Double Bronzes for Hong Kong

Minnie Soo (left) hugs Doo Hoi-kem and Lee Ho-ching

 

The day started off really well with the Hong Kong women's table tennis team scoring a well deserved bronze in doubles. 

Hong Kong beat Germany for bronze today

They took revenge on Germany who had defeated them in the Rio Games in 2016. What's also interesting is that all the players are Hongkongers, not mainlanders who migrated to the city. 

"We are all home-grown and we have worked together and won medals in events other than the Olympics, such as the world Cup and world championships," said three-time Olympian Lee Ho-ching.

"The result carries a big meaning as home-grown players," Doo Hoi-kem said, hoping their bronze will inspire future generations in the sport.

Later in the day Grace Lau Mo-sheung also won bronze in karate, which made its Olympic debut. 

"I want to thank my family so much. Without their support, I could not even start as a full-time athlete," a teary Lau said after winning the bronze medal kata match against Turkey.

Grace Lau won bronze in debut sport karate

Hong Kong has now hauled in five medals for the Games, unprecedented for the city of 7.8 million.

Then many Hongkongers breathed a sigh of relief to hear that pop singer Anthony Wong Yiu-ming was spared a criminal record when the Independent Commission Against Corruption agreed to stop pursuing its claim that he gave a performance that broke the election law.

Wong and jailed former lawmaker Au Nok-hin were charged with corruption by providing entertainment at an election rally with the aim to sway voters in 2018.

A prosecutor for the ICAC said the agency agreed to settle the case against the two by imposing a bind-over order, which requires the accused to maintain good behaviour for a designated length of time, given the relatively minor nature of the offence.

Wong was spared a criminal record today

In this case, the order is for 18 months and they must pay HK$2,000 (US$257) each if they breach the terms, which included avoiding further election-related offences.

The 34-year-old Au is currently in jail serving a 10-month sentence for organizing and taking part in an unauthorized assembly on August 18, 2019. He is also awaiting trial on an alleged national security law violation.

After the ruling, Wong, 59, gave an impromptu performance outside Eastern Court of the Cantonese song, Ask Me, which he said reflected his thoughts.

The chorus is: "No matter if I am by all means correct, or if I am by all means wrong, I whole heartedly accept the consequences. To face everything in the world, no matter how it will be, I will preserve the real me."

Wong finished by saying, "Hongkongers continue singing. Hongkongers hang in there."

Au is still in jail for a 10-month sentence

The prosecution did not have enough evidence to show the court -- but promised it would when it had some. The prosecutor for the ICAC said she had no proof Au paid Wong for the performance or if the singer had been paid to appeal to voters.

Why this even went to court is curious. 

"After considering that the case involved only two songs and after reviewing the background of the case, we agreed to dispose of the case by way of a bind-over order," the prosecutor said.

There is no proof Wong and Au did anything criminally wrong and yet they must be on good behaviour for a year and a half.

The authorities are watching...

Singer Anthony Wong Arrested

 Wong arrested for allegedly singing songs at election rally

Another day, another arrest.

This time it's singer Anthony Wong Yiu-min for allegedly inducing others to vote for then candidate Au Nok-yin for the 2018 Legislative Council by-election.

Au was canvasing for the 2018 election

Au, 34, was also charged along with 59-year-old Wong for engaging in corrupt conduct for providing others with entertainment during an election, according to the Independent Commission Against Corruption.

It's interesting the ICAC is behind these arrests and not the national security law officers.

The ICAC alleges Wong performed two songs on the stage at a rally in Central and appealed to those attending to vote for Au at the coming election.

They were both charged on Monday under the Elections (Corrupt and Illegal Conduct) Ordinance and are to appear at Eastern Court on Thursday. Wong was released on bail.

The anti-graft agency said from late February 2018, Au published several posts on his social media saying he would hold a two-hour rally at Edinburgh Place in Central on March 3 that year and a few hours before the event revealed Wong would perform that day.

Leung has had a singer at her rally too

The Elections (Corrupt and Illegal Conduct) Ordinance deems conduct corrupt if a person provides all or part of the cost of food, drink or entertainment for another person for the purpose of inducing others to vote or not to vote for a particular candidate at an election.

Wong is not only known as one-half of Canto-pop duo Tat Ming Pair, but was also a prominent supporter of the opposition camp, and protest movement. He is also an activist for sexual minority groups.

While Au and Wong will be defending themselves in court, it is also worth noting that a Chinese drum crew had performed at the rally of pro-establishment candidate Rebecca Chan Hoi-yan.

Also, in 2015, Dr Lee Ka-yan, who is a popular singer of local children's songs, performed alongside pro-Beijing lawmaker Priscilla Leung Mei-fun in Whampoa, where she was running for the district council elections.

Lai (right) dedicated 2 songs to Tsang

In addition, as far back as 2007, when then chief executive Donald Tsang Yam-kuen campaigned for his re-election, Canto-pop singers Leon Lai Ming and Leo Ku Kui-kei dedicated two songs to Tsang, according to pro-establishment newspaper Wen Wei Po.

When asked if other politicians would be investigated as well, the ICAC spokesman said it would not comment on the probe, but stressed the commission acted with impartiality...

Nine Sentenced for Illegal Assembly

Albert Ho and Martin Lee before hearing their fate today

 

Another dark day, Black Friday, whatever you want to call it.

Nine pro-democracy activists, former lawmakers, esteemed lawyers and a newspaper founder were sentenced today for organizing and participating in an illegal assembly on August 18, 2019.

Hong Kong's "Father of democracy" Martin Lee Chu-ming, 83, was handed a suspended sentence of 11 months along with fellow lawyer and former Democratic Party chairman Albert Ho Chun-yan, 69. Sixty-seven-year-old Leung Yiu-chung also got a suspended sentence of eight months.

Jimmy Lai faces two more NSL charges

Media tycoon Jimmy Lai Chee-ying, 73, was sentenced to 14 months in jail and was further indicted on two charges for violating the national security law, of conspiracy to commit subversion, and obstructing justice.

Lee Cheuk-yan, 64, a former lawmaker who also organizes the annual Tiananmen candlelight vigil, will also serve a dozen months in jail, 65-year-old "Long Hair" Leung Kwok-hung 18 months, 33 year-old Au Nok-hin 10 months, and 66-year-old Cyd Ho Sau-lan, eight months.

Another highly-regarded lawyer Margaret Ng Ngoi-yee, 73, also received a suspended sentence of 12 months, but not before giving an impassioned speech to the court, defending her right to demonstrate.

"When the people, in the last resort, had to give collective expression to their anguish and urge the government to respond, protected only by their expectation that the government will respect their rights, I must be prepared to stand with them, stand by them and stand up for them," she said.

District Judge Amanda Woodcock said the accused had consciously broken the law during the anti-government protests in 2019 which she described was "as relentless as it was violent and disturbing".

The ironic thing about the August 18, 2019 assembly was that it was very peaceful. It was also very wet that day.

Cyd Ho and Lee Cheuk-yan before sentencing

But the judge did not consider this.

"The procession posed a direct challenge to the police and therefore law and order... Taking into account the prevailing circumstances in Hong Kong at the time, a procession of that size posed an inherent latent risk to possible violence," Judge Woodcock said.

"A term of immediate imprisonment was the only appropriate sentencing option."

Previously sentences for illegal assembly were fines of a few thousand dollars or a few weeks in jail.  

But these jail sentences send a terrifying signal that even moderates are punished for advocating peaceful protests.

"It's excessive, entirely out of proportion. What have they done to deserve such severe punishments?" said Fernando Cheung Chiu-hung, a former lawmaker to the New York Times. "It was a peaceful demonstration for the public to display people's discontent. All these political leaders have done was walking with the people." 

1.7M protested in the rain August 18, 2019

Human rights advocates denounced the sentences as unlawful.

"These convictions are a violation of international aw, which states that participating in and organizing peaceful assembles does not require prior permission by the state," said Yamini Mishra, Amnesty International's director for the Asia-Pacific region. "All those sentenced today should be immediately released and their record expunged."

But the Hong Kong government will not listen to these comments; ever since the national security law was implemented last July, the ability to protest has been shut down completely, giving the public no outlet to voice their dissatisfaction with the government.

It has come to the point where people are voting with their feet -- to stay or go. 

The Times have reported 3,000 Hongkongers a week are applying for visas using their British National Overseas passport. So far 35,000 have applied for the five-year scheme.

The number of people who have applied within the first 10 weeks is more than one-tenth of the 300,000 the British government is expecting in five years, meaning it may have underestimated demand...

Seven Convicted in Illegal Assembly

Some 1.7 million people protested on August 18, 2019

Seven pro-democracy activists, former lawmakers, lawyers and a newspaper owner were convicted of organizing and taking part in an unauthorized anti-government protest on August 18, 2019.

They include Apple Daily tycoon Jimmy Lai Chee-ying, veteran opposition campaigner Martin Lee Chu-ming, and former lawmakers Lee Cheuk-yan, and Cyd Ho Sau-lan. 

After the march started, the rain poured down

I just reread my post from that day, where an estimated 1.7 million people came out. It suddenly started pouring with rain, and everyone had their umbrellas out but we were still wet from water dripping from other umbrellas. The heaving crowd inched its way from Tin Hau to Causeway Bay and then to Central.

It was a peaceful march, no tear gas, no destruction, just a lot of people walking in the rain.

And yet these seven people were arrested, charged and convicted.

Prosecutors said the seven accused turned an approved assembly into an illegal one on the pretext of crowd control, while the defense argued they were merely leading the rally participants out of the park to alleviate overcrowding.

Judge Amanda Woodcock found there was no need to disperse hundreds of thousands of people from Victoria Park in the form of a procession, as there was no evidence that exit routes were in accessible or problematic, or that the park was so overcrowded that a stampede or risk of serious injuries was imminent.

Martin Lee and Albert Ho at the courthouse

She said the seven inequivocally intended to stage the illegal event, as evidenced by them carrying a banner and shouting slogans as they walked out of the park.

"I am sure this public procession was not about dispersal of crowds. That was a description used to defy the law and circumvent the ban. This intention was vocalized repeatedly and publicly days before the public meeting. It was only a dispersal plan in name, and the truth is it was a planned unauthorized assembly," Woodcock wrote in her 89-page judgment.

As for those 100 police officers who prevented the crowd from leaving the park and then made them inch along the way, then suddenly disappeared, Woodcock agreed with the commanding officers testifying in court that far from neglecting their duties, police were being "prudent" as they hoped to minimize the risk of violence or confrontation that day.

The judge found the protest march caused serious traffic disruption -- but it was a Sunday and every weekend before that there were protests in the area, and she rejected the argument the seven had a reasonable excuse for their acts because the protest was peaceful.

Margaret Ng was also one of seven convicted

"It cannot be right that to arrest and prosecute is disproportionate in this case because no actual violence broke out. That would give the law no teeth and make a mockery of it," she wrote.

The seven will be sentenced on April 16 and could face up to five years in prison. 

Eighty-two-year-old Martin Lee, who usually has something to say after a court case, was uncharacteristically silent as he left the West Kowloon courthouse, while Cyd Ho of the Labour Party said she was "disappointed" by the verdict, saying the case reflected the erosion of freedom of speech and expression.

"The collapse of Hong Kong's political regime will [cause it to] become a hotbed for corruption," she said.

Samuel Chu, the managing director of the Washington-based Hong Kong Democracy Council said of the convictions: "This trial was also about the long history, legacy and contributions of the elder statesmen and women of the movement. It is about discrediting their lifetime contributions to Hong Kong, to the movement, to workers, to grassroots, to individuals and their professions."

This is the first time Martin Lee has been convicted and will be sent to jail. 

How does the man who helped draft the Basic Law, who was trying to find a peaceful path towards democracy in China get thrown in jail?

It is a terrible sign that even moderates are too much of a threat to Beijing and must be silenced. There is no other way. 

Lai also faces a national security law charge

The seven convicted:

Martin Lee Chu-ming

Jimmy Lai Chee-ying

Cyd Ho Sau-lan

Lee Cheuk-yan

Albert Ho Chun-yan

Margaret Ng Ngoi-yee

Leung Kwok-hung

(Au Nok-hin and Leung Yiu-chung pleaded guilty earlier)

Primaries Beyond Expectations

People wearing masks lined up patiently to vote today

Almost 600,000 people turned out to cast their vote in the pan-democratic primaries for the past two days, in a proxy rebuke to the Hong Kong government and Beijing. While many people are not going out on the streets to protest anymore because of the national security law, this vote of 581,969 shows they are still waiting for their five demands to be met.

Au Nok-hin says Hongkongers are brave

There are still paper ballots that need to be counted, which is why the organizers have said the results will be announced on Monday about who the public wish to see on the ballot this coming September for the Legislative Council elections.

"Even though there's the threat of the national security law, there are still nearly 600,000 people coming out to vote. This shows how brave Hongkongers are," said Au Nok-hin, one of the organizers.

People waited patiently again in long lines (and in the heat wearing masks) to cast their vote. Some even exercised their right to vote for the first time, realizing now that their chance to vote for the candidate of their choice is too precious to give up.

Miss Lui waited three hours to vote yesterday

There were young and old who cast their ballots, some waiting before the 9am start today, worried the police may come to halt the process, but they didn't, thankfully. Though who knows what kind of action the police will take in the next few days, following what happened after the July 1 protests.

An elderly woman named Miss Lui was interviewed by Apple Daily yesterday. She had waited at the polling station for three hours from 9am to noon, unaware there were technical problems. "Voting is my responsibility and I don't worry about legal issues," she said.

Meanwhile many are concerned about the government saying the Hong Kong Book Fair will go ahead as planned on Wednesday, despite the numbers of coronavirus cases going up everyday. Today there are 38 new cases, 30 of which are locally transmitted, and the source of the infections in 13 of the cases were unknown.

The book fair attracts 1 million visitors

Around 160 exhibitors are considering pulling out of the fair for health concerns -- despite the possibility of losing their deposits -- while 200 exhibitors would like the fair to be postponed.

Several medical experts have urged for the event to be postponed especially now during the third wave of this pandemic, which seems to indicate the virus has mutated.

Over 1 million people usually attend the book fair and having people practice social distancing in the indoor event will be difficult, and they will be touching books, and such.

The fact that the government insists on going ahead with the fair shows it is not listening to expert medical advice, nor is it making the health concerns of the public as the utmost priority.

And yet the government can (try) to threaten people for just about anything because of the national security law...

Hong Kong in Grief

Students mourn the death of Chow Tsz-lok who died this morning

Hong Kong has been in mourning since this morning when news broke that a 22-year-old student who was in a coma for several days had cardiac arrested and died in hospital.

Chow Tsz-lok fell from the third floor to the second floor of the car park at Sheung Tak Estate in Tseung Kwan O in the early hours of November 4. It is quite murky about what happened to Chow, a second year computer science undergraduate student at the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology.

At lunchtime people came out to protest against the police

During that time the police were firing tear gas in the area and there are reports Chow was trying to flee the tear gas and fell, while others looking at videos from that evening think that he might have been pushed or thrown because of the height of the barricades in the car park.

The other issue with this incident that isn't clear either is that it is believed the police were obstructing an ambulance that may have been rushing to get to Chow.  And there are video clips of someone who is believed to be Chow being pushed by someone... but who? And is that Chow?

There are too many questions, but the main thing now is that everyone is upset and they believe the police obstructed paramedics from getting to Chow by at least 20 minutes.

Some volunteer first aiders tried to help Chow at the time, but the injuries he sustained were so serious they were unable to help him. One described the diagnosis in detail on Twitter and at the same time talked of his feeling of helplessness, as he didn't have the proper equipment to help him.

Central was clogged with angry protesters at lunchtime

In hospital, two operations were carried out to relieve the swelling in his head, but they were not enough to help Chow recover. The pressure in Chow's head was give times the normal level, making it a life-threatening condition.

During a graduation ceremony at HKUST today, the university president Wei Shyy was in tears as he announced Chow's death, where the audience observed a moment of silence. Some of the graduating students wore masks and held up their hand, a symbol of the five demands.

At lunchtime, just like when the anti-mask bill was announced over a month ago, people flooded the streets in Central, Taikoo Shing, and the HKUST campus. Some wore masks and shouted slogans, denouncing the police and that the government should meet all five demands that were laid out months ago.

They stopped traffic in Central and Taikoo Shing, and would not disperse until around 2pm.

This evening people converged to the parking lot where Chow fell to pay their last respects. There were so many people that they stood for a long time just to inch their way forward, some clutching flowers, others handmade posters.

#LIVE: It is now 8.09 pm, 12 hours since 22-year-old HKUST student Alex Chow was certified dead. With their eyes turning scarlet, many of the people who have gathered at the carpark starts to sob. The gloom has suffused the building. #HongKongProtests pic.twitter.com/eN2YudDSCF

— Ezra Cheung (@ezracheungtoto) November 8, 2019

 

This unprecedented outpouring of grief is for a young person who was a promising student, but it is also mourning for the state of Hong Kong. It allowed people to grieve for Chow and the city, after months of frustration and anger.

And to top it off, six pan-democratic lawmakers, including Eddie Chu Hoi-dick, Au Nok-hin, and Ray Chan have been contacted by police tonight to say they are going to be arrested for trying to obstruct the passage of the extradition bill in the Legislative Council back in May.

Is this even legal? And what has prompted these arrests?

There are far too many questions than answers in Hong Kong, leaving all of us confused and even more frustrated...

White Terror in Hong Kong

Agnes Chow and Joshua Wong emerge having been released on bail today

Today reached new heights of shock with a slew of arrests last night, today and more are still happening as the clock approaches midnight Hong Kong time.

On Thursday night, Andy Chan Ho-tin of the now outlawed Hong Kong National Party was detained when he was trying to board a plane to Tokyo. He was arrested on suspicion of rioting and assaulting a police officer during an anti-parallel protest in Sheung Shui last month.

Former HKU student leader Althea Suen was also arrested

Then this morning there was word that Demosisto's secretary general Joshua Wong Chi-fung was arrested at 7.30am when he was in Ap Lei Chau; apparently he was nabbed into an unmarked car and then sent to the Wan Chai police station.

This goes against police regulations -- transporting all those arrested should be in clearly marked cars.

His arrest was quickly followed by another Demosisto member, Agnes Chow Ting, who also picked up in the same manner in Tai Po.

What had they done wrong?

But that wasn't all. The police were looking for Ivan Lam also of Demosisto, but he is in Taiwan now. There was also Althea Suen Hiu-lam, a former student leader at the University of Hong Kong.

Andy Chan was stopped from boarding a flight to Tokyo

And then there were three pro-democracy lawmakers who were taken by police: Cheng Chung-tai for conspiracy of criminal damage in the Legislative Council on July 1, Au Nok-yin for suspicion of obstructing police in the execution of their duties and assaulting police, and then former Cathay Pacific pilot Jeremy Tam for obstructing police officers on July 8, possibly related to clashes that followed a march in Tsim Sha Tsui the day before.

Sha Tin District Council member Rick Hui Yui-yu was also arrested on suspicion of obstructing police officers performing their duty during clashes at New Town Plaza shopping centre on July 14.

Speaking at a press conference, fellow Sha Tin District Council member George Wong Hok-lai said: "The police claimed that he [Hui] was obstructing police operations but as we saw on the news, he was performing his duty as a district councillor to assist the residents and protect them in Sha Tin."

Former Cathay Pacific pilot Jeremy Tam was arrested

A pro-Beijing newspaper had claimed Hui pretended to be a journalist, but Wong said Hui was wearing a reflective vest with a label on the back stating he is a district council member.

Late in the afternoon Joshua Wong and Agnes Chow were released on a HK$10,000 bail each, and outside the court, both were defiant and continued to demand the government withdraw the extradition bill, have an independent inquiry into police brutality, to stop calling the protesters "rioters", and have universal suffrage.

"Beijing just conveniently manipulates Hong Kong people's freedom," Wong said. "I urge the international community to send a message to President Xi, sending troops or using the emergency ordinance is not the way out."

Meanwhile Chief Superintendent John Tse Chun-chung of the police public relations branch, denied the arrests were meant to deter supporters from attending a banned protest march tomorrow, from Chater Garden in Central to the liaison office in Western district.

But so many people in one day?

Au Nok-hin was also taken by police in a series of arrests

Either Hong Kong police are doing this show of force to satisfy Beijing that it has rounded up those who it believes are causing trouble, or it really does believe "black hands" are manipulating these people?

The police also claim to have enough evidence to prosecute all these people...

In the meantime, the planned protest tomorrow has been cancelled, which means anyone near the area could be arrested for illegal assembly. Even bystanders could be nabbed. Some think of lots of people show up then how can the police arrest so many people? But then again they already have arrested 900 people... what's a few thousand more?

As Agnes Chow says, stop the white terror. Hongkongers will find another way to protest.

Record Turnout, Record Donations

Over 180,000 people attended last night's candlelight vigil in Victoria Park

It shouldn't be surprising that with the record turnout of 180,000 people attending the candlelight vigil to commemorate the victims of the Tiananmen Square massacre, that there would be a record total of donations to pan-democratic parties.

Every year this event is one of the parties' main fundraising opportunities, and this year they scored big.

Lee Cheuk-yan reports record donations collected last night

Lee Cheuk-yan of the Hong Kong Alliance in Support of Patriotic Democratic Movements of China reports the group received more than HK$2.7 million (US$344,356) in donations last night in Victoria Park.

This is the highest amount of money the party has collected at the annual vigil, with the previous record being HK$2.3 million in 2012, according to Lee, who is the general secretary.

He says the donations were also driven by concerns about Hong Kong's future, especially regarding the extradition bill, that would allow the city to hand over fugitives to jurisdictions with which it previously did not have an agreement.

While the government insists the bill is necessary to plug legal loopholes, its opponents say it will leave city residents at risk of political or unjust prosecution in mainland China.

He hopes the large turnout on Tuesday night will be repeated on Sunday afternoon when a march will be starting from Victoria Park to again protest the extradition bill.

More people are willing to march to voice their protest

Meanwhile Council Front legislator Au Nok-hin observes Hongkongers are more willing to participate in the pro-democracy movement, as evidenced by increased donations in the past year or so.

"After the Umbrella Movement [in 2014], many people have more or less lost faith in Hong Kong. But as the recent controversies, including that of the extradition bill unfolded, people decided that they must join the protest although it may not lead to any successful change," Au says.

"Because the bill will bring far-reaching and profound influences to Hong Kong, people in this case share a sentiment that we must fight desperately."

Last night some people came out to Victoria Park fearing it may be the last time they can gather at the candlelight vigil if the extradition bill is passed. Would people really be extradited if they attended this event?

We shall see, but it would severely damage Hong Kong's reputation on the world stage if that did happen...

By-Election Blues

An Au Nok-hin supporter earlier today

Today is the by-election for four of the six seats in the Legislative Council vacated by those who were disqualified for making improper oaths of office.

Despite rigorous campaigning, voter turnout seems blase about the event. By 9.30pm, an hour before polls closed, a total of 840,070 voters had cast their votes in the geographical constituency, an overall turnout rate of 39.97 percent. This compares to a 52.27 percent for the same time during the 2016 general elections.

Granted this is a by-election and not a general election, still it's important for the pro-democrats to try to regain ground in Legco. However, it seems voters may be jaded and feel there's no point in trying to vote for someone who represent their interests because the Hong Kong government, or rather Beijing, will find a way to disqualify them, or make it harder for pro-democracy lawmakers to do their work.

Pro-Beijing loyalists butt heads with Joshua Wong and Au

There's also still simmering tensions between pro-democracy and pro-Beijing parties. This morning at around 9am in Aberdeen, a group of middle-aged Beijing loyalists surrounded pro-democracy candidate Au Nok-hin along with Joshua Wong Chi-fung, Nathan Law Kwun-chung and Agnes Chow Ting.

"You are a traitor who betrayed your country! Why don't you go to Taiwan instead?" the pro-Beijing group shouted at them, along with some swear words.

The tensions also extended to former senior officials who had differing opinions on the state of politics in Hong Kong. Ex-chief executive Tung Chee-hwa said quarreling should end, saying advocates of Hong Kong independence and self-determination would cost a heavy toll.

"We should elect some people who are constructive, pragmatic and true-heartedly serving Hong Kong into the Legislative Council," he said.

Tung Chee-hwa says he wants Hong Kong to move forward

Don't we all want that? We know independence isn't going to get anywhere but what about at least upholding "one country, two systems"?

Meanwhile Tung's former No. 2 Anson Chan Fang On-sang had a different view.

"Hongkongers should never give up... we should vote to express our zero tolerance to the constant interventions in Hong Kong affairs and the devastating damage to the 'one country, two systems' principle by the local and central governments," she said.

"Tung called on citizens to vote for those who genuinely work for Hong Kong," Chan continued, addressing his earlier comments. "I believe voters have the wisdom to judge who truly represents the values of Hongkongers."

Anson Chan hopes votes reflect Hong Kong's sentiment

We will see in the next few hours what the results are and in what direction Hong Kong will be going in... we can only hope for the best.

Continuing the Fight

Agnes Chow surrounded by media and supporters tonight at Tamar

Tonight a few thousand people came out in support of Agnes Chow Ting who was told by an electoral officer yesterday that she was disqualified to run in the March 11 by-election.

The police say 2,000 showed up, but from the pictures it looks like more than that, as they gathered at government headquarters in Tamar, at one point spilling out onto Tim Mei Avenue.

Some were disappointed by the low turnout, but organizers downplayed it and instead focused on channeling the anger and frustration towards the government.

"If we cannot enter Legco, it is to force us to be forever dissidents," said Demosisto secretary general Joshua Wong Chi-fung, accusing the government of blocking young people from being heard in the legislature.

Will Edward Yui be able to run in the by-election?

Meanwhile, legal experts say the government has no grounds for banning other candidates from running in the by-election. Tomorrow is the deadline for candidates to be nominated, and attention is now focused on Edward Yiu Chung-yim, running for Kowloon West, and Au Nok-hin, who is replacing Chow for the Hong Kong Island seat.

University of Hong Kong principal law lecturer Eric Cheung Tat-ming cautioned that the city's electoral system would become "arbitrary" if Yiu and Au were not allowed to run in the by-election because of what they had done in the past.

Yiu had met with Taiwan's pro-independence New Power Party, while Au had written an article calling for pro-democratic groups to band together to defend Hong Kong as it "goes through a long period of darkness".

"If that can be done, we don't know where the line would be drawn... You can even question pro-establishment politicians over their meeting with Tsai Ing-wen," Cheung said.

Au Nok-hin replaces Chow for the Hong Kong Island seat

He was referring to the city's biggest pro-Beijing party, the Democratic Alliance for the Betterment and Progress of Hong Kong that led a delegation to Taiwan to meet with pro-independence Democratic Progressive Party chairwoman Tsai, who later became the island's president.

Why is the Hong Kong government politicizing the electoral process? It just makes it even more obvious that someone in the background wants to manipulate things, while wanting to destroy our faith in the city's institutions that we hold dear.

But it looks like "the invisible hand" doesn't seem to care about appearances. It just wants things to go its way and shut out the next generation.