📡Guardians of Hong Kong
9.45K subscribers
21.6K photos
1.88K videos
27 files
9.99K links
We provide translation of news in English from local media and other sources, for academic use.
Facebook: http://bit.ly/BeWaterHongKong
Instagram: @guardiansofhk
Website: https://guardiansofhk.com/
Download Telegram
Riot police trampling press freedom, belittling reporters as “background actors”; Indiscriminate Frisking of Residents and Passers-by Alike

Photos:
https://t.me/guardiansofhongkong/17095

2304 | Car park, Grand View Garden, #DiamondHill
Police officers patrolled the car park and escorted searched citizens to the ground floor for investigation.

2307 |
Some citizens were still being stopped and searched. An elderly person walked by and was abruptly taken away by officers.

2308 | Caltex gas station, Po Kong Village Road
Over 10 pedestrians were stopped and searched outside the gas station, even a citizen who was riding on his motorbike.

2314 | Grand View Garden
Cordon lines were set up across a large part of the private housing estate, while the riot police used their phones to take pictures of citizens, residents, and journalists.

2317 | Po Kong Village Road
Cars were stopped for inspections.

2319 | Caltex gas station, Po Kong Village Road
Some citizens took to the side for inspection separately.

2319 | Fu Shan Estate
Riot police stopped journalists from filming, demanding them to leave the building and register from the security guards of the building.

Editor's note:
Neither did the police obtain any warrant to enter the building, register before entering the estate nor possess any police warrant card. However, the journalists revealed their press pass throughout the night.

2323 |
Over 13 residents were briefly detained inside the cordon lines. An Apple Daily journalist said that owing to the blockade, they didn’t know about the situation inside the building.

2337 | Caltex gas station, Po Kong Village Road
After over 30 minutes, the riot police finally released the citizens, who were said to be residents.

2339 | Car Park, Grand View Garden
Some arrestees were taken onto a coach, including the five arrested in Fu Shan Estate and those behind during the blockade in Fu Yan House and Fu Lai House. However, despite being over half an hour already, the citizens being searched there were still unable to go.


2340 | Diamond Hill
Around 15 riot police stood by at Grand View Garden outside the carpark.

2347
A police coach drove away leaving at least another 7 police vehicles on the scene.

2351
Once again, riot police shoved into lobby of Fu Yan House for search operation. 1 youngster was incepted.

0005
Riot police entered a convenient store and demanded customers to stand in a line for investigation.

0007
Riot police at the scene shone several strong torchlights at reporters and ordered them to back down.

A group of Special Tactical Unit officers conducted stop and search and referred to reporters as “background actors” who were "worth only $20 each". This aroused discontent among reporters.

0008
A young man was taken away by the riot police.

Source: Apple Daily; Stand News; Cupid Production
#Feb12 #PoliceState
Government Broke Promise Requisitioning Public Housing Estate as Isolation Camp, Electrical Appliances being Installed and Ready for Use

Though previously promised not to further acquire newly-constructed public housing estates for isolation purpose, Chief Executive Carry Lam still decided to requisition Chun Yeung Estate in Fo Tan as an isolation camp.

On Feb 11 afternoon, cargos were transported into the estate by trucks from the Government Logistics Department. Workers from the gas agency were also seen sending water heaters up to the flats, and woking on the connection of gas pipes, assumed to be speeding up for earlier service of the isolation camp.

At the same time, the premises were surrounded by water-safety barriers, with riot police guarding every exit. Pointy barbed wire has been installed on walls.

Source: Flash Media #Feb12 #ChinesePneumonia
#Newspaper #ChinaEconomy
Xi warned officials that efforts to stop virus could hurt China's economy


Previously,
Guangdong province grants rights of angary to local governments to take private properties for use in epidemic
https://t.me/guardiansofhongkong/17058

With growth at its slowest in nearly three decades, China's leaders seem eager to strike a balance between protecting an already-slowing economy and stamping out an epidemic that has killed more than 1,000 people and infected more than 40,000.

Xi Jinping warned top officials last week that efforts to contain the new coronavirus had gone too far and urged party committees and governments of all levels to achieve the targets of economic and social development this year.

Excerpt: Reuters #Feb12
https://reut.rs/2OR3qFs

#Xi #PrivateProperties #CoronavirusOutbreak
#ChineseCommunistParty
#FailedState #CoronavirusOutbreak
Silver-Hair Community Demands Carrie Lam To Answer the Whereabouts of Prisoner-Made Masks: Carrie Lam Adminstration is Scarier Than Coronavirus


Source: Stand News #Feb12
#HealthCrisis #ChinesePneumomia
Journalist: Why Hong Kong Medical Staff are In Inferior Protective Gown Compared to the Police?

A building in Tsing Yi housing estate had to be evacuated after 2 residents had contracted the novel coronavirus.

The frontline medical staff at the scene were wearing the half transparent Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) suit while the police were donning the more secured Tyek coverall.

In a press conference held by the Department of Food and Hygiene and the Hospital Authority (#HA) journalist asked why medical staff, who have to be in close proximity with the potential infected, were in inferior gear compared to the police officers who only had to stand guard at the building.

The representative from HA claimed “there were different procedures with different departments. I am sure not what their risk assessment is. I only know that our procedure is up to standard”.

More: https://t.me/guardiansofhongkong/17053

Source: Stand News #Feb12
#HongKongPolice
#Arrest #PoliceState
Police Arrest a 18-year-old for Money Laundering, but say: Arrestee and the Shell Company Has No Relation

Police arrested a 18-year-old man for "money laundering" of over HKD40,000 dollars. The man received the said amount from a shell company and had it transferred away on the same day. Police said the activity was unusual and believed that was money laundering.

When asked for the connection between the shell company and the arrestee, the police said they did not see they were related.

Source: InMedia
http://bit.ly/2vt1snS
#Feb12 #Police #SparkAlliance
#Breaking #Mainlandization #1C1S
Public Broadcaster in Hong Kong Follows China's Decision to Lift #BBC

Recently, the British authorities cancelled the licence of the Chinese Communist Party-funded English channel #CGTN in the United Kingdom.

On the early morning of Feb 12, 2021, Beijing responded by accusing BBC of "serious content violations" and banning BBC World News in "Chinese territory".

Two Reuters journalists in China said the channel had gone blank on their screens. Although it was said that BBC would remain available in Hong Kong, the public broadcaster #RTHK in Hong Kong announced on the same day that BBC World News would be lifted from their program from 11pm onwards that day, due to the decision of the broadcasting regulator in Beijing.

Source: RTHK #Feb12
https://news.rthk.hk/rthk/en/component/k2/1575376-20210212.htm

#UK #CCPControl #Regime #Retaliation #Censorship
#GreatFireWall #Censorship
Hong Kong Authorities Purportedly Block the Website of Taiwan's Transitional Justice Commission

The official website of the Transitional Justice Commission (https://www.tjc.gov.tw/), established in Taiwan in 2018, is reportedly blocked in Hong Kong, as on Feb 12, 2021.

The Stand News reveals that it is impossible to connect to the website via Internet providers in Hong Kong including HKT, China Mobile, Smarttone and CSL.

On Feb 12, 2021, the Security Bureau of the Hong Kong Government gave a written reply to the media inquiry that they will not comment on any guess on police operation; while the police orally refused to reply and claimed that any response from the Security Bureau is "accurate".

The Stand News managed to access the said website via VPN connected to servers outside of Hong Kong with IP addresses such as in Japan and Taiwan.

Source: Stand News #Feb12
https://bit.ly/3tSSMkw

#FailedState #FreeSpeech #Internet #Taiwan #TransitionalJusticeCommission
#PoliticalOppression
11-year-old Pro-democracy Community Manager in Hong Kong Resigns Due to Pressure

Source: Stand News #Feb12

Read more
⬇️⬇️⬇️
#PoliticalOppression
11-year-old Pro-democracy Community Manager in Hong Kong Resigns Due to Pressure

11-year-old #JoelWong is the founder of the Tin Shui Wai Community Concern Group in Hong Kong. On Feb 12, 2021, Wong announced his resignation as a community manager to be effective from March 9, 2021 onwards.

"For the sake of my family, friends and school, I will resign from my position as a community manager," Wong said.

Wong is suffering insomnia and subjected to pressure, since he has been doxxed by some pro-Beijing groups and his family has been harassed by China-funded media.

Nevertheless, Wong said he will continue to contribute to the community in form of voluntary work.

Source: Stand News #Feb12

Read more:
Beijing Mouthpiece Defames a 11-year-old Hong Kong Boy and Uses Fake Identity to Approach his Family
https://t.me/guardiansofhongkong/28595

#BeijingLoyalist #TaKungPao #CCP #Doxxing #Harrassment
#Court
US Lawyer Loses Appeal over Police Assault Case, but Vows to Continue Fight until Justice Prevails

#PoliceState #FailedState #NSL #NationalSecurityLaw #SamuelPhillipBickett #Bickett

Source: inmediahk; #Feb12

Read more
⬇️⬇️⬇️
#Court
US Lawyer Loses Appeal over Police Assault Case, but Vows to Continue Fight until Justice Prevails

The High Court has dismissed an American lawyer, Samuel Phillip Bickett’s appeal against his conviction and sentence for assaulting a police officer. The judge ruled that police guidelines on use of force were “irrelevant” to the case, which she said happened “during a most violent chapter in the history of Hong Kong.”

Bickett is a former compliance director at the Bank of America. His confrontation against an off-duty police officer occurred in Causeway Bay MTR station on December 7, 2019. He was accused of intervening in a scuffle between the officer and a protester, even though the officer refused to produce his warrant card to prove his identity.

He was sentenced to four and a half months of jail in June 2021 for assaulting a plain-clothes police officer. Bickett won the application for an appeal after serving more than six weeks in a prison. He was released on HK$150,000 bail in August 2021.

After his appeal was dismissed, Bickett was ordered to serve the remainder of his sentence. Bickett posted a lengthy statement addressing the problems in the verdict, and said that he will appeal the decision and “continue to fight to overturn the verdict.”

He also questioned whether Hong Kong’s laws “apply equally” to police officers and other members of the public.

His full statement is available on his Facebook page:

https://www.facebook.com/rsvr03b/posts/10106510477672601

In an interview with local media, Bickett thanked his supporters, including over a hundred letters he received in prison from friends and strangers.

He said that they have been sources of his strength to continue the fight for justice. He also mentioned that he is hoping to set up support groups for the rights of foreigners in Hong Kong prisons, and connecting them with the local community.

#PoliceState #FailedState #NSL #NationalSecurityLaw

Source: inmediahk; #Feb12
https://bit.ly/3Lug34W
#PressFreedom
Pro-democeacy news anchor stumbles in career development in Hong Kong

Young news anchor, Ingrid #TseHingYee worked for three media outlets in three years. Her disrupted career, is a sad reflection of Hong Kong's stifled media and banished press freedom.

Most recently, Tse was seen hosting a press briefing for the Hong Kong Public Opinion Research Institution.

She thanked her supporters after the briefing, saying that she is pondering possible developments in her career.

Tse joined #AppleDaily in 2021 after resigning from i-Cable in 2019 due to arguments about editorial decisions.

The 25-year-old journalist moved to work in online media Hong Kong #CitizenNews after Apple Daily was folded in June 2021.

In January 2022, Citizen News announced plans to close after some 200 police raided #StandNews, another independent media outlet in Hong Kong, citing concerns about the safety of its staff.

Source: inmediahk; #Feb12
https://bit.ly/3gVtGwl
A Finnish Athlete Calls for help due to a Big Water Leakage in the Athletes' Village; Chinese Official Requests to Delete the Video

Source: FTV news #Feb12

Read more
⬇️⬇️⬇️
A Finnish Athlete Calls for help due to a Big Water Leakage in the Athletes' Village; Chinese Official Requests to Delete the Video

In addition to the game results arguments, the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics also has issues outside the field.

Katri Lylynperä, a Finnish cross-country skier, recently shared her 2022 #Beijing Winter Olympic life on #Instagram Stories. Some of the stories showed a large amount of water was rushed out like an open water tap from the ceiling of her room, flooding her room in seconds, being able to make splashes with her feet. Her room and the walkway suddenly become a "sea view suite" with indoor rain from the ceiling. She Reluctantly called for help.

She even made jokes about it, "We have a waterfall here, and the flooding issue will be solved soon".

Soon after the video being posted, the first reaction of the authority was not to solve the leaking issue but to ask the athlete to remove the post. The handling method attracted many people saying, "They thought the whole world was using #Weibo (a Chinese microblogging website)", "lmao, China has got used to deleting others' videos".

Source: FTV news #Feb12

https://bit.ly/3prywWD

#Finland #AthleteVillage #KatriLylynperä
Taiwan ranks 8th in the global democracy index, making it the best in Asia, with Hong Kong plunging to 85th and China near the bottom.

Source: WhatsNewsMedia #Feb12

Read more
⬇️⬇️⬇️
Taiwan ranks 8th in the global democracy index, making it the best in Asia, with Hong Kong plunging to 85th and China near the bottom.

The Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU) has released its Global Democracy Index 2021 report, which surveys the political status of 167 countries or regions. However, Hong Kong dropped significantly to 85th place and China reached a new low of 148th place, near the bottom of the list.

The EIU Global Democracy Index uses five factors as indicators, including electoral process and pluralism, functioning of government, political participation, political culture, and civil liberties; and the ranking scale is 10 marks, with 4 levels of ranking, namely, full democracy (8-10 marks), flawed democracy (6-7.99 marks), and hybrid regime (4-6.99 marks). Taiwan, the top Asian country, scored 8.99 marks for full democracy, with full marks of 10 for election process and pluralism.

Hong Kong, on the other hand, ranked 85 with a passing score of 5.6, dropping from a flawed democracy in the past to a hybrid regime. The scores of electoral process and pluralism plummeted to 2.75, government operation only scored 3.64, and political culture scored 5.56 just passing. These three factors contributed to the sharp drop of Hong Kong in the Global Democracy Index.

Source: WhatsNewsMedia #Feb12

#democracy #EconomistIntelligenceUnit #GlobalDemocracyIndex #Asia #HongKong #Taiwan #China #electoralprocess #fulldemocracy #pluralism #flaweddemocracy #hybridregime #authoritarianregime