong Kong; Pro-China lawmaker: "I don’t think there’s any problem with a police state"
On June 25, 2021, the Hong Kong SAR government announced personnel change in the top adminstration, where at least two more officials with law enforcement backgrounds will take up key senior positions.
The current Secretary for Security #JohnLee has been appointed as the new chief secretary. He is the city's first top minister with a police background.
Police Commissioner #ChrisTang will become the Secretary for Security. One of his deputies, #RaymondSiu, is promoted to the police chief.
The personnel change was announced by Chief Executive Carrie Lam in Hong Kong and officiated by the State Ministry of the PRC in Beijing.
The "promotion" has stirred up discontent among the public. Many deemed it as a blatant manifestation of a "police state" in Hong Kong.
However, pro-Beijing lawmaker Alice Mak, of the Federation of Trade Unions, said, "If it’s a police state, why not? I don’t think there’s any problem with a police state."
The government's announcement came one day after the police and the Security Bureau had cracked down the city's pro-democracy newspaper #AppleDaily, by forcing the newspaper and related magazine under #NextDigital to close down on June 24, 2021. The police arrested and charged several editors, news commentators and executives under the #NationalSecurityLaw, while the Security Bureau froze the assets of the newspaper and three related companies.
Source: InMedia #Jun25
https://bit.ly/3dvEvE3
#FailedState #PoliticalSuppression
Two more ministers with a police background in Hong Kong; Pro-China lawmaker: "I don’t think there’s any problem with a police state"
On June 25, 2021, the Hong Kong SAR government announced personnel change in the top adminstration, where at least two more officials with law enforcement backgrounds will take up key senior positions.
The current Secretary for Security #JohnLee has been appointed as the new chief secretary. He is the city's first top minister with a police background.
Police Commissioner #ChrisTang will become the Secretary for Security. One of his deputies, #RaymondSiu, is promoted to the police chief.
The personnel change was announced by Chief Executive Carrie Lam in Hong Kong and officiated by the State Ministry of the PRC in Beijing.
The "promotion" has stirred up discontent among the public. Many deemed it as a blatant manifestation of a "police state" in Hong Kong.
However, pro-Beijing lawmaker Alice Mak, of the Federation of Trade Unions, said, "If it’s a police state, why not? I don’t think there’s any problem with a police state."
The government's announcement came one day after the police and the Security Bureau had cracked down the city's pro-democracy newspaper #AppleDaily, by forcing the newspaper and related magazine under #NextDigital to close down on June 24, 2021. The police arrested and charged several editors, news commentators and executives under the #NationalSecurityLaw, while the Security Bureau froze the assets of the newspaper and three related companies.
Source: InMedia #Jun25
https://bit.ly/3dvEvE3
#FailedState #PoliticalSuppression
#FailedState
Carrie Lam Defends Top Officials for Violating Gathering Ban in Extravagant Banquet with Property Developer: "You can't just turn away after seeing abalone"
On July 11, 2021, Hong Kong Chief Executive #CarrieLam spoke in a #CommercialRadio program and defended three top government officials who had violated the #GatheringBan by participating in an extravagant dinner with another 5 people in March 2021.
One of the five people comes from the top management of Evergrande Real Estate Group, a China-owned property developer headquartered in Shenzhen.
Read more:
https://t.me/guardiansofhongkong/30467
The three top officials are Commissioner of Customs and Excise #HermesTang; Director of Immigration #AuKaWing; and the Undersecretary for Security, #SonnyAu. The banquet cost at least HKD 2,380 per head.
Lam claimed that “they didn’t know what was on the menu" and they couldn’t just "stand up and leave when they saw abalone."
Lam called on people to look at the incident in a "more humanised way”.
In the same program, Lam also openly said that she 'does not expect" #JohnLee, former Secretsry for Security and the new Chief Secretary, to do much, other than national security issues. Lam added that Lee, the second highest government official in the city, was not familiar with "poverty alleviation, youth or ethnic minority works".
Source: RTHK; Stand News #Jul10
https://bit.ly/3yS0xc2
#Abalone #Banquet #599G #AsiasFinest #Inequality #PropertyDeveloper #Evergrande
Carrie Lam Defends Top Officials for Violating Gathering Ban in Extravagant Banquet with Property Developer: "You can't just turn away after seeing abalone"
On July 11, 2021, Hong Kong Chief Executive #CarrieLam spoke in a #CommercialRadio program and defended three top government officials who had violated the #GatheringBan by participating in an extravagant dinner with another 5 people in March 2021.
One of the five people comes from the top management of Evergrande Real Estate Group, a China-owned property developer headquartered in Shenzhen.
Read more:
https://t.me/guardiansofhongkong/30467
The three top officials are Commissioner of Customs and Excise #HermesTang; Director of Immigration #AuKaWing; and the Undersecretary for Security, #SonnyAu. The banquet cost at least HKD 2,380 per head.
Lam claimed that “they didn’t know what was on the menu" and they couldn’t just "stand up and leave when they saw abalone."
Lam called on people to look at the incident in a "more humanised way”.
In the same program, Lam also openly said that she 'does not expect" #JohnLee, former Secretsry for Security and the new Chief Secretary, to do much, other than national security issues. Lam added that Lee, the second highest government official in the city, was not familiar with "poverty alleviation, youth or ethnic minority works".
Source: RTHK; Stand News #Jul10
https://bit.ly/3yS0xc2
#Abalone #Banquet #599G #AsiasFinest #Inequality #PropertyDeveloper #Evergrande
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📡Guardians of Hong Kong
#FailedState
Police Bust Dinner Gathering due to Rape Report; Hong Kong's Top Government Officials Violate Gathering Ban
Several top government officials including some heads of disciplinary forces in Hong Kong were found violating the gathering ban, as…
Police Bust Dinner Gathering due to Rape Report; Hong Kong's Top Government Officials Violate Gathering Ban
Several top government officials including some heads of disciplinary forces in Hong Kong were found violating the gathering ban, as…
#PoliceState
#Taiwan #Scholar refutes HK government's labelling of police knifing incident as “local terrorism”
In less than 4 hours after the police knifing incident took place in Causeway Bay on 1 July, 2021, the Hong Kong government's Secretary for Security #ChrisTang, hastily concluded the attack as a “lone-wolf terrorist act”.
Tang further condemned those attempted to pay tribute to the deceased man, calling such action as “glorifying terrorism and encouraging violence."
Meanwhile, Chief Secretary #JohnLee warned citizens against what he called "local terrorism" in his first blog post as the city’s second ranking official.
Taiwan scholar, #ShihChienGu who specializes in global counter-terrorism, however, considered such allegations unfounded.
He did not agree that public mourning advocates terrorism. Instead, he asked the Hong Kong Government to investigate reasons for the incident to render public sympathy.
Shih further explained that there are two basic concepts to Terrorism, one is whether it causes panic in society and the other is whether it has a political purpose.
The man who knifed the police officer didn’t cause social alarm. If the action was out of the man's discontentment, it is neither politically driven.
Shih opined that the assault against pro-democracy protesters in Yuen Long on 21 July 2019 was a terrorist attack as it shocked and provoked panic in local community. If the collusion between assailants and police is evident, the attack could be deemed a “state terrorism”. That is to say, the regime is using illegal means to intimidate its own people.
Shih Chien-yu is a guest professor in the Taiwan Tsinghua University.
Source: HKCnews; #Jul7
https://bit.ly/3wEWRZT
#StateTerrorism #Propaganda #WhiteTerror #Censorship
#Taiwan #Scholar refutes HK government's labelling of police knifing incident as “local terrorism”
In less than 4 hours after the police knifing incident took place in Causeway Bay on 1 July, 2021, the Hong Kong government's Secretary for Security #ChrisTang, hastily concluded the attack as a “lone-wolf terrorist act”.
Tang further condemned those attempted to pay tribute to the deceased man, calling such action as “glorifying terrorism and encouraging violence."
Meanwhile, Chief Secretary #JohnLee warned citizens against what he called "local terrorism" in his first blog post as the city’s second ranking official.
Taiwan scholar, #ShihChienGu who specializes in global counter-terrorism, however, considered such allegations unfounded.
He did not agree that public mourning advocates terrorism. Instead, he asked the Hong Kong Government to investigate reasons for the incident to render public sympathy.
Shih further explained that there are two basic concepts to Terrorism, one is whether it causes panic in society and the other is whether it has a political purpose.
The man who knifed the police officer didn’t cause social alarm. If the action was out of the man's discontentment, it is neither politically driven.
Shih opined that the assault against pro-democracy protesters in Yuen Long on 21 July 2019 was a terrorist attack as it shocked and provoked panic in local community. If the collusion between assailants and police is evident, the attack could be deemed a “state terrorism”. That is to say, the regime is using illegal means to intimidate its own people.
Shih Chien-yu is a guest professor in the Taiwan Tsinghua University.
Source: HKCnews; #Jul7
https://bit.ly/3wEWRZT
#StateTerrorism #Propaganda #WhiteTerror #Censorship
Hong Kong Government Ousts Elected Lawmaker #ChengChungTai by "Disqualification"
The ‘Candidate Eligibility Review Committee’ of the Hong Kong SAR Government ousted CHENG Chung-tai, one of the final two opposition lawmakers from the city's lawmaking body, Legislative Council, on Thursday, 26 Aug, 2021. The news was announced by Hong Kong’s Chief Secretary John Lee Ka-chiu.
Hong Kong's next Chief Executive will be selected by a non-elected 1,500-membered electoral in 2022. All of the members must be screened by the ‘Candidate Eligibility Review Committee’, chaired by #JohnLee, the city's former Security Chief.
The Committee has reviewed 1,498 electoral candidates and disqualified two of them. One of them is opposition lawmaker CHENG Chung-tai. Lee claimed, once Cheng loses his electoral candidature, he is disqualified immediately from his lawmaker seat.
Lee claimed that the committee had asked Cheng for information in ‘some matters’. After Cheng replied, the Committee for ‘Safeguarding National Security of the Hong Kong SAR’ said Cheng did not qualify.
Source: Initium Media #Aug27
https://bit.ly/3ykshFu
#PoliticalSuppression #Disqualifications #DQ #PoliceState #FakeElection #ChiefExecutiveElection #NationalSecurityLaw
The ‘Candidate Eligibility Review Committee’ of the Hong Kong SAR Government ousted CHENG Chung-tai, one of the final two opposition lawmakers from the city's lawmaking body, Legislative Council, on Thursday, 26 Aug, 2021. The news was announced by Hong Kong’s Chief Secretary John Lee Ka-chiu.
Hong Kong's next Chief Executive will be selected by a non-elected 1,500-membered electoral in 2022. All of the members must be screened by the ‘Candidate Eligibility Review Committee’, chaired by #JohnLee, the city's former Security Chief.
The Committee has reviewed 1,498 electoral candidates and disqualified two of them. One of them is opposition lawmaker CHENG Chung-tai. Lee claimed, once Cheng loses his electoral candidature, he is disqualified immediately from his lawmaker seat.
Lee claimed that the committee had asked Cheng for information in ‘some matters’. After Cheng replied, the Committee for ‘Safeguarding National Security of the Hong Kong SAR’ said Cheng did not qualify.
Source: Initium Media #Aug27
https://bit.ly/3ykshFu
#PoliticalSuppression #Disqualifications #DQ #PoliceState #FakeElection #ChiefExecutiveElection #NationalSecurityLaw
端傳媒 Initium Media
晚報：資審會完成審查選委會參選人，鄭松泰資格無效、隨即喪失立法會議席
香港 資格審查委員會完成審查及確認選委會界別分組選舉候選人資格 ，立法會議員鄭松泰被裁定資格無效，他亦隨之即時喪失立法會議席。
Governmdnt Official 'Recommends' Legal Aid Cases Use Government-Appointed Lawyers Only
The Hong Kong SAR government and the pro-Beijing camp had made numerous accusations that the legal aid system is being abused. #JohnLee Ka-Chiu, the Chief Secretary for Administration, had evaluated the system and presented a series of recommendations to the Legislative Council on Oct 22, 2021.
The report recommended that lawyers for criminal cases be appointed by the Legal Aid Department (#LAD), rather than allowing aid recipients to nominate their own lawyer. Only "special cases" will be exempted, for example when the self-nominated lawyer has represented the defendant before.
They also suggested a limit of legal aid for cases related to judicial reviews, allowing a maximum of 3 cases for barristers and 5 for solicitors.
The government also proposed to "enhance case management". If the LAD believes there is a conflict of interest of the original-appointed lawyer, they will suspend the legal aid or appoint another lawyer. And if the client seeks voluntary legal advice without LAD consent, the LAD will also withdraw the aid.
#LegalAidDepartment #LegalAssistance #RightToCounsel #JudicialReview
Source: Stand News #Oct26
https://bit.ly/3jucdMX
See also:
Protesters' Fund In Support of Hong Kong Pro-democracy Movement Will Cease Operation
https://t.me/guardiansofhongkong/30820
The Hong Kong SAR government and the pro-Beijing camp had made numerous accusations that the legal aid system is being abused. #JohnLee Ka-Chiu, the Chief Secretary for Administration, had evaluated the system and presented a series of recommendations to the Legislative Council on Oct 22, 2021.
The report recommended that lawyers for criminal cases be appointed by the Legal Aid Department (#LAD), rather than allowing aid recipients to nominate their own lawyer. Only "special cases" will be exempted, for example when the self-nominated lawyer has represented the defendant before.
They also suggested a limit of legal aid for cases related to judicial reviews, allowing a maximum of 3 cases for barristers and 5 for solicitors.
The government also proposed to "enhance case management". If the LAD believes there is a conflict of interest of the original-appointed lawyer, they will suspend the legal aid or appoint another lawyer. And if the client seeks voluntary legal advice without LAD consent, the LAD will also withdraw the aid.
#LegalAidDepartment #LegalAssistance #RightToCounsel #JudicialReview
Source: Stand News #Oct26
https://bit.ly/3jucdMX
See also:
Protesters' Fund In Support of Hong Kong Pro-democracy Movement Will Cease Operation
https://t.me/guardiansofhongkong/30820
#SmallCircleElection #CCPInfluence
Ex-police officer oversees crackdown on pro-democracy protests is sole candidate in Hong Kong's #ChiefExecutiveElection
#JohnLee, a career police officer turned hardline security official, is running unopposed to take over the Chief Executive job in Hong Kong’s elections next month.
As the sole candidate with #Beijing’s blessing, he is all but guaranteed to become the next chief executive.
Hongkongers have not had a direct say in who serves as their chief executive since the handover in 1997. Instead, the post is selected by a small committee of society stakeholders called the Election Committee.
In March, 2021, Beijing overhauled the city’s electoral process, expanding the committee to 1,500 members but also tightening the criteria for candidates. New measures included a two-step national security screening process to ensure all members were loyal to the CCP.
Sources: InmediaHK, Reuters #Apr15
#PoliceState #Regime
Ex-police officer oversees crackdown on pro-democracy protests is sole candidate in Hong Kong's #ChiefExecutiveElection
#JohnLee, a career police officer turned hardline security official, is running unopposed to take over the Chief Executive job in Hong Kong’s elections next month.
As the sole candidate with #Beijing’s blessing, he is all but guaranteed to become the next chief executive.
Hongkongers have not had a direct say in who serves as their chief executive since the handover in 1997. Instead, the post is selected by a small committee of society stakeholders called the Election Committee.
In March, 2021, Beijing overhauled the city’s electoral process, expanding the committee to 1,500 members but also tightening the criteria for candidates. New measures included a two-step national security screening process to ensure all members were loyal to the CCP.
Sources: InmediaHK, Reuters #Apr15
#PoliceState #Regime
Business connections of #JohnLee’s sons with CE electors revealed
//A #Factwire investigation reveals that the two sons of John Lee, the Chief Executive candidate likely to be running unopposed this year, both have connections with members of the current #ChiefExecutiveElection Committee in the business field, although John Lee’s team said he has not been involved in these connections.
John Lee’s older son, Gilbert Lee, is a senior executive at Hang Seng Bank, whose direct superior, Diana Cesar, is the bank’s chief and a finance subsector member of the Election Committee. Gilbert Lee was awarded a position in a government panel last year, soon after his father became the Chief Secretary for Administration.
Lee’s younger son Jacky Lee is a business partner of Li Sing-tui, a member of the Election Committee and the National Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference (#CPPCC). Together, they own and operate a kindergarten in Dongguan that costs over HKD 70,000 a year to attend.//
Read full article:
https://www.factwire.org/en/business-connections-of-john-lees-sons-with-ce-electors-revealed/
Source: Factwire #Apr15
#CCPRules #HongKongElection
//A #Factwire investigation reveals that the two sons of John Lee, the Chief Executive candidate likely to be running unopposed this year, both have connections with members of the current #ChiefExecutiveElection Committee in the business field, although John Lee’s team said he has not been involved in these connections.
John Lee’s older son, Gilbert Lee, is a senior executive at Hang Seng Bank, whose direct superior, Diana Cesar, is the bank’s chief and a finance subsector member of the Election Committee. Gilbert Lee was awarded a position in a government panel last year, soon after his father became the Chief Secretary for Administration.
Lee’s younger son Jacky Lee is a business partner of Li Sing-tui, a member of the Election Committee and the National Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference (#CPPCC). Together, they own and operate a kindergarten in Dongguan that costs over HKD 70,000 a year to attend.//
Read full article:
https://www.factwire.org/en/business-connections-of-john-lees-sons-with-ce-electors-revealed/
Source: Factwire #Apr15
#CCPRules #HongKongElection
FactWire News Agency 傳真社
Business connections of John Lee’s sons with CE electors revealed - FactWire News Agency 傳真社
A Factwire investigation reveals that the two sons of John Lee, the Chief Executive candidate likely to be running unopposed this year, both have connections with members of the current Chief Executive Election Committee in the business field, although John…
#SmallCircleElection #CCPRules
Former Security Head Nominated for Chief Executive Election in Hong Kong Without Any Program
In Hong Kong, #JohnLee, a former police commissioner and the secretary for secutity until recently, claimed that he has submitted 786 nominations to the Election Committee, making him the sole candidate in Hong Kong's #ChiefExecutiveElection.
Lee was known for his pro-Beijing stance and hardliner attitude in suppressing the city's prodemocracy protests.
Lee was asked by journalists to comment on the legitimacy of the election, as he has been nominated without having any program nor statement.
Lee did not give a direct response, but said, "it takes time to write a statement." Lee claimed that he is a pragmatic person and would be able to realise the policy he proposed.
Source: InMedia #Apr15
https://bit.ly/378khQJ
#Regime #PoliceState
Former Security Head Nominated for Chief Executive Election in Hong Kong Without Any Program
In Hong Kong, #JohnLee, a former police commissioner and the secretary for secutity until recently, claimed that he has submitted 786 nominations to the Election Committee, making him the sole candidate in Hong Kong's #ChiefExecutiveElection.
Lee was known for his pro-Beijing stance and hardliner attitude in suppressing the city's prodemocracy protests.
Lee was asked by journalists to comment on the legitimacy of the election, as he has been nominated without having any program nor statement.
Lee did not give a direct response, but said, "it takes time to write a statement." Lee claimed that he is a pragmatic person and would be able to realise the policy he proposed.
Source: InMedia #Apr15
https://bit.ly/378khQJ
#Regime #PoliceState