#PoliceState #WhiteTerror
Hong Kong Police to Arrest More Pro-democracy Activists

A number of pro-democracy
including but not limited to Joshua Wong, lawmakers Chu Hoi-dick and Wu Chi-wai, district councillor Lester Shum, Civil Human Rights Front vice-convenor Figo Chan and former student leader Sunny Cheung, have been told by the police they will be charged with unauthorised assembly for allegedly participating in a June 4 vigil in Victoria Park.

The annual large-scale commemorative event was banned this year by the authorities, who cited restrictions on public gatherings put in place to stop the spread of Covid-19.

Shum said the move shows the police can't even tolerate a totally peaceful gathering, and the charges are an attempt to harass and intimidate them.

"Upon charging us, the Department of Justice can demand or request the judge or courts to confiscate our passports or limit our freedom to leave Hong Kong," he said. "I think this is what the Beijing government wants."

Source: RTHK #Aug6

#IC1S
#JoshuaWong: "I'm prosecuted by the Government Again"

Wong wrote the following
after the police notified numerous,pro-democracy activists including Wong of their impending arrest:

//Months after the Tiananmen Square vigil this year, I was just informed by Hong Kong Police that they will charge me with "knowingly taking part in an unauthorized assembly," with the date of my court appearance scheduled on 15 September.

Just 24 hours after I have left the court yesterday morning, I am now facing another charge by the government. Clearly, the regime plans to stage another crackdown on the city's activists by all means.

More worryingly, due to the lengthy legal process, I will probably be further barred from leaving Hong Kong to tell our truth to the world even after my current case over police headquarters siege ends. As our voices might not be heard soon, we hope the world can continue speaking up for the city's liberty and human rights.//

Caes number: HKIRN20000232

Source: Joshua Wong #Aug6

#TikTok #Japan #MassSurveillance #Privacy

Some local governments in Japan suspend TikTok accounts

Recently, there are voices in many countries that the Chinese video-sharing platform TikTok, perhaps, sends user data directly to the Chinese government. Following the announcement by the Kobe City Government of Japan suspending official Tiktok accounts, Saitama Prefecture and Osaka Prefecture also announced yesterday about the suspension of official TikTok accounts due to many citizens' concerns about leaking user information.

The Saitama Prefecture government announced on 5 August 2020 that it would stop using its official Tiktok account created in February, with a total of about 20 messages released, such as dancing videos promoting local customs and anti-epidemic related videos. Although the local government only made an announcement yesterday, it suspended the account as early as July 20 and deleted all videos. The number of followers of the Saitama account was approximately 1,000.

The official Osaka account had 33,000 followers before the suspension. Yesterday, Yoshimura Hirofumi, the Governor of Osaka also said, "We decided to freeze the account before we can find out whether there is a security problem." He also mentioned in an earlier interview that TikTok was a tool for sending information to elementary, middle and high school students effectively. "However, the most important thing is the national interest, if there is a security problem, we should suspend using it."

The Kobe City announced earlier that it temporarily suspended its official TikTok account from 3 August. In order to strengthen the contact with the youngster, the city cooperated with TikTok in May this year and began to distribute animals-related videos and parenting support information on the software. The number of followers was approximately 550.

Source: Stand News #Aug6
#BigData #Kobe #Saitama #Osaka

#Australia #DrewPavlou #Assault

Australian Student Drew Pavlou Says the Chinese Person Who Assaulted Him for Supporting Anti-ELAB Movement Was Not an International Student and Has Escaped to China

Drew Pavlou, a 21-year-old former Philosophy student at the University of Queensland (#UQ), Australia, announced on Twitter that the police finally identified one of the masked Chinese men who attacked him at the anti-extradition law amendment bill (anti-ELAB) protest on campus a year ago. The Australian Border Force informed him that the attacker had already fled to China. The police also stated that the attacker was not a UQ student and it had issued an arrest warrant for him. Pavlou has previously indicated that the attackers were not students but government-affiliated persons appointed by the CCP through the Consul General of Brisbane Xu Jie.

An Active Participant in Human Rights Advocacy Who Was Attacked by CCP Supporters for Hosting Assembly in Support of Hong Kong

The incident followed the anti-ELAB movement in Hong Kong last year, when Hong Kongers around the world banded with locals to host protests against the bill. Pavlou, aged 20 only at the time, participated in an anti-ELAB assembly on the campus with Hong Kongers, shouting the slogan "Hey Hey Ho Ho, Xi Jinping has got to go". During the protest, Hong Kong students and their supporters were attacked. As shown in an online video, there was an argument between both sides, during which someone played the Chinese national anthem aloud and shouted "China is great", while Pavlou was attacked by a man wearing a mask.

Source: Stand News #Aug6
#CCP #Brisbane

#Interview #Firsthand
Hong Kong Female Frontliner's Look Appears in Top Model UK 2020: "Every small efforts will eventually come together and make a big impact"

On June 26, 2021, the Top Model UK 2020 was staged in the Royal Horseguard Hotel in London.

A Hong Kong model, Catherine (thereafter C), took to the stage as the Lady Liberty of Hong Kong. After the contest, Catherine spoke to us in an interview.

1）What makes you show up on the stage as a female warrior, the Lady Liberty of Hong Kong?

C: When pondering for an appropriate outfit for the self-style session of the contest, I reckon any fashion piece that connects with the pro-democracy protest in 2019 would well represent Hong Kong.

I remember this common protester symbol which was well-recognized in Hong Kong and easy to execute. Under time pressure, we made this protest-inspired outfit without even seeking consent from the designer of the art piece.

We want to bring Hongkongers’ efforts in the pro-democracy movement to global attention and showcase Hong Kong local culture on international platforms. I wish to let Hong Kong people know that we can always find ways to continue our fight under escalating oppression.

2）How do other countries respond to this female warrior outfit, and what does this outfit actually embody?

C: Some contestants were able to tell the difference between Hong Kong and China. They are keen to share their opinions on the pro-democracy movement in Hong Kong with me. I am grateful for their encouragement.

The master of ceremony said that they like this outfit. Some dressers showed thumbs up while some make-up artists found it a unique and stunning design.

3）What do you think this Lady Liberty design is symbolizing?

C: I found much resonance in this protest design, probably because I am a woman. Females are no longer the weaker sex nowadays. We can walk on to the front-line to battle and fight for our beliefs. A fully-geared female shows the determination to fight on, even when she realizes that the journey will be covered in sweat, blood and tears.

I think I am not slim enough to fit into the outfit and bring the best out of it. I am not the female protester on the poster in Hong Kong, but an ordinary Hongkonger. I have yet given up, and I wish other Hongkongers to continue their fight as well.

I can take this protest-inspired outfit to the stage which everyone else can also continue the protest in their own ways. The costume is heavy in its memory of the pro-democracy movement in 2019, symbolizing every unyielding Hongkonger and the memories back then.

4）What do you want to do the most when going back to Hong Kong?

C: Hum... I want to eat local dishes like barbecue pork and chicken rice with lemon tea. I want to see pop singer Hins Cheung’s concert (Cheung is always #1 for me) and see live shows of some popular local bands and movie stars. I want to show my support to Hong Kong movies too.

Hong Kong is always the best, no matter where I am. I will utter my best effort to defend and guard Hong Kong culture because “I fxxking love Hong Kong” (Catherine cited a well-known protest slogan).

5）What do you want to say to those still in Hong Kong?

C: Hang on! Hong Kong needs every one of us to continue the fight in our own ways. Every small efforts will eventually come together and make a big impact. We have to keep on fighting. I believe we can take on any roles comfortable to ourselves and fight.

Wrapping up the interview, Catherine cited lyrics of a popular canton pop, “In fact, learning to live in desperation is an unending life-long training.”

I hate losing. But until now, we have nothing else to lose, Hongkongers.

#ProtestArt #Fashion
#HKCulture #AntiELAB #TopModel #LadyLiberty #FemaleWarrior #Catherine #UK

Source: First Hand #Aug6

**Photos are provided by the interviewee

#PoliticalSuppression #Education #HKU
Council Members Ask HKU Council to Revoke the Ban against Students Entering Campus

#FreedomofAcademy #HKUSU

Source: Stand News #Aug6

Read more
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#PoliticalSuppression #Education #HKU
Council Members Ask HKU Council to Revoke the Ban against Students Entering Campus

The Council of the Hong Kong University Students' Union (#HKUSU) passed a motion on July 7, in which it expressed sadness over the death of #LeungKinFai, who knifed a police officer on July 1 before he stabbed himself. It thanked the man for his "sacrifice" for Hong Kong. The HKUSU council has then apologised, with several executive committee members resigning from their posts.

However, the university’s governing body, the HKU Council, announced a ban to the students who attended the meeting on August 4 from entering the campus and using the campus facilities because of “serious legal and reputational risks".

In a joint open letter, 7 Council members of the HKU Council revoke the ban. The letter stated that the student's actions were not contrary to the University of Hong Kong Ordinance provisions.

“As members of the council, we believe this decision is improper according to legal principles. By not hearing from the students themselves, it runs contrary to the principles of due process and natural justice.” The letter read. "The university used the excuse of 'risk containment' to arbitrarily deprive the learning opportunities of the students".

However, one of the Council members, Chiu Kit-yee, said the university has yet to contact the respective directors on this matter.

Separately, as at midnight on August 5, over 590 University of HKU graduates have signed a petition demanding the university to revoke the ban on students.

Among the signatories are some high-profile scholars and activists, including the former president of the student union, Althea Suen Hiu-Nam; former Spokesperson of the International Affairs Delegation of the Hong Kong Tertiary Community, Sunny Cheung Kwan-yang; Music composer, Chow Pok-yin; HK Baptist University professor Law Kwai-Cheung; former member of the Progressive Teachers' Alliance, Chik Bon-Shing; former President of HKUSU, Cheung Yiui-Fai; and former Deputy Secretary-General of the Federation of Students, Yeung Chen-yin, etc.

#FreedomofAcademy #HKUSU

Source: Stand News #Aug6
https://bit.ly/3fZzchg