#Mar8 #Memorial #Retrospect
Police Officers' Unreasonable Stop-and-Search & Questionable Handling of Personal Data and Security Risks

View Photos Here: https://t.me/guardiansofhongkong/18430

During Sunday evening (8 March), police officers had unreasonably stopped and questioned heaps of civilians at various locations in Tseung Kwan O, people ranging from the elderly to children who followed their families to mourn were intercepted.

A civilian who had been searched by police officers within the cordon told reporters that he had witnessed the usage of WhatsApp, instead of the usual notebook, to record the identity and data of the person being searched, leading many to question whether the risk of leaking personal data of the intercepted person had increased,. He suspected that some personal information of demonstrators has been leaked out by this way.

He added that the intercepted civilians were divided into two groups, those who were searched in the streets where could be monitored by reporters were treated well, while those who were searched inside a carpark were treated badly. The civilian said that as soon as they entered the carpark, dozens of police officers swore at him, shoved him, and even called him mentally handicapped, indicating the police's explosive and unstable emotion states.
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Photo / Icy, Cheung Ming Kin @ CBC
Source: City Broadcasting Channel (CBC)
#Mar9 #PoliceState #PoliceBrutality #Remembrance

#ChowTszLok #Memorial #PoliceState
9 Months Since the Death of Pro-democracy Student: Police Intercept Reporters and Target Web-based Media

August 8, 2020 marks 9th month since university student Chow Tsz-lok passed away on November 8, 2019. The cause of his fatal fall from Sheung Tak Carpark during police operation remains unknown. An altar was set up at the crossroads of Sheung Tak Estate for citizens to lay candles and flowers in remembrance of Chow.

A large group of police were sighted stationing and patrolling around Sheung Tak carpark as early as at 6pm, urging reporters to leave. At 7pm, a police cordon line was set up to conduct search.

Specifically, reporters of what the police called “traditional media” and “web media” were kept apart for search.

Source: InMedia #Aug8
#PressFreedom

#NeverForget #NeverGiveUp
Hong Kong Pro-democracy Trade Unions Commemorate CCP-'Suicided' #LiWangYang for Fighting Against Totalitarian Power

Video: https://t.me/guardiansofhongkong/29988

On June 6, 2021, the Hong Kong Confederation of Trade Unions (#HKCTU), a pro-democracy labour rights group, held a memorial for Chinese dissident Li Wangyang (1950-2012) who passed away on the day 9 years ago in 2012.

After being jailed by the Chinese authorities for 21 years, Li who had become blind and nearly deaf by then was found dead in a hospital room. The #ChineseCommunistParty (#CCP) government initially claimed that Li had "committed suicide".

Li's sudden death -- which took place just a few days after he in an interview called for the vindication of the 1989 June 4th #TiananmenMassacre -- had stirred up outcry in Hong Kong and abroad. The real cause of his death remained in the shadow.

The HKCTU organized a commemorative event to pay tribute to Li's perseverance in fighting against the regime.

#ChowHangTung, vice chairperson of the Hong Kong Alliance in Support of Patriotic Democratic Movements of China who was arrested by the Hong Kong police on the morning of June 4, 2021, joined the memorial on bail.

Chow said, "The regime does not win even by imprisoning us. As long as we manage to reinforce the movement during the process, we are not losing."

Source: HKCTU; InMedia;
#FirstHand #Jun6
https://bit.ly/3ghbIDu

#Dissent #Death #Suicide #StateTerrorism #Memorial
#Video

#FirstHand #Jul2
Police disrespectfully take away flowers for Deceased Civilian from the altar

On July 2, 2021, citizens initiated mourning activity since the morning into the evening.

Hongkongers from different districts travelled to Causeway Bay to lay flowers and pay tribute to Mr. #LeungKinFai, who passed away by stabbing himself after injuring a policeman a day before.

Amidst heavy police presence, a small flower altar was sighted outside Sogo Department Store, where the incident took place.

However, just momentarily, two police officers walked to the altar and removed all the white flowers laid on the ground to mourn the deceased. It was around 21:45 in the evening.

Source: First Hand #July2

#Hongkongers #July1Protest #Sacrifice #Martyr #Death #Memorial

#NeverForget #PoliceBrutality
HongKongers continue quest for truth on 2-year anniversary of pro-democracy student's death

#PoliceState #Oppression #Truth #NeverForgive #Memorial

Source: NineteenMedia; #Sept22

Read more
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#NeverForget #PoliceBrutality
HongKongers continue quest for truth on 2-year anniversary of pro-democracy student's death

On September 22, 2019, 15-year-old student #ChanYinLam, a supporter of Hong Kong's anti-extradition bill protests, passed away.

Chan's body was found naked and floating in the sea near Tseung Kwan O. However, Hong Kong police quickly declared her death to be unsuspicous, before conducting much investigation.

In the two years since, the police had been making every effort to stop citizens from gathering in remembrance of Chan, citing COVID-19 gathering restrictions and social order.

Resisting to forget, citizens continue to place memorials in Tseung Kwan O on September 22, 2021, with light boxes of Chan's portrait and white electric candles. The memorial not pays tribute to Chan, but symbolizes the continued quest for the truth behind her death.

Her death in 2019 had sparked immediate and intense public discussion, with some suspecting that the Hong Kong Police might be involved. The police's repeated denials without a thorough investigation only reinforced public suspicions.

Following an 11-day inquest at the Coroner's Court in 2020, the jury returned an open verdict in Chan's death. The five-member jury of three women and two men unanimously concluded that they were unable to determine the causes and circumstances of Chan's death.

#PoliceState #Oppression #Truth #NeverForgive #memorial

Source: NineteenMedia; #Sept22
https://t.me/nineteenMedia/9586

#FirstHand
#GrannyWong calls on Hongkongers to remember young protester's mysterious death

September 22, 2021 marked the 24th month since death of the 15-year-old pro-democracy protesters, #ChanYinLam when her naked body was found in the harbor off Tseung Kwan O on September 22, 2019. The coroner's court had ruled the cause of her death to be inconclusive, due to insufficient evidence.

In late evening, Granny Wong was outside a shopping mall nearby Tseung Kwan O, holding a British flag and a bouquet of flowers in her hands. She urged any witnesses to come forward with information relevant to Chan's death.

Moments later, Wong was intercepted by Hong Kong police and searched. After she was eventually released, two plainclothes officer followed Granny Wong as she made her the way to the promenade.

#NeverForget #PoliceBrutality #PoliceState #Oppression #Truth #NeverForgive #Memorial

Source: First hand; #Sept22

#Censorship #PoliticalSuppression
"Barbarious", "Mafia Tactic": #PillarofShame Creator Shocked as the University of Hong Kong Demands Removal

Part 1/2

On October 7, 2021, the University of Hong Kong (#HKU) called for the removal of a statue commemorating the pro-democracy protesters killed during the 1989 Tiananmen massacre in Beijing, with a 6-day deadline.

The "Pillar of Shame" had been placed on long-term display inside the HKU campus since 1998 with support from the HKU Student Union.

Representing the university, US law firm Mayer Brown issued a letter demanding the now-disbanded Hong Kong Alliance (#HKASPDMC) – the organiser of Hong Kong’s annual Tiananmen vigil – to “immediately … make arrangements for the sculpture (the 8-meter-tall Pillar of Shame) to be removed from the university’s premises”.

“If you fail to remove the sculpture … it will be deemed abandoned,” the letter said, “if the Alliance fails to take it away, and the university will deal with the sculpture at such time and in such manner as it thinks fit without further notice.”

Danish artist #JensGalschiot, the statue's creator, was shocked at the demand, calling it “barbarous” and a “mafia” tactic. He told reporters that he remains the owner of the sculpture, and he has hired a lawyer to protect his property, which was only on loan to the Alliance.

“I hope that my ownership of the sculpture will be respected and that I will be able to transport the sculpture out of Hong Kong under orderly conditions and without it having suffered from any damage,” he said, adding that any damage would be the university’s responsibility.

Galschiot described the act as an attempt to erase China's collective historical memory. In a statement, he wrote in contempt, “China has made the Pillar of Shame ever taller and bigger in the eyes of the world.”

Read Part 2:
Law Firm Refuses to Represent Hong Kong's Top University
https://t.me/guardiansofhongkong/31306

#TiananmenMassacre #Memorial #Art #CollectiveMemory

Sources: Stand News; InMediaHK; #Oct18

https://thestandnews.page.link/cWZQyyVUAc2Z255J7

https://thestandnews.page.link/ExESJ1tzktLMiEoR6

https://bit.ly/3vq26O4

US Law Firm Withdraws from Representing the University of Hong Kong Amid Outcry from Civic Groups and US Politicians

On behalf of the University of Hong Kong (#HKU), the law firm #MayerBrown issued a letter to Danish artist #JensGalschiot, demanding the removal of his famous sculpture #PillarofShame, which has beena symbol commemorating the victims of the 1989 Tiananmen Massacre and on display on campus since 2003, within six days.

The action prompted an outcry from pro-democracy and human rights groups, who expressed dismay that a US law firm was helping the Chinese regime to suppress the commemoration of the massacre.

28 civil society groups signed an open letter calling for Mayer Brown to withdraw from representing the university, citing the importance of safeguarding the firm’s “integrity in defending the right of freedom of expression”.

US Republican senators including Ted Cruz and Lindsey Graham also condemned the firm.

Mayer Brown initially defended its representation of the university, saying the dispute was simply a real estate matter. But on October 15, 2021, the firm backed down, saying, "going forward, Mayer Brown will not be representing its longtime client in this matter.”

Following Mayer Brown's withdrawal, former Hong Kong Chief Executive Leung Chun-ying took to Facebook to denounce the firm as having been "infiltrated by foreign powers" and calling on all "Chinese" clients to withdraw their business.

The sculpture was still in the university campus as the deadline for its removal passed.

The debate over removal of the Pillar of Shame from #HKU was brought to a legislative meeting on October 18, 2021, when pro-Beijing legislator Luk Chung-hung, a representative from the pro-CCP Hong Kong Federation of Trade Unions, took it in a verbal inquiry.

Luk referred the sculpture as “trash” three times, calling it a "totem of anti-CCP sentiments" that has confused and poisoned youngsters in Hong Kong. He called for local police to assist the university in handling the case.

#TiananmenMassacre #Memorial #Art #CollectiveMemory

Sources: Stand News; InmediaHK; #Oct18

https://thestandnews.page.link/cWZQyyVUAc2Z255J7

https://thestandnews.page.link/ExESJ1tzktLMiEoR6

https://bit.ly/3vq26O4

#BreakingNews #CUHK
CUHK Removes Goddess of Democracy Statue Without Warning

One day after the University of Hong Kong (#HKU) removed the Pillar of Shame, a memorial of the Tiananmen Square Massacre by Danish artist Jens Galschiøt, the Chinese University of Hong Kong (#CUHK) also took action to remove a memorial sculpture on its campus, the Goddess of Democracy, without prior announcement.

Sources in CUHK claim that the university had been planning for the statue's removal, but had moved up its schedule once they saw HKU took down the Pillar of Shame. It was also said that the school had considered directly demolishing the statue and sending it to the landfill. The statue is currently placed in temporary storage.

Compared to HKU's actions on the day prior, CUHK was even more subtle in their actions. Before starting to dismantle the pillar, HKU had first enclosed the area with barricades; this gave students and journalists precious time to come to the scene and record the event. CUHK, in comparison, acted in complete secrecy; the statue was not guarded in any way as late as the previous evening. Their dismantling work began around 6am this morning, and by 6:30, the statue was removed without a trace.

The Goddess of Democracy statue was a replica of the one erected on Tiananmen Square during the student protests in 1989, days before the violent crackdown by the Chinese army on June 4. The replica was created by Chinese sculptor Chen Weiming (陳維明) , and was shipped to Hong Kong on June 2, 2010 and received by the Hong Kong Alliance, the organizer of the annual June 4 candlelight vigil. The statue was temporarily confiscated by police, a number of Alliance members were arrested, and Chen himself was denied entry to the city; despite the setbacks, the statue was able to go on display at the candlelight vigil two days later. It was then shipped to CUHK, escorted by over 2000 citizens, students, and faculty members, and was erected on the grass near the University MTR station, where it stood until today.

Source: 白影, HKGolden
Photo: 白影, CUHK Student Press

#June4 #GoddessOfDemocracy #TiananmenMassacre #Memorial #Censorship #PoliticalSuppression

Read more:
The pillar of Shame is being destroyed in these minutes : Jen Galschiot calls for public record on Twitter
https://t.me/guardiansofhongkong/31702

#WhiteTerror #Oppression
Over a dozen companies refuse to transport #PillarofShame, citing concerns over Chinese government's reprisal

The Pillar of Shame - the Tiananmen memorial at the University of Hong Kong (#HKU) which stood for more than 20 years - has been dismantled and packed away in cargo containers by the University management in the middle of the night in December 2021.

Since then, the creator of the Pillar, Danish artist #JensGalschiøt, had been attempting to ship the Pillar back to Denmark.

In a statement, Galschiøt said that his team, including lawyers, 2 shipping companies, and even the Danish Ministry of Foreign Affairs were involved in the effort, but they had yet to find a company to move the cargo container from storage to the container wharf.

12 shipping companies turned them down, all citing concerns over the Chinese government taking vengeance on them.

Galschiøt reiterated that he is still hopeful for success, but it remains unclear as to when the Pillar can be shipped out of Hong Kong.

Source: Inmediahk; #Apr19
https://bit.ly/3918PH7

See also:
The Pillar of Shame is being destroyed in these minutes : Jen Galschiot calls for public record on Twitter (Dec 23, 2021)
https://t.me/guardiansofhongkong/31702

New School for Democracy Announces Rebuilding Pillar of Shame in Taiwan: "One Pillar Falls, Thousands More Will Be Raised" (Jan 27, 2022)
https://t.me/BeWaterHK/15

#June4 #TiananmenMassacre #Memorial