New elected Executive Director of the Hong Kong Unison Limited will support the minorities to apply consumption voucher

Dr John Tse Wing-ling, the new-elected Executive Director of the Hong Kong Unison Limited, starts his duty today (16th June). He invites media to have a tea gathering and shares his thoughts on topics about the minorities, pointing out that they are also facing various difficulties under the pandemic even though they only take account for 3% of the Hong Kong population.

The Unison Limited contacted 900 families in late March. 60% of them have lost their jobs or underemployment, in which, 4% of the families have been living under the poverty line for a long term. Half of their children have fallen behind the learning syllabus due to the lack of online learning equipment. Many students feel that they cannot catch up with their studies on Chinese after re-starting face-to-face learning.

Dr. Tse mentions in the gathering that education issues is on the top list at the Unison Limited. He believes that only having the knowledge can change the minorities’ future. He said that even though the government have put resource to this group of people, most of them are outdated. As a result, he hopes the Steering Committee on Ethnic Minority Affairs in the new government will listen to their voices, will improve their education especially on Chinese Language as a second language.

Tse indicates that the Unison Limited received enquiries from the ethnic minorities about their struggles on applying for a new round of consumption voucher. As a result, he plans to set up 4 to 5 service stations at late June at Tung Chung, Yau Tsim Mong, Sha Tin, Yuen Long, where have more minorities living, to help them signing up for the voucher with other friend organisations.

https://unison.org.hk/en

#FirstHand #Jun18
#UnisonLimited #TseWingLing #EthnicMinorities #Onlinelearning #Poverty

#FirstHand #Jun30
Hong Kong Authorities Seal Off Wanchai North to 'welcome' Xi Jinping

Since June 29, 2022, Hong Kong police sealed off a large area completely including car ways and pavements in Wanchai North, to prepare for the arrival of the Chinese Communist Party (#CCP) leader #XiJinPing. From the midnight of June 30, the Exhibition and Convention Center station will also be closed.

On July 1, Xi will be present at the Exhibition and Convention Center to observe the ceremony celebrating the establishment day of the Hong Kong SAR and the officiation of the new Chief Executive.

On the eve of July 1, Hong Kong police sent in the anti-terrorism squad to patrol the area in their new uniform. Police dogs were also deployed. Reporters on the flyover were stopped and searched for 4 times.

During Xi's visit to Hong Kong, the metro will not stop at the
Exhibition and Convention Center station until 2pm on July 1. Buses will also be rerouted.

It was reported that some pro-democracy groups like the League of Social Democrats were warned by the authorities of the consequence of carrying out protests on the day.

#PoliceState #FailedState #Authoritarianism #Suppression #Handover

Flowers Offered to #LeungKinFai on anniversary of Knife Attack; Offering May Violate National Security Law, Police Warned

On July 1 one year ago, local man Leung Kin-fai stabbed a police officer with a knife outside in Causeway Bay, then took his own life. The attack, which took place on the first anniversary of the #NationalSecurityLaw, was labeled as a "lone wolf-style localist terror attack" by Secretary of Security Chris Tang, who added that the authorities will prosecute any actions that incite and glorify violence.

On July 1 this year, police deployed nearly 20 officers in armored vests to guard the scene of the attack. After finding a small bouquet of white flowers on the ground, the nearby officers quickly went on high alert, cordoning off the area and detaining a nearby young man in black. The man was searched and released after about 10 minutes, and the bouquet was taken away.

The young man told reporters that the flowers were not his; he told the officers that they could verify it by CCTV. One of the officers told him that he could offer flowers on normal days, but that day was a "special day", and the National Security police will follow up on the person making the flower offering.

The act of offering flowers may be a violation of the national security law, the officer said.

Nevertheless, other citizens also laid flowers at the scene despite increased police presence. Their flowers were also quickly cleared away by plainclothes officers.

source: In-Media HK #FirstHand #Jul01

https://bit.ly/3ntDDEk

see also: Mourning activities and police response the day after the attack

Police Cordon Off Sogo Department Store to Prevent Hongkongers from Mourning Fellow Citizen
https://t.me/guardiansofhongkong/30367

Defiant #Hongkongers continue to show respect despite tightened police grip
https://t.me/guardiansofhongkong/30396

Police disrespectfully take away flowers for Deceased Civilian from the altar
https://t.me/guardiansofhongkong/30395

#LeungKinFai #Remembrance #PoliceState

Police Took Down Identities of Journalists who Reported on Mourning for #LeungKinFai

A typhoon 8 warning was declared around 7pm on July 1. Large number of police vehicles and officers had been deployed to the Sogo department store in Causeway Bay, the site of Leung Kin-Fai's knife attack on a policce officer last year. The store itself had closed its doors by 7:30 due to the approaching typhoon.

Around 8:30, a large group of officers suddenly rushed at nearby journalists and surrounded them with cordons. The journalists were warned to stop taking photos and stop all live videos. Even journalists posted across the street were not spared; all who had been reporting and photographing the scene of mourning will be detained and had their identity taken down, an officer said. Any who did not cooperate would be considered to be "obstructing police", he added.

Earlier, a wheelchair-bound citizen who passed by was stopped and searched by more than 10 officers. Police extended their cordon to include the crosswalk outside Sogo.

source: #FirstHand #Jul01

see also:
Flowers Offered to #LeungKinFai on anniversary of Knife Attack; Offering May Violate National Security Law, Police Warned

https://t.me/guardiansofhongkong/32960

#PoliceState #PressFreedom

#Hongkongers Say Farewell to Local Pro-Democracy Clothing Store #Chickeeduck

The last store of #Chickeeduck in Kowloon Tong, Hong Kong, was shut down on July 10, 2022. Many Hongkongers paid visit to the store and showed appreciation for the owner #ChowSiuLung, as he had been vocal in support of the city's pro-democracy movement.

Chow displayed the miniature of the Goddess of Liberty in his stores. When he opened his store in Tsuen Wan last year, national security police raided his store but arrested no one. In November 2021, Chow announced the closure of his business in Hong Kong, as his factories were harassed and business partners were slandered due to Chow's pro-democracy stance.

On July 11, 2022, customers visiting the store mentioned how Chickeeduck, a local children's clothing store, was their childhood memories. Some talked about the products' excellent quality and the fond memory of the owner, even during random encounters.

Images: #FirstHand
Text: InMediaHK.net #Jul10

#Chickeeduck #ChowSiuLung

https://bit.ly/3ap51R8