Who 'politicizes' Hong Kong’s annual #marathon? “Hong Kong, Add Oil!” being censored and UK-based bank declines to commit sponsorship next year
After being suspended for more than one year due to the coronavirus outbreak, the Hong Kong Standard Chartered Marathon returned to the city on October 24, 2021.
Although organizing committee demanded to not bring politics into a sports event, the police's reaction was overwhelming.
The Hong Kong police force deployed counter-terrorism special operations units and railway response units at most major sections of the marathon route, claiming an attempt to "prevent and combat terrorist activities".
As early as 4am, at least 100 police officers were sighted. Many of them were wearing tactical vest.
During the day, a runner told a local press that she failed the security check because she was wearing what thr police deemed a “political outfit” — running shorts that had “Hong Kong, Add Oil!” printed on them.
She was ordered to change her shorts in a nearby booth.
Another runner with a “Hong Kong, Add Oil!” tattoo on his leg was given a bandage to cover it up.
A man in a green T-shirt that read “Hong Kong, Add Oil!” was intercepted at the starting point of the marathon as a staff on the site queried the outfit “politically laden” threatening him that “wear it at your own risk”. He was asked to remove the T-shirt and put on a windbreaker to run instead.
When being asked whether the organizing committee’s demand was reasonable, the man said in frustration, “It is not up to me to make comment on this matter, but leave it to our own fair judgement.”
At a press briefing before the Marathon, the organizer demanded participants and spectators not to "politicise the race", despite the fact that the the organizing committee failed to cite specific examples of their concern
In the post-run press conference, the committee's Chairman William Ko Wai-lam struggled to explain what is political about the prhase “Add Oil!”, a common and multipurpose Cantonese expression denoting encouragement.
Before cutting short the press conference in embarrassment, Ko repeated for 7 times, “This is a sports event and we do not wish to see any political element.”
When asked if the title sponsor of the event, the UK-based Standard Chartered bank, supported free speech in Hong Kong, a spokesperson for the bank said they “have no comment on this.”
The bank equally would not comment on whether it would support runners targeted by police, or whether it would sponsor the event next year.
Source: Stand News, HK Free Press; #Oct24
https://thestandnews.page.link/98PrbDssTSsaY4oN8
#AddOil #PoliceState #Censorship #Gayau #Running
After being suspended for more than one year due to the coronavirus outbreak, the Hong Kong Standard Chartered Marathon returned to the city on October 24, 2021.
Although organizing committee demanded to not bring politics into a sports event, the police's reaction was overwhelming.
The Hong Kong police force deployed counter-terrorism special operations units and railway response units at most major sections of the marathon route, claiming an attempt to "prevent and combat terrorist activities".
As early as 4am, at least 100 police officers were sighted. Many of them were wearing tactical vest.
During the day, a runner told a local press that she failed the security check because she was wearing what thr police deemed a “political outfit” — running shorts that had “Hong Kong, Add Oil!” printed on them.
She was ordered to change her shorts in a nearby booth.
Another runner with a “Hong Kong, Add Oil!” tattoo on his leg was given a bandage to cover it up.
A man in a green T-shirt that read “Hong Kong, Add Oil!” was intercepted at the starting point of the marathon as a staff on the site queried the outfit “politically laden” threatening him that “wear it at your own risk”. He was asked to remove the T-shirt and put on a windbreaker to run instead.
When being asked whether the organizing committee’s demand was reasonable, the man said in frustration, “It is not up to me to make comment on this matter, but leave it to our own fair judgement.”
At a press briefing before the Marathon, the organizer demanded participants and spectators not to "politicise the race", despite the fact that the the organizing committee failed to cite specific examples of their concern
In the post-run press conference, the committee's Chairman William Ko Wai-lam struggled to explain what is political about the prhase “Add Oil!”, a common and multipurpose Cantonese expression denoting encouragement.
Before cutting short the press conference in embarrassment, Ko repeated for 7 times, “This is a sports event and we do not wish to see any political element.”
When asked if the title sponsor of the event, the UK-based Standard Chartered bank, supported free speech in Hong Kong, a spokesperson for the bank said they “have no comment on this.”
The bank equally would not comment on whether it would support runners targeted by police, or whether it would sponsor the event next year.
Source: Stand News, HK Free Press; #Oct24
https://thestandnews.page.link/98PrbDssTSsaY4oN8
#AddOil #PoliceState #Censorship #Gayau #Running