CUHK's Student Union Disbands

CUHK's student union members voted to disband today

 

Another group has disbanded after falling afoul with the Hong Kong authorities. The Chinese University of Hong Kong's student union will dissolve eight months after the school's management cut ties with the group, citing possible breaches of the national security law.

CUHK made it harder for the union to continue

In February the university asked the student union to register through government agencies as an independent society or company to assume its own legal responsibility, suspended its executive members from ex officio positions on all CUHK committees, and also stopped administrative support and collecting student union fees on its behalf.

The moves followed the 12-member union's release of an 80-page manifesto that accused the university of working with police to have students arrested after an attack on campus university guards.

On Thursday on social media, the student union said it sought legal advice that said independent registration was not necessary.

"CUSU sought professional legal opinion and was advised that 'the ordinance does not apply to CUSU' for independent registration. We are now torn between following the legal advice or complying with the university administration's demand," the post said.

The democratic union shuts down after 50 years

The union held a joint meeting on September 10 to seriously consider the matter and a motion was passed to dissolve the body an accept the resignation of its council representatives.

"[CUSU] has been the only organization mandated to represent the student body on campus. Over the years CUSU has upheld the principles of democratic and federal self-government and co-government for students, and dedicated itself to promoting the common good throughout ever-changing times," the statement read.

"For fifty years CUSU existed as an independent student organization whose representatives were elected through a democratic process. It is a matter of profound regret that CUSU is now history." 

Choy worries about other groups

Chinese University political scientist Ivan Choy Chi-keung, who was president of CUHK's student union in 1987, said he was worried about a "domino effect" among other university groups.

"When the front, the alliance and other social organizations closed down one after the other, and many student unions were asked to register independently, I'm not sure whether the universities were making their own decisions, or whether they faced pressure to make the same decision," he said.

"The union was also a platform through which the students' views could be reflected to the university, so its disbandment will affect those consultative processes too."

The Confederation of Trade Unions Folds Under Pressure

Wong (in blue) confirmed the union will disband next month

 

Another group has decided to disband, this time the Confederation of Trade Unions, which was critical of the government during the protests in 2019 and encouraged people to take part in general strikes.

Yesterday the opposition trade union's chief executive Mung Siu-tat announced on Facebook that he had resigned from the union and had left Hong Kong. He said he was forced to make a choice between two identities -- being a father and the CTU's chief executive.

Mung posted in Facebook he left Hong Kong

Today the union confirmed it was disbanding and expects to dissolve next month over concerns for "members' personal safety".

"Over the past one to two weeks, our members have received more messages," said chairman Joe Wong Nai-yuen. "We felt that the continued operation of the CTU could bring risks to members' personal safety. When our existence itself is already an original sin, even with the resignation of our leaders, it would not make a difference."

He did not say who the message came from or what they were about.

Speaking at a press conference at the confederation's offices in Yau Ma Tei, Wong was emotional when he said that after thorough discussions and "considering the risks and costs of continuing to run the CTU", the union's executive committee members had agreed to begin the process to fold during a meeting on Thursday.

The confederation was active in the 2019 protests

There will be an extraordinary general meeting held on October 3, and will need four-fifths of the votes from participating affiliated unions to support the dissolution to go ahead.

"I also hope to apologize to our affiliated unions, as well as all Hongkongers, as we, the CTU, can no longer hold on and march forward," Wong said.

He added 20, or most of the confederation's executive committee had already resigned, leaving just him, the vice-chairman, and the treasurer to handle the disbandment.

The CTU is one of the opposition and activist groups targeted by pro-Beijing media claiming it was "colluding with foreign forces" when it advocated general strikes and encouraged workers to set up new trade unions to demand greater democracy.  

At the time the CTU refuted the claim, saying having links with international labour unions was "legal" and normal practice.

The CTU was involved in 2013 dock worker strike

The union has links with some large groups, including the Professional Teachers' Union and the Civil Human Rights Front, both of which have already decided to fold under pressure from the authorities.

The CTU was started in 1990 and was co-founded by former opposition lawmaker Lee Cheuk-yan, and 31 years later represented more than 80 affiliates, and around 140,000 members as of last month. It was influential in labour movements, including the 2013 strike by dock workers which lasted 40 days.

Lee is currently in jail serving a 14-month sentence for unauthorized assembly, and earlier this month was charged with inciting subversion in relation to the annual June 4 candlelight vigil.

In addition, the CTU announced it will gradually stop running around 200 courses at its 15 centres which will affect around 1,000 people.

Lee Cheuk-yan co-founded the CTU in 1990

Many of the training courses had helped workers switch careers at retirement, such as becoming security guards or cleaners.

Lam Kam-piu, chairman of the 500-member New World First Bus Company Staff Union, an affiliate of the CTU, said he regretted the confederation's plans to disband, but understood the reasons for doing so.

"It is also a pity that our government isn't tolerant enough," he said.

The "Crackdown" Picks up Pace

Denise Ho performed after Lancome cancelled promotion

 

The apparent "crackdown" on civil society groups continued today, a relentless flurry of announcements.

Canto-pop singer and activist Denise Ho Wan-sze announced on Twitter that the Hong Kong Arts Centre had informed her that it had cancelled its contract with her music company that had organized a concert there next week.

The termination came days after pro-Beijing newspapers accused her of taking part in anti-China activities and claimed she was on the police's radar.

Arts Centre terminated contract with Goomusic

Ho hit back, saying she did not agree with the cancellation of the contract and said the concert would still be live streamed next Sunday.

"We are very disappointed," her music company Goomusic stated. "We have thoroughly examined our released materials and show contents, but could not see where or how this performance or hiring has the possibility to endanger, or will endanger public order or safety at all."

The Arts Centre said it decided to cancel Ho's reservation for the space from September 6-12, citing the centre's terms and conditions. It said it would return Goomusic's booking fee of HK$127,800 (US$16,400).

Her show was supposed to run from September 8-12 and all the tickets -- which cost HK$680 each -- had been sold out by mid-August.

Ho invited to speak at UN Human Rights Council

In 2019 Ho was active during the 2019 anti-government protests and even went to the UN Human Rights Council to ask the UN to remove China from the body and convene an urgent session to protect Hongkongers.

Two months later she was invited by the Congressional-Executive Commission on China in the United States to testify on the social unrest in Hong Kong. She attended along with now jailed Joshua Wong Chi-fung, and activist Sunny Cheung Kwan-yang, who recently announced he is in the US.

Ho is also involved in the 612 Humanitarian Relief Fund, which recently announced it will disband in October, is now being investigated by the national security police for possible collusion with foreign forces.

The fund, and the Alliance for True Democracy, which provided its bank account for the fund's trustees to hold donations, have been targeted by the national security department.

Police had obtained court orders to require the two groups to provide information of the donors, and the purpose of the donations.

Seven jailed for illegal march October 20, 2019

About two weeks ago the fund's trustees announced it would close in October after distributing more than HK$243 million to protesters facing criminal prosecution, or financial difficulties as a result of the 2019 protests.

Apparently as of May 31 this year, the fund had 2,554 monthly donors, who contributed over HK$1 million to the group each month.

If that wasn't enough news, seven activists were jailed today for up to 16 months for their roles in a banned procession in Tsim Sha Tsui on October 20, 2019. Six of them are already serving sentences for other convictions.

They include Civil Human Rights Front convenor Figo Chan Ho-wun, former lawmakers "Long Hair" Leung Kwok-hung, Albert Ho Chun-yan, were each handed 16 months. Former lawmaker Cyd Ho Sau-lan and activist Raphael Wong Ho-ming were jailed for 14 months, and ex-lawmaker Yeung Sum, and activist Avery Ng Man-yuen were ordered to serve 11 months.

Wong is the only one who up till today was not in jail.

Over 350,000 gathered in Tsim Sha Tsui

It is believed around 350,000 took part in the illegal gathering where they marched from Salisbury Garden in Tsim Sha Tsui up to the West Kowloon train station on Austin Road. 

Before the national security law Hongkongers were told the new legislation would not be retroactive and would only affect a small number of people. How things have changed...

Hard to Forget, Two Years Later

A woman remembers the events in Prince Edward MTR

 

It has been two years now since the August 31 attacks in the Prince Edward MTR station. But there are no public remembrances with the national security law in place.

There is no space for the public to reflect on the horrific scenes in the MTR carriage when police in military uniforms attacked unarmed commuters with batons.

These indelible images are a reminder of 2019

Instead Chief Executive Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor insists there is no crackdown on civil society groups, and even quibbled with the word "crackdown", saying the government was only ensuring that individuals and groups were not violating the national security law.

When reporters asked her about the legal status of the Alliance in Support of Patriotic Democratic Movements in China, Lam said the police is only doing law enforcement work.

"We respect civic society. Hong Kong has large numbers of NGOs and think tanks and research agencies who are shouldering their civic responsibility in trying to improve Hong Kong's situation," she replied to the media before the weekly Executive Council meeting.

Lam says there's not crackdown on civic groups

"But where there are associations, whether they are registered or not registered, that exist in order to undermine Hong Kong's security, let alone to advocate independence or collude with external forces to harm Hong Kong and the country, that is not something we should condone."

She was probably also referring to Civil Human Rights Front, that had been around for 32 years, 30 of which it organized the annual Tiananmen Square candlelight vigil, and the 47-year-old Professional Teachers Union is not being recognized by the Education Bureau anymore.

Police Commissioner Raymond Siu Chak-yee said that even if groups disbanded, there was no "indemnity" against investigation and that the force had gathered evidence against a variety of political organizations.

Siu says there is evidence against various groups

Political commentator Chung Kim-wah insisted there was clearly an ongoing crackdown on civil groups, given it was hard for many of them, including the alliance, to avoid connections with overseas pro-democracy bodies. He questioned, however, if authorities could silence dissent through such actions.

"The movement advocated by the alliance for more than 30 years has become part of the city's identity. The crackdown on it won't make people forget June 4," he said.

And by extension the anti-government protests of 2019...

More Civil Society Groups Targeted by Police

 

CHRF organized several peaceful marches in 2019

The Hong Kong Police have set their next target on the Civil Human Rights Front, which is best known for organizing the annual July 1 protest marches from 2003 until last year. The group is reportedly disbanding.

And even though the government has said the national security law is not retroactive from July 1, 2020, Police Commissioner Raymond Siu Chak-yee says CHRF is suspected of violating the national security law in recent years.

Siu says groups can be investigated anytime

Pro-Beijing newspaper Ta Kung Pao quoted Siu as saying the police will investigate whether CHRF has violated the national security law.

The front had organized some of the biggest peaceful protest marches since the handover, in particular their first rally with over 500,000 protesting against Article 23 and against the extradition bill in 2019.

Siu said the CHRF had never registered with the authorities since its establishment in 2002.

However, every year, the police coordinated with the CHRF in having police officers along the route to ensure the march was orderly.

Nevertheless, Siu said the police are always collecting evidence and can take action against unlawful groups at anytime.

Chan, Sham and Lee (far right) are all in jail now

He added even though well-known figures from CHRF are already behind bars, like Jimmy Sham Tsz-kit and Figo Chan Ho-wun, the police can still investigate other key members and charge them.

The police are using the national security law to pressure groups to disband even though they may have not done anything legally wrong up to July 1, 2020. 

But in the hopes of avoiding the force from possibly arresting members and freezing bank accounts like what happened to Apple Daily, groups like the Professional Teachers' Union and now the CHRF hope they can try to wind things up quickly and not get in trouble with the law.

Except it seems that once they are targeted, that's the beginning of the end, no matter how they try to continue to exist -- they can't.

HKJA may be the next police target

While the PTU will disband soon, the group still has to sell off its various properties and ensure some 200 staff are paid in full. Having to sell quickly means the union will not necessarily get good prices for the properties, but it has no choice but to dissolve as quickly as possible.

It's a difficult situation for those affected and those who think they may be next.

The next target? Possibly the Hong Kong Journalists' Association, which a pro-establishment newspaper has described as protecting violence and spreading rumours...

July 1 March Cancelled for Second Year

The July 1, 2019 march is the last of the annual marches in HK

The annual July 1 march will be cancelled for a second year, with the police force citing the ongoing coronavirus pandemic as the reason.

Up until last year it was the Civil Human Rights Front that had organized the marches since 2003, but this year announced it had disbanded as several of its prominent members, including its convenor, Figo Chan Ho-wun were in jail, and the police investigating the legality of its existence.

As a result, three civic groups decided to carry on the mantle and apply for police approval for the march that was scheduled for Thursday.

The League of Social Democrats, Tin Shui Wai Connection, and Save Lantau Alliance applied to hold the march that would coincide with the 24th anniversary of the handover of Hong Kong to China. As expected their application was not approved.

The national security law is one year old in HK

"The police have reasons to believe that holding the activities would not just increase the risk of participants and other citizens getting infected, it would also pose grave threats to the lives and health of all citizens, endangering public safety and affecting the rights of others," the force said in its rejection letter.

The police added that officers had discussed the proposed arrangements for the march with the organizers, but believe that adding certain restrictions "would not help to ensure public order, public safety and protecting other people's rights and freedoms".

Perhaps what the force is alluding to is that Beijing doesn't want any kind of dissent on display that day.

That's because July 1 marks the 100th anniversary of the founding of the Communist Party of China. It's actually on July 23, 1921, but it's the same month...

And it will also mark the first anniversary of the implementation of the national security law, so lots to celebrate this year.

The Communist Party celebrates 100 years

However Eddie Tse Sai-kit of Save Lantau Alliance is not convinced of the force's explanation.

"The government has already relaxed the number of people allowed to gather indoors. Why not outdoors?"

He also noted the promotions of John Lee Ka-chiu to Chief Secretary and Chris Tang Ping-keung to Secretary of Security as being hardliners.

"Why is the government so scared of letting people voice their concerns on the streets?"

While these are good points, security trumps all in times of big anniversaries for China. 

Even though the three groups plan to appeal the ban on Tuesday evening, they are probably going to be rejected again.

These groups deserve kudos for trying to do their bit for civil society, but it seems this year was not to be...

First Time in 19 Years, No July 1 March

Half a million people participated in the July 1, 2003 march

 

Every year since 2003, there had been a July 1 march to demonstrate against the government. It started that year to vehemently protest against legislating Article 23 -- the national security bill. Some 500,000 people came out to march peacefully in the streets.

It resulted in the bill being withdrawn and shelved indefinitely, as well as the resignation of the then security chief Regina Ip Lau Suk-yee, and later then chief executive Tung Chee-hwa stepped down for "health reasons".

The 2015 march after the Umbrella Movement

It was that march that showed if people came out to protest peacefully, the government was listening, and spurred subsequent marches every July 1 after that.

These marches were meant as a counterpoint to the pro-government celebrations marking Hong Kong's return to the motherland. It also reinforced people's passion for the city, their pride in being Hongkongers.

Marching on July 1 is not easy -- the high temperatures combined with high humidity and tens of thousands of people makes it a big communal sweaty affair. But everyone is usually in good spirits and patient enough to deal with the police making it at times difficult to continue walking.

On the streets were people of all ages, elderly people, young parents carrying babies, children, teenagers and professionals, all united together.

The 2019 march against the extradition bill

However, the organizer of this march, the Civil Human Rights Front, will not do it this year for the first time in 19 years.

It was revealed the group that used to organize the marches to demonstrate against the government every year since 2003 has disbanded since its convenor Figo Chan Ho-wun was jailed in May for his role in the unauthorized protest on October 1, 2019.

The news was revealed by Raphael Wong Ho-ming, chairman of the League of Social Democrats, a member group of the Front.

On Sunday Wong said some civil groups will discuss holding their own protests on July 1, though conceding any applications to the police to march will likely be rejected.

The front dissolved after Figo Chan was jailed

Last year the front had applied for permission from the police to march, but it was rejected citing the coronavirus pandemic, though some people still went out onto the streets that day to protest against the newly enacted national security law.

Wong said the league and other groups will set up street booths that day for people to be able to voice their opinions, while complying to social-distancing rules.

How things change so quickly within a year...

More Convictions for Illegal Rally

The October 1, 2019 march was not condoned by the police

Today 10 pro-democracy figures including Jimmy Lai Chee-ying were jailed for up to 18 months for organizing an illegal rally on National Day, October 1, 2019. They had pleaded guilty to the charge.

District Court Judge Amanda Woodcock was critical of the group, saying they consciously decided to break the law and challenge public order during a time of civil unrest, referring to the anti-government protests that year.

Figo Chan was sentenced to 18 months in prison

"They did call for a peaceful, rational and non-violent procession, but how naive and unrealistic was that considering what was happening on a daily basis was the opposite," Woodcock said, noting that Molotov cocktails were thrown along or near the procession route, and other acts of damage, arson and violence were captured on video that day.

Lai was handed a 14-month sentence, part of it to be served consecutively with his sentences in two other unauthorized protests, making it 20 months in jail.

Figo Chan Ho-wun, 25, is the convenor of the Civil Human Rights Front that organized many of the large-scale demonstrations in 2019. He was sentenced to 18 months in prison as Woodcock deemed him and three others to be most culpable because they held a press conference the night before National Day.

One of the defendants, former Democratic lawmaker Sin Chung-kai who was given a suspended sentence of 14 months, was disappointed to see his fellow activists jailed, calling the punishment "record-setting" and "unprecedented".

The march later led to violent clashes with police

"People should be aware of the consequences -- the court has changed," Sin said. "I think this is absolutely a setback for the democratic movement in Hong Kong and we have to rethink the overall strategies before we move forward."

The other convicted activists are former Democratic Party lawmakers Albert Ho Chun-yan and Yeung Sum; former Labour Party legislators Lee Cheuk-yan and Cyd Ho Sau-lan; former League of Social Democrats lawmaker "Long Hair" Leung Kwok-hung, and Avery Ng Man-yuen.

Another activist Richard Tsoi Yiu-cheong also received a suspended sentence of 14 months for his passive role in the crime.

Leung's wife Chan Po-ying said he was convicted for the same offence in the 1990s and was fined only HK$500, and a few thousand dollars 10 years ago. Now Figo Chan, who has no previous convictions must spend almost two years in jail.

Sin Chung-kai had a suspended sentence

Samuel Chu, managing director of the Hong Kong Democracy Council, said the group was outraged by the sentences, which he labelled as an attempt to create maximum terror and deterrence in the lead-up to the anniversary of the June 4 Tiananmen Square crackdown. 

How much more bad news can people take? The insistence of Lai serving sentences consecutively instead of concurrently is very harsh. But the Department of Justice seems determined to punish him as much as possible, to punish the spirit of Hongkongers.

March Organizer Faces Possible Ban

Civil Human Rights Front has organized marches since 2003

The Civil Human Rights Front was formed in 2002 and has been organizing the July 1 marches that in 2003 drew half a million people onto the streets, causing the Hong Kong government to shelve its plans to enact Article 23, a national security bill, and the several peaceful protest marches in 2019.

But now the group is at the centre of a police probe, with the authorities scrutinizing Civil Human Rights Front's finances and its failure to register with the government under the Societies Ordinance.

Even CY Leung praised the group in 2013

Last Monday the police demanded 15 years' of financial documents including funding, expenses and related bank accounts that were due by Wednesday, but the Civil Human Rights Front said it will not comply with the order, which could result in an outright ban of the group.

Civil Human Rights Front convenor Figo Chan Ho-wun said previously the police had communicated with members of the group without raising any issues.

"Following the July 1 march in 2013, then chief executive Leung Chun-ying even referred to the Civil Human Rights Front as 'friends'," Chan pointed out.

He added the group was a lawful entity because the city's Basic Law guaranteed freedom of assembly.

Chan said the organization disagreed with the Societies Ordinance because it allowed the police to investigate the group and possibly ban it.

He said the front was only give nine days to answer questions and comply with the documents requested for the past 15 years which will be difficult to dig up since the standard time to keep documents for tax investigation purposes is only eight years.

Chan says he may be the last convenor of group

However Chan said the group did not intend to hand over those details to the police even if they still had them. "It's a matter of principle," he said.

The police probe came a month after Lianhe Zaobao, the largest Chinese-language daily newspaper in Singapore reported the Hong Kong government was seeking to ban the group on national security grounds.

The law says the police societies officer could recommend to the Secretary of Security that a group be banned if it was found to be a political body connected to a political organization overseas or in Taiwan.

Prohibition could be deemed necessary in the interests of national security of public safety, as well as uphold order or the protection of the rights and freedoms of others.

When asked what would happen if Civil Human Rights Front is banned, Chan believed other civil groups will pick up the mantle.

"But I may be the last convenor of the Civil Human Rights Front," he said.

More Arrests Stir More Defiance Than Fear

Leung, Wu, Chu and Chan and four other arrested this morning

The authorities haven't just implemented the national security law to deter residents from secession, sedition, terrorism, and collusion with foreign forces, but it is also enforcing the new law that was implemented on July 1.

This morning eight opposition activists were charged with illegal assembly on July 1, the first large protest after the law was enacted.

Hundreds came out for illegal July 1 rally

Former legislators Eddie Chu Hoi-dick, Wu Chi-wai, "Long Hair" Leung Kwok-hung, and five others were arrested early this morning at their homes, including Figo Chan Ho-wun, convenor of the Civil Human Rights Front, on suspicion of violating the Public Order Ordinance.

A few hours later they were released on bail, and the activists vowed to remain defiant despite the crackdown, accusing police of retaliating against them for sanctions levelled by the United States against 14 top officials in China's legislature the night before.

July 1 is usually the annual mass march to mark the anniversary of the handover, but because of the new national security law, the police had refused permission to hold the rally. Nevertheless large crowds still gathered in Wan Chai and Causeway Bay, and police fired tear gas and pepper balls to disperse the crowds. Now these eight are being held responsible for the illegal rally.

Graduation ceremonies at Chinese University

The arrests this morning come a day after the police national security unit arrested three students over a politically-charged demonstration at Chinese University last month. During graduation ceremonies, some students chanted separatist slogans and carried black balloons, much to the horror of Beijing's liaison office. 

The office said the protesters had pushed for the city's independence, which contravened the national security law. 

As if that wasn't enough drama for today, two people connected to a church that helped mediate between the protesters and the police during last year's protests were arrested on suspicion of fraud and money laundering.

A former director and an employee of The Good Neighbourhood North District Church were taken into police custody, while the current director and secretary of the church, both of whom left Hong Kong in October, are also wanted by the authorities. 

The church had allegedly raised HK$27 million

Detectives allege that the church raised HK$27 million through several crowd-funding drives between June last year and September this year, but publicly stated they only raised one-third of the amount.

The police said the church's five accounts which total HK$25 million have been frozen as part of the investigation. Some of those accounts belong to Pastor Roy Chan Hoi-ting and his wife, who are currently on sabbatical in Britain, and now they have no access to the money for them and their five children.

"This is no doubt an act of political retaliation," the church said in a statement, condemning HSBC. "The purge has never ceased, just like the asset-freezing case of the self-exiled [former] Democrat, Ted Hui and his family. Such [an] incident has severely eradicated dissent in Hong Kong, suppressing freedom among religions and community service workers." 

Pastor Roy Chan volunteered during protests

The issue of freezing people's bank accounts without prior notice has worried many in Hong Kong to transfer more money abroad than before, though Chief Executive Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor said today, "Hong Kong's monetary and financial systems are as robust as ever".

Sure thing, Carrie.

Muted Protests on National Day

Carrie Lam leads the toast to the 71st Chinese national day

 

Although Civil Human Rights Front was banned from holding a march today to protest the 12 people detained by the mainland, some brave people came out anyway in Causeway Bay to voice their dissent against the Hong Kong and Chinese governments.

The police were prepared -- sending out 6,000 officers as a deterrent and were armed with the usual tools of tear gas, pepper spray and such, and even a water cannon was parked nearby. They chose their usual method of trying to shut things down before they escalated, though the protests happened over several hours and by 10pm this evening at least 86 people were arrested, 74 of which were for illegal assembly, the rest for not social distancing.

At least 86 people were arrested today

 Then how can they explain not arresting about two dozen people gathered together waving Chinese flags and fervently singing the national anthem earlier this morning? How come they are exempted?

The double standards are too obvious to ignore.

Meanwhile protesters in Causeway Bay shouted slogans like "Liberate Hong Kong, revolution of our time", and would dissipate when the police approached them. One young man took out his recorder and played Glory to Hong Kong, though he was taken by police later for questioning.

One senior walked around with a wooden giraffe on a platform with wheels. He called it a "handsome horse" in front of riot police. There is a Chinese idiom of calling a deer a horse, which means criticizing those who fabricate the facts.

Causeway Bay was crawling with police officers

Even a Kim Jong-un impersonator, known as Howard X made an appearance with an inflatable missile. On it he taped a picture of President Xi Jinping with his head shaped like the coronavirus and a sign that read: "F*** the Communist Party".

All those people who were arrested will have to go through the justice system and by the time they are in front of the judge, there will not be enough evidence to prosecute them and the judge will probably dismiss the case. 

Why waste everyone's time and effort?

Rupert Dover (in white) was on honours list

Earlier in the day as part of the national day celebrations, the city's honour list since 1997 was revealed at a record-breaking 687 people; usually it's around 200, though in 2009, there was a record 444. 

Of those honoured, 94 were police officers, including former police chief Stephen Lo Wai-chung. Assistant commissioners Rupert Dover and David Jordan were recognized. Dover was one of six senior officers leading the police ground response on June 12 last year, and ordered the firing of tear gas as crowds of protesters against the extradition bill, pushed towards the Legislative Council complex.

Another commended officer was Chief Superintendent John Tse Chun-chung, who was grilled by reporters regularly for the force's handling of protesters. 

Pansy Ho last year speaking at the UN

Other notables include Bernard Chan Charnwut who is a member of the Executive Council; Pansy Ho Chiu-king, the late Stanley Ho's daughter and last year she spoke to the UN Human Rights Council about the government's handling of the protests; Charles Li Xiaojia who recently announced his resignation as head of the Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing Limited; and Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra conductor Maestro Jaap Van Zweden.

It is interesting to note there are 143 healthcare workers honoured for their work in battling the coronavirus pandemic, but none of them were the main faces in the media advising the government. I checked the list, and people like Dr David Hui Shu-cheong of Chinese University, University of Hong Kong's Dr Gabriel Leung and Dr Yuen Kwok-yung (previously awarded a Silver Bauhinia Star), or even Dr Chuang Shuk-kwan of the Centre for Health Protection.

Those gaudy wristbands to wear during quarantine

However, Simon Wong Kwong-yeung was recognized for developing the clunky (and heavy) e-wristband for people to be monitored while doing home quarantine.

Go figure.

 

Increasing Threats on Joshua Wong

Joshua Wong says Hongkongers will not easily surrender

 

Day by day the level of absurdity in Hong Kong rises a notch or two higher. Earlier this week it was the Hong Kong police determining who was a real reporter and who was "fake" to ensure smooth operations.

And then yesterday Joshua Wong Chi-fung was arrested for allegedly breaching the anti-mask law last October 5, when people were banned from covering their faces during protests.

The irony is that wearing masks is mandatory these days because of the coronavirus pandemic.

He was also arrested for allegedly taking part in an illegal assembly that day as well.

Koo Sze-yiu is a veteran social activist

The force said the October 5 protest was not authorized under the Public Order Ordinance, hence the charge. The 23-year-old Wong was arrested along with 74-year-old Koo Sze-yiu, a veteran social activist who has was recently diagnosed with cancer and is in hospital, according to fellow activist Nathan Law Kwun-chung.

After Wong was released on bail, he told the media waiting outside the Central Police Station that the timing of his arrest and prosecution were politically motivated.

"The government wants to produce a chilling effect on Hong Kong people to frighten people away from the October 1 march," he said, referring to the planned National Day rally.

"But I can declare that I will continue to resist and we should also let the world know Hong Kong people will not easily surrender. They can't censor our commitment to fight for freedom. The chilling effect will not work and is not the way out -- they cannot force us to surrender."

Many opposition politicians, rights groups and the European Union weighed in on Wong's arrest.

Richardson says authorities want to silence Wong

Alan Leong Kah-kit, chairman of the Civic Party said: "It's so ridiculous for the government to arrest people over participating in an anti-mask law rally when everyone now in Hong Kong has to wear masks in public places [under coronavirus measures]."

Human Rights Watch said the Hong Kong government should stop prosecuting pro-democracy activists.

"The Hong Kong authorities keep dredging up dubious cases against Joshua Wong in a heavy-handed attempt to silence him," said Sophie Richardson, China director. "Hong Kong and Chinese authorities should realize that people in Hong Kong have responded to attacks on pro-democracy voices with ever greater resolve in calling for human rights."

Law, who is currently in exile in London, is concerned that while the authorities have not yet arrested Wong for breaching the national security law, it will only be a matter of time. 

"By arresting him and charging him once more, it sends a strong signal to Joshua that, basically telling Joshua that [he should] not do anything, otherwise we will arrest you under the national security law which is much more draconian and the maximum penalty will be life-long sentencing. I think that kind of intimidation is clear," Law told CBC Radio's current affairs show As It Happens.

Law with former HK governor Chris Patten

The Civil Human Rights Front had applied to the police to hold a rally on October 1 to protest against the mainland authorities for detaining 12 people who allegedly attempted to flee to Taiwan. However, the police rejected the application, citing social-distancing measures where a maximum of four people may gather in public, and that a large crowd could constitute a "grave threat" to public health and public safety.

The front has said it will appeal, and if rejected again, will think of other ways people can protest.

By the way there were only two new coronavirus cases today...