#FirstHand #Feb28 #Video
Hong Kong Police Violently Subdue a Civilian in Downtown Mongkok on a Sunday

1800 | Mongkok

On Sunday, Feb 28, 2021 in downtown Hong Kong, several police officers aggressively subdued a civilian on the ground.

The man was arrested and taken away.

Earlier, in the area, pro-democracy students and representatives from the medical workers' union set up a booth, warning Hongkongers of the potential threat of the government location-tracking app #LeaveHomeSafe.

See more:
https://t.me/guardiansofhongkong/28813

On the same day, the police announced charging 47 pro-democracy figures of "conspiracy to subverting state powers" under the #NationalSecurityLaw.

#PoliceState #AuthoritarianRegime #Arrest #StreetBooth

#FirstHand #Feb28
Student and Hospital Workers Call for Boycott of Govt Tracking App and Support for Arrested Pro-Dem Candidates

1730 | Mong Kok

Photos:
https://t.me/guardiansofhongkong/28812

On Feb 28, 2021 in Hong Kong, pro-democracy students and hospital workers held a street booth in Mongkok, to call for Hongkongers to boycott the government's "#LeaveHomeSafe" mobile app, rejecting the regime's surveillance and tracking. They also call on Hongkongers to resist to the end.

The booth is held by #StudentPoliticism together with Hospital Authority Employees Alliance (#HAEA).

In addition to calling for the boycott of the tracking app, they also call attention to the police's political persecution of the participants in the "35+" pro-democracy primary elections in 2020.

On Feb 28, 2021, the police announced that the arrestees are charged for sedition under the National Security Law, and will be brought to court on the morning of the next day on March 1.

Spokesperson of Student Politicism Wong Yat-Chin encouraged citizens to attend the court hearing to show support for the pro-democracy camp.

In Mongkok, thd police deployed over 30 officers to surround the small street booth; at one point, the officers occupied two-thirds of the pedestrian walkway. They left after recording personal details of the activists, and warned them not to be too loud.

In less than an hour later, the police hoisted the "#purpleflag" warning civilians in the area of potentially "violating the #NationalSecurityLaw".

Hong Kong Police Violently Subdue a Civilian in Downtown Mongkok on a Sunday
https://t.me/guardiansofhongkong/28806

#FirstHand #Feb28 #PoliceState #SurveillanceState #SayNo

#FirstHand #Feb28 #Video
Hongkongers Chant "Liberate Hong Kong", Police Warn of National Security Violation

1800 | Mong Kok

On Sunday, Feb 28, 2021 in Mongkok, the Hong Kong Police caused chaos in the crowd as they wrestled a civilian to the ground.

See video:
https://t.me/guardiansofhongkong/28806

On the same day, the police announced charging 47 pro-democracy politians and acitivists with "conspiracy to subverting state powers".

It was reported that civilians chanted "liberate Hong Kong, revolution of the times". The police then hastily raised a warning flag and cautioned nearby citizens for violating the #NationalSecurityLaw.

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Read more from the same day:

Student and Hospital Workers Call for Boycott of Govt Tracking App and Support for Arrested Pro-Dem Candidates

https://t.me/guardiansofhongkong/28813

Hong Kong Pro-democracy Activist: We've Decided to Not Surrender to the Authoritarian Regime

https://t.me/guardiansofhongkong/28805

#PoliceState #Arrest #AuthoritarianRegime

#PoliceState #Authoritarianism
Hong Kong mass arrest: Proud to sacrifice my future for Hong Kong, said Activist Ventus Lau

Source: InMedia #Feb28

Read more
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https://t.me/guardiansofhongkong/28823

#PoliceState #Authoritarianism
Hong Kong mass arrest: Proud to sacrifice my future for Hong Kong, said Activist Ventus Lau

On Feb 28, 2021, Hong Konh pro-democracy activist #VentusLau reported to the police station in the afternoon, and spoke to reporters before entering the station.

Lau said that on this day 5 years ago, localist and pro-democracy activist #EdwardLeung Tin-kei received 66,000 votes during the 2016 New Territories East Legislative Council by-election, establishing a place for localists in the city's political spectrum.

During an interview, Leung, now in prison, said that the reason he did not leave Hong Kong was to show Hongkongers that someone is still willing to sacrifice his future for Hong Kong. Lau felt honoured that he could become that “someone” as well.

Lau criticised the Hong Kong SAR government’s arrest of the dozens of activists, calling it naive to assume that this would bring an end to the democracy movement in Hong Kong. He believed Hongkongers will prove the government wrong. He urged Hongkongers to keep the faith, and turn their anger into their strength, so that he could witness the day when everyone could finally meet each other outside of Legco - alluding to the pledge of protesters to finally meet again in victory one day.

Before heading into the police station, Lau said, “Don’t forget to include me in the crowd count in the next rally or assembly”.

District Councillor #FergusLeung, who also reported to the police station on the same day, expected that he would very likely be accused and no bail would be granted, and he felt sad to leave behind everyone and everything around him. However, he still hoped Hongkongers would understand that today is not the end of Hong Kong’s democracy movement. Whether it ends now or not is all up to Hongkongers. He did not regret his decision, and said that Hong Kong's democracy movement is a long battle, ad hope Hongkongers can stand firm in these difficult times.

Source: In Media #Feb28
https://bit.ly/3dTMGLi

#HongkongersVoices #MassArrest #AuthoritarianRegime #PoliticalOppression #PrimaryElection

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Read more:

Hong Kong Pro-democracy Activist #LesterShum: We've Decided to Not Surrender to the Authoritarian Regime and We'll Continue with this Road

https://t.me/guardiansofhongkong/28804

#PoliticalPersecution #Humanity
Arrested Pro-Democracy Figures tell Hongkongers: "Hang in there", "Be a Human, be yourself"

Source: InMedia #Feb28

Read more
⬇️⬇️
https://t.me/guardiansofhongkong/28825

#PoliticalOppression #MassArrest
Arrested Pro-Democracy Figures tell Hongkongers: "Hang in there", "Be a Human, be yourself"

On Sunday, Feb 28, 2021, in Hong Kong, Tsuen Wan district councillor #RoyTam Hoi-pong of Neo-democrat and former lawmaker #WanSiuKin of Democractic Party reported to the Tsuen Wan Police Station in the afternoon, as instructed by the Hong Kong Police 2 days ago.

They are among the 55 pro-democracy activists who were arrested on Jan 5, 2021 on suspicion of "subverting state powers" and violating the #NationalSecurityLaw.

As the group was ordered to report to the police over 1 month ahead of the scheduled date, many had prepared for the worst. It was proven to be the case, as on the afternoon of Feb 28, the Hong Kong police announced charging 47 pro-democracy figures with "conspiracy to subverting state powers", and that they would be detained overnight before sending them to court the next day.

Before walking into the Tsuen Wan Police Station to face whatever plans the authorities have for them, Roy Tam, who came hand in hand with his wife, hugged his friends and families. He told the media that he would "face it with a calm spirit". Tam raised his fists high and said, "Hongkongers, hang in there!"

Wan Siu-kin arrived moments later. He said he was not surprised, as arbitrary arrests are nothing new in Hong Kong. A former lawmaker himself, he firmly believed that he did not violate the #NationalSecurityLaw, nor the Hong Kong's Basic Law. He told his friends that he is not afraid and will embrace the challenges. He hopes all the pro-democracy figures arrested would show the same fighting spirit.

Wan added, "To be frank, I don't know what to tell you, if you ask me for methods to resist against the authoritarian regime. But there is one thing you can do: Be a human-being, be yourself."

When asked to comment on Beijing's reported plan to amend Hong Kong's electoral system, Wan said, "I cannot comprehend the logic of the authoritarian regime, and do not want to."

Wan emphasized that the crux of the problem is the erosion of the social, economic, and political structure of the city. He concluded that the "#OneCountryTwoSystems" policy should be genuinely practiced, but "not by way of any twisted interpretation".

Source: InMedia #Feb28

#PoliceState #Authoritarianism

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Read more:

Hong Kong Pro-democracy Activist #LesterShum: We've Decided to Not Surrender to the Authoritarian Regime and We'll Continue with this Road

https://t.me/guardiansofhongkong/28804

#PoliticalOppression
Jimmy Sham Tsz-kit: Hope the world knows HongKongers are the glory of Hong Kong

Jimmy Sham Tsz-kit said he once understood the differences between abiding and breaking the law. However, the world has inverted black and white. Even under the authorities' suppression, he still believes that the Hong Kong government cannot detain all freedom fighters. Also, he always believes Hongkongers who had participated in the 2 million march persisted in their belief. He described, "Today is to temper our willpower." He hopes the world can see it and "Hongkongers are the glory of Hong Kong."

Jimmy Sham also apologised to Helena Wong Pik-wan, stating he feels sorry for The Democratic Party, and they hugged each other outside the police station.

Source: InMedia HK #Feb28
#MassArrest #Regime #Authoritarianism #PoliceState #PoliticalPersecution #JimmySham

#MassArrest #PoliticalPersecution
UK Foreign Minister Condemns Hong Kong Governments fot Persecuting Pro-democracy Activists

Foreign Minister of the United Kingdom #DominicRaab condemned the Hong Kong government for using the #NationalSecurityLaw to "eliminate political dissent".

Source: Dominic Raab's Twitter #Feb28
https://twitter.com/DominicRaab/status/1366047986191659011

Hong Kong Charges 47 Democracy Supporters With Violating
Security Law

The Hong Kong authorities charged dozens of pro-democracy figures on Sunday with violating the National Security Law. The police said that each of the 47 people had been charged with a single count of “conspiracy to commit subversion.”

Lester Shum, was also charged, said “We have long before decided that we would not bow to authoritarianism. I hope that everyone will carry this decision in the very difficult days ahead.”

The charges filed on Sunday are the latest escalation in the Chinese government’s efforts to bring Hong Kong firmly under control. Its tightening grip sparked the 2019 protests, which included peaceful marches by hundreds of thousands of people as well as brawls between protesters and police officers.

Source: NYT #Feb28

https://www.nytimes.com/2021/02/28/world/asia/hong-kong-security-law-arrests.html

#HongKong #MassArrest #NationalSecurityLaw

#Swedish winter Olympic champion gives #GoldMedal away to protest China’s human rights abuses

//Swedish athlete Nils van der Poel has given his gold medal from the #BeijingWinterOlympics to to the daughter of jailed bookseller #GuiMinhai, in protest against China’s “oppression” of free speech and human rights.

Gui, a Swedish citizen, was one of five Hong Kong-based booksellers affiliated with #CausewayBayBooks, which sold political gossip titles.

“I am not the voice of all Olympians, but me and my friends dedicated our lives to strive for excellence within sports, and the Chinese government chose to use our dreams as a political weapon to legitimise their regime. To me that was personal, and I felt exploited,” van der Poel told #AmnestyInternational.//

Read the full article:
https://hongkongfp.com/2022/02/28/swedish-winter-olympic-champion-gives-gold-medal-away-to-protest-chinas-human-rights-abuses/

Source: Hong Kong Free Press #Feb28

#NilsVanDerPoel #Sport

#RussianInvasion
#Beijing Remains Silent Despite Nuclear Pact Signed with #Ukraine

Source: Washington Times #Feb28

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#RussianInvasion
#Beijing Remains Silent Despite Nuclear Pact Signed with #Ukraine

//On February 27, 2022, Russian President Vladimir Putin dramatically escalated East-West tensions by ordering Russian nuclear forces put on high alert, while Ukraine’s embattled leader agreed to talks with Moscow as Putin’s troops and tanks drove deeper into the country, closing in around the capital.

Citing “aggressive statements” by NATO and tough financial sanctions, Putin issued a directive to increase the readiness of Russia’s nuclear weapons, raising fears that the invasion of Ukraine could lead to nuclear war, whether by design or mistake.//

However, in 2013, China actually signed a joint declaration with Ukraine to "provide Ukraine nuclear security guarantee when Ukraine encounters an invasion involving nuclear weapons or Ukraine is under threat of a nuclear invasion."

According to a report released by Washington Times in 2013:

//On December 5, 2013 [Ukrainian President] Viktor Yanukovych and President #XiJinping signed a bilateral treaty officially pronouncing that China and Ukraine are now “strategic partners.”

“China pledges unconditionally not to use or threaten to use nuclear weapons against the nuclear-free Ukraine and China further pledges to provide Ukraine nuclear security guarantee when Ukraine encounters an invasion involving nuclear weapons or Ukraine is under threat of a nuclear invasion,” said a joint statement on the pact.

China’s official media, including Xinhua and Global Times, touted the deal with the headline “China Pledges Nuclear Umbrella to Protect Ukraine.”

Still, the Ukraine-China security pact ignores the elephant in the room, namely, that the country most likely to even contemplate threatening to use nuclear weapons against Ukraine is Russia, China’s other “strategic partner.”

In the hypothetical scenario of a Russian nuclear threat against Moscow’s former satellite Ukraine, would China keep its pledge to confront Moscow with its nuclear weapons?//

On February 27, 2022, the question posed by Washington Times in 2013 has become an actual scenario.

In a report releasedon on February 28, 2022, the same newspaper pointed out China's stance in Russian invasion of Ukraine:

//China has tacitly supported the Russian military operation against Ukraine by not condemning the military operation and repeatedly insisting that Moscow had “legitimate security concerns” with Ukraine and NATO that the U.S. and its allies failed to address. Beijing abstained on a U.N. Security Council measure last week condemning Russia’s actions, a measure that failed when Moscow used its veto.//

Source: Washington Times #Feb28

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Read the full article:
https://amp.washingtontimes.com/news/2022/feb/28/putins-war-tests-chinas-nuclear-pact-ukraine/

News Recap from Washington Times, December 12, 2013:
https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2013/dec/12/inside-china-ukraine-gets-nuke-umbrella/

#Save47
Hong Kong court adjourns democrats’ subversion case again

//Acting Chief Magistrate Peter Law was scheduled to handle procedures relating to nine defendants in the West Kowloon Magistrates’ Courts on Monday [February 28], exactly one year since the pro-democracy figures were officially charged with conspiracy to commit subversion under the national security law.

Fourteen are currently on bail pending trial, while the rest remain in custody.

The nine included former law professor Benny Tai, former lawmakers Jeremy Tam, Wu Chi-wai, Andrew Wan, Kwok Ka-ki, Alvin Yeung and Au Nok-hin and ex-district councillors Andrew Wan and Ben Chung.//

Read full article:
https://hongkongfp.com/2022/02/28/a-year-on-hong-kong-court-adjourns-democrats-subversion-case-as-some-absent-over-covid-19-prison-outbreak/

Source: HKFP; #Feb28

Chinese in Ukraine Are Trying to Pass for Japanese as Anger Grows over Pro-Invasion Comments by ‘Little Pink’

Source: RFA #Feb28

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Chinese in Ukraine Are Trying to Pass for Japanese as Anger Grows over Pro-Invasion Comments by ‘Little Pink’

As #Russia receives overwhelming censure for invading #Ukraine, comments supporting the aggression and deriding Ukrainian women were made on the Internet by the jingoistic #LittlePink and opinion leaders in #China. With the locals getting word of the remarks and anger boiling over, Chinese students in Ukraine are reportedly trying to pass for Japanese. China’s embassy in Ukraine issued an advisory in the early hours of Saturday, 26 February, warning nationals against openly identifying as Chinese and displaying the Chinese flag.

In a clip circulating on Twitter, a Chinese man claiming to be a student at Ukraine’s National University of Life and Environmental Sciences notes that some of his compatriots are making derisive comments on the Internet like “It’s a good war they’re waging in Ukraine—the more deaths the better. That way I’ll be getting a Ukrainian girl as wife”. With the remarks translated into English and Russian and having made their way to Ukraine, he says, Chinese students in Ukraine are finding themselves isolated.

“I just got a message saying that many in China are making gibes on the Internet like ‘It’s a good war they’re waging in Ukraine—the more deaths the better. That way I’ll be getting a Ukrainian girl as wife’,” the student reports. “You know the Ukrainian media have picked them up and translated them, and now basically every Ukrainian knows about them. Down in the bomb shelters in the Kyiv subway, old ladies and young people went asking Chinese students if they really feel that way. A lot of us are now scared to stay there. To all the keyboard fighters in China: show some respect and give us a chance to live.”

Source: RFA #Feb28

https://www.rfa.org/cantonese/news/cool-02282022040203.html