Children in Poverty are Stressed and Tired

A sister looks after her younger sibling in a cramped flat

It is heartbreaking to read a report that in some impoverished families in Hong Kong, children help supplement their parents' income by collecting cardboard and other paper, or cannot go out and play because they need to look after younger siblings and do housework.

One 15-year old spends an hour a day finding discarded cardboard in Sham Shui Po so that he can earn HK$25 (US$3.20) a week for 5kg.

He also prepares lunch for his 10-year-old sister and tutors her, as his mother, a 39-year-old divorced cleaner is too busy working.

Impoverished families usually have single parents

"When I think of how hard my mother works, I think it's all right to help out a bit," said the secondary three student. 

"There are people who ask, 'Why are you gathering cardboard at such a young age?' I think it's OK to help my mother when she earns so little."

According to the Hong Kong government's Poverty Situation Report, there were 274,900 children under the age of 18 living in poverty.

The city's poverty rate is 23.6 percent, or 1.65 million people, a 12-year high.

An individual whose income is lHK$4,400 or less per month or a family of three with a total income of HK$16,000 or less is considered poor by the government.

A survey by the Society for Community Organisation (SoCO) between June 2020 and September this year found 80 percent of 201 poor children between the ages of three and 17 had to do housework or look after their family members.

Children are usually too tired to do homework

Nearly one-third spent more than eight hours a week helping at home, and nearly a fifth more than 16 hours a week. Their parents were either at work, ill, or had to return to the mainland to renew their visas.

Fifty-seven percent of children took care of family members, including bathing or feeding them, and nearly one in 10 sold waste paper and cardboard to help their families make ends meet.

As a result of doing so much housework and looking after family members, the children felt exhausted, helpless or stressed, and had attention issues and muscle aches. They also didn't have enough rest, or lacked time or energy to play and meet with friends.

"We sometimes see these children quitting school because they have to make money for their families, or they are absent from our [extracurricular] classes because they have to cook for their younger siblings or take care of sick family members," said SoCO deputy director Sze Lai-shan.

Does the government not care for these children? Why squabble over the definition of poverty and help them instead?

Some children collect cardboard for extra money

They deserve to at least have time to do their homework, and play with friends as a bit of stress relief. 

With hardly any pan-democrats like Fernando Cheung Chiu-hung and Leung Kwok-hung in the Legislative Council to shed attention on grassroots social issues like these, it's not surprising the government isn't interesting... though almost 275,000 children who are poor cannot be swept under the carpet either.

Hong Kong cannot afford to have children suffering from the yawning wealth gap when the city is so rich. 

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...

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.

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)

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.

Hong Kong's Absurdities Continue

Private clubs, like China Club, have had guests test positive

Today there was a string of bad news, starting with 92 new coronavirus cases reported today. More restaurants and private clubs have been affected, which makes it harder for them to continue to do business when you're tagged as having a positive case in your place.

This fourth wave is very scary, surging faster than the third wave back in July. With Christmas less than a month away, one has to wonder if we'll all have to mark the birth of Jesus in complete lockdown...

Staff went on strike in February to shut borders

Meanwhile hospital staff who took part in a strike in February demanding the government shut the border between Hong Kong and the mainland because of the coronavirus, will have their pay deducted. 

The Hospital Authority says this will affect 7,000 doctors, nurses and other hospital workers who went off duty without authorization, and that there would be no further punishment apart from the salary deduction.

From February 3-7, hospital staff went on strike in a bid to force the government to close the border, believing this was the most effective way to stop the virus. At the time there were 15 cases in the city, and the government closed six of the 15 border checkpoints. with China, and did not allow those from Wuhan to come in.

Hospital Authority Chairman Henry Fan Hung-ling said the strike affected people's confidence in the public healthcare system and undermined the professional image of its workers.

As a result the authority received some 7,000 complaints and calls for help.

Imagine if Hong Kong had really shut down all its borders with China... 

Cheung (middle) took caller's questions on RTHK

In other news, the government continued to try to sell its policy address and Chief Secretary Matthew Cheung Kin-chung was on RTHK radio this morning to take callers' questions. 

One caller criticized the lack of opposition resulted in a lame-duck legislature with no electoral mandate.

Cheung's response? "We're not taking advantage of the so-called Legco vacuum -- the absence of the pan-democrats in Legco -- to push through difficult things. We're doing it for Hong Kong's long-term good."

Uh huh.

Things got more absurd today.

Secretary for Constitutional and Mainland Affairs Erick Tsang Kwok-wai explained he dozed off on Wednesday while his boss Chief Executive Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor gave a two hour and 15 minute policy address because he was recently diagnosed with tonsillitis and had to take medicine for it, which made him drowsy.

"I've been feeling a bit unwell. But I don't think it's so serious that it has affected my work," he said. "If I try to bother the CE with even such a minor matter, I think she would be kept very busy."

Startling revelation by Lam today

And borderline outrageous was Lam telling the media in an interview that because of US sanctions against her, she cannot keep a bank account and so her salary is paid to her in cash.

"I am using cash everyday. I have piles of cash at home because the government is paying me cash for my salary because I don't have a bank account." 

By the way her salary is over HK$400,000 a month. That's a lot of HK$1,000 bills...

Does someone deliver it to her in a handcuffed suitcase?

And does she want someone to rob her?

But finally a small legal victory:

The Court of Final Appeal has ruled unanimously with former opposition lawmaker Leung Kwok-hung otherwise known as "Long Hair", that a prison requirement that male prisoners keep their hair short is sex discrimination. 

A big legal victory for "Long Hair"

The ruling ends a six-year legal battle Leung waged in the courts after his hair was cut short when he was sent to jail in 2014.

"The discrimination was so obvious," he said as he tossed his flowing mane that has since gotten greyer.

Chief Justice Geoffrey Ma Tao-li wrote the judgment, in part saying: "It is not readily apparent, and no explanation was provided by the [commissioner of correctional services], as to why this had any reasonable connection with custodial discipline."

Ma noted that the Correctional Services Department, which had argued it was only imposing a social norm, had failed to explain the basis of its claim that men always had shorter hair, an assumption he added gave rise to stereotyping. 

At the time Leung was jailed for four weeks for criminal damage and disorderly behaviour in June 2014, after an incident during a public forum in Tsim Sha Tsui in September 2011.

Let's see what tomorrow brings...

Why Were They Arrested?

Some 1.7 million people showed up for a rally in Victoria Park on August 18

Can someone explain this to me?

Yesterday the Hong Kong police, on orders by the government, arrested 15 high-profile people for allegedly organizing and taking part in illegal protests, including one on August 18 last year against the extradition bill.

That day the police had only given permission for a rally, not a march, but how do you squeeze 1.7 million people into Victoria Park in Causeway Bay? They had no choice but to walk out the area to allow more protesters into the rally.

That evening, after some 1.7 million people protested, the government released a press release admitting the "public meeting was generally peaceful", though participants occupied a number of thoroughfares on Hong Kong Island, causing inconvenience to the public.

There is no mention in the press release that the gathering was illegal, that whoever organized the rally would be held to account.

So why were the likes of Martin Lee Chu-ming, Margaret Ng Ngoi-yee, Lee Cheuk-yan, Leung Kwok-hung, Jimmy Lai Chee-ying, and Albert Ho Chun-yan arrested again?

29 Years On

A mini Goddess of Democracy at the candlelight vigil

This afternoon the weather looked iffy for the June 4 candlelight vigil at Victoria Park, and it did pour for a while. It was much needed rain after weeks of scorching heat. By 6.30pm the rain had stopped, which was promising and by 7pm the thunderstorm warning expired.

YTSL, and another friend and I met up in Causeway Bay and we walked towards Victoria Park. Along the way the usual political parties were there canvassing for money, including Joshua Wong Chi-fung for Demosisto, and Leung Kwok-hung of the League of Social Democrats got to the point -- "Put the money here!" he said, pointing to the donation box.

People are bombarded by calls for donations from parties

Lots of people handed out flyers for things that were June 4th related, until we finally reached the entrance to Victoria Park and finally got a program for the evening's events. However, the sight looked grim -- the football pitches were empty and when we filed in around 7.20pm, we were in the first section already -- usually we would have been in the second one.

Nevertheless there was a good breeze so temperature-wise it was perfect, and it also started drying up the pitches so that by the time the event started just after 8pm, most of us had the chance to sit on the ground. The seniors were the smart ones this year -- many came armed with stools and portable chairs. Some brought plastic sheets to sit on and we saw one woman with bubble wrap! Have to remember that next time!

At around 8.09pm the event started, and the program is basically the same each year -- a video featuring chaotic scenes in Tiananmen Square, complete with tanks and soldiers, people running away and others carrying people from the gunfire.

Before 8pm the crowd was looking sparse...

Then there are speeches, a floral wreath is presented, the eternal flame lit by young people, and Albert Ho Chun-yan, chairman of the Hong Kong Alliance made a speech.

Next a video message from the Tiananmen Mothers. Since 1989, 51 parents of the group have passed away, and they are pleading with the central government to own up to the massacre of their children, and yet they continue to be met with stony silence.

They are grateful that people in Hong Kong continue to mark the incident and continue to donate to their cause.

This year there was a remembrance of Liu Xiaobo, the Nobel Laureate who tried to get the students get away from the incoming tanks in Tiananmen Square. He died last July, which is why this is the first year his passing was marked at tonight's event. In a video, empty chairs were placed in different places in Hong Kong, an echo of the Nobel prize ceremony where there was an empty chair where he should have sat.

But later in the evening there were over 100,000 attending

Organizers estimate 100,000 to 150,000 people showed up this year despite university student unions boycotting for a fourth year in a row. They claim there is no point in fighting for democracy in China when we should be advocating democracy in Hong Kong.

However, Dr Chan Kin-man, co-founder of the Occupy Movement and sociologist at Chinese University, sent an open message to the students who stayed away, saying they can call themselves a Chinese or a Hongkonger, but they should be human beings first, which got a big applause from the audience.

Next year will be the big 3-0. It will definitely get a lot of media attention, and more importantly hopefully more people will come out! And yes remember to bring better seat options!

Decimated Pan-Democrats

Can the pan-democrats keep up the fight after all the antics they've done?

The pan-democrats really need to think hard about how they want to represent the people of Hong Kong after four lawmakers were removed from office for improper oath taking in the Legislative Council.

Last week Nathan Law Kwun-chung, Leung Kwok-hung, Edward Yiu Chung-yim and Lau Siu-lai were followed by the media as they cleared from their offices in Legco and walked out together, vowing to come back.

Nathan Law's picture of his empty office at Legco

The Hong Kong government had asked the High Court to disqualify the four from their seats, arguing they had broken Hong Kong's Oaths and Declarations Ordinance, and Judge Thomas Au agreed on July 14, referring to a controversial interpretation issued by China's National People's Congress (NPC) standing committee last November.

"Solemnity and sincerity" were qualities required retroactively by the NPC standing committee, a move that sparked protests and fears over the erosion of the city's judicial independence and political autonomy.

"The sole remaining channel for elected representatives to supervise the administration and the chief executive has now been lost," Leung said after the ruling. "This is a result that no Hong Kong person should accept."

Lawmaker Chu Hoi-dick after his appearance in court

Fast forward to yesterday, and a legal bid by a retiree to unseat another pan-democrat, Chu Hoi-dick failed due to the person's inability to pay the security cost on time to start the legal battle.

Even though Chu must have been relieved, he was still cautious afterwards outside the court.

"There is still nothing to be happy about," he said, claiming the central government had used the oath-taking issue as "an excuse to attack the Hong Kong legislature and to rewrite the result of the last Hong Kong Legislative Council elections".

As a voter in last year's elections, I am extremely disappointed that the pan-democrats have lost a crucial balance of power in Legco due to both their silliness in not respecting the oath-taking process, and for the Hong Kong government in going after them in such an aggressive legal manner.

Now the pro-establishment have the edge they need to be able to change Legco rules to limit filibusters and pass some controversial legislation, like the lease agreement at the new cross-border express rail link at the terminus in West Kowloon.

Yau Wai-ching raises eyebows with her swearing-in

The four include the other two Youngspiration lawmakers, Sixtus Baggio Leung Chung-hang and Yau Wai-ching who totally disrespected the oath by displaying a banner that read "Hong Kong is not China" and in their oaths said "Cheena" instead of "China" and using swear words.

The Hong Kong government (and Beijing) are desperate to keep their advantage in Legco, but they do not reflect public sentiment. Public opinion now -- not elected politicians -- will have to be the last resort in pushing back against the Lam administration and Sai Wan.

There will be by-elections for the four seats lost, but can the pan-democrats regain them again? Respect for them is eroding too, after all the antics we've seen since the election.

The pan-democrats will have to work extra hard to regain our trust, though the alternative is too unsavoury for many of us to swallow...

28 Years On

Some 110,000 people turned out tonight in Victoria Park

A few days ago the weather forecast for Sunday didn't look good for the 28th candlelight vigil for June 4 -- the Hong Kong Observatory said there would be heavy rain.

While it was very humid over the weekend, it didn't pour -- in fact today the clouds cleared and we saw bits of blue skies.

Thank goodness the weather cooperated, but that didn't persuade thousands of other people to show up to Victoria Park this evening.

The crowd looked promising before the event started

Organizers say 110,000 people attended, making it the lowest turnout since 2008, and it is the second year in a row that the Hong Kong Federation of Students did not participate.

Nevertheless we are glad we came to show Beijing and the world we still remember, 28 years on.

At 7pm a few of us gathered to head to Victoria Park and there were already a number of people heading in the same direction, which looked promising.

The usual political groups were out in force along the road towards Victoria Park, loudly soliciting donations. Leung Kwok-hung or "Long Hair" was the loudest, demanding people donate to the collection boxes on the right. He said "donate" and "on the right" so fast and loud he sounded like a slot machine that hit the jackpot.

Everyone was out in force, including Lee Cheuk-yan, who isn't a lawmaker anymore, as well as Emily Lau Wai-hing. Guess you need to trot out the old guard for the mostly older demographic at the candlelight vigil.

The Goddess of Democracy is a big draw

However, organizers tried very hard to make it look like they were still relevant to young people, or that students still cared about what happened before they were born.

They practically hosted the event, leading everyone in singing (the same) songs, shouting slogans and even talking to high school students on stage about why it was important to know about June 4.

But perhaps most compelling was Lam Yiu-keung, who witnessed the massacre on June 4. He was there to support the students when things got very ugly. He remembers trying to carry someone, but when they tried to prop him up, blood was gushing out of him like a river. It took six or seven people to carry this person.

Then four or five of the Chinese students surrounded him as if to protect him and said that as a Hong Kong person, he had to go back and tell everyone what had happened.

Meanwhile one of the Tiananemen Mothers Ge Guirong, 83, said she spent the last 28 years living in guilt for not stopping her son, Du Guanxue from leaving home that night, and questioned why the government would not admit wrong and bear the responsibility of its actions. She also thanked Hong Kong people for remembering what happened.

This year was marked with the curious trip of a bottle of liquor that has a label that commemorates June 4 and was taken out of China and traveled to several countries before arriving in Hong Kong.

Remembering the Tiananmen Mothers and their cause

Apparently a sympathetic official was able to take the bottle out of the country without detection and then passed it to democracy activists in Europe and the liquor was then carried to a few places before its final destination here.

While we didn't see the actual bottle on stage, the people who made the liquor were arrested last May, and their family members gave verbal testimonies that we heard.

It's sad that this was the lowest turnout in nine years, and silly of the students not to realize there is strength in numbers, particularly for this vigil. It is the same thing every year, that's true, but it's just one day to remember the possibly thousands of people -- not just students, but ordinary people of all ages -- who died senselessly. Why can't we all stop for a few hours to pay tribute to them?

A Three-Horse Race

Big smiles from John Tsang securing enough nominations to run for CE

It's not even Wednesday yet and two chief executive hopefuls have already submitted their formal nominations.

Former Finance Secretary John Tsang Chun-wah beat the pack (and almost tripped) on the way to the electoral office on Saturday with a submission of 160 nominees, even though the requirement is 150.

Woo Kwok-hing is also formally in the race with 156 nods

While Tsang has the popular vote among the public for his easy-going attitude, interest in sports, and apparently coffee and French movies, he only managed to bag 10 nominations from the pro-Beijing camp, which doesn't seem to bode well in the election next month if he is to beat Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor.

Former Justice Woo Kwok-hing is also formally in the race too with 156 nominations. Upon receiving the forms to apply, Woo said it was "his happiest moment" since he declared his candidacy and he would strive to bring democracy to Hong Kong.

Lam has said she will give in her nomination on Wednesday, even though she has apparently secured 300 nominations already. Sounds like she is hoping for extra brownie points.

And as we covered here yesterday Regina Ip Lau Suk-yee is far behind, but continues to try to get more nominations though her chances are slim.

Leung Kwok-hung didn't even get enough public support

But she's not the last one -- "Long Hair" Leung Kwok-hung is faring even worse than her with not even enough public support to suggest he should run. He had hoped to get 38,000 names from the public, but only got 20,234.

Thank goodness that embarrassment is over. While he thought he would offer an alternative, he was seriously not even a decent candidate. See, the public knows how the game works.

It looks like it'll be a three-horse race and we hope it'll get feisty with Woo holding Tsang and Lam accountable for what they have done or not done. We've already had a few crooks in office, we don't need more...

A Fifth Wheel?

Leung Kwok-hung wants to give the Election Committee a choice - himself

As if four candidates vying to become Hong Kong's next chief executive weren't enough -- a pan-democrat has decided to throw his hat into the ring.

And it's not a mild mannered, decently dressed one -- it's Leung Kwok-hung or "Long Hair", who seems intent on stirring things up.

The League of Social Democrats lawmaker said today that he would only officially put in his bid to become the city's next leader if he managed to secure 37,790 votes from the public, or one percent of the city's registered voters through a referendum held by post-Occupy group Citizens United in Action.

"I used to hold a stance of not voting, not nominating and not running in any small-circle election, so [my decision to run] is indeed a very huge change in my position," he told the media today.

Alan Leong (left) and Albert Ho (right) had run for CE before

"But I think the pan-democratic camp should never vote for any of the four pro-establishment contenders who cannot represent our camp at all."

Hmmm good point. But why him?

While the pan-democrats have 326 of the 1,194 votes in the Election Committee, some are divided on what to do; some plan to vote for John Tsang Chun-wah, while others may submit a blank vote as a symbolic protest to the unfairness of the small-circle election.

Leung said voting for Tsang would in effect endorse his platform to start the electoral reform process and try to pass the controversial national security law, Article 23.

When Leung made his announcement to run, critics immediately branded him a hypocrite, as he previously protested attempts by other pan-democrats to join the race, Alan Leong Kah-kit in 2007 and Albert Ho Chun-yan in 2012.

In 2010 Audrey Eu (right) challenged Donald Tsang for CE

Leung admitted he was not the best candidate to run, saying he had tried to lobby Audrey Eu Yuet-mee twice to get into the race, but she refused. You might remember she had a lopsided race against Donald Tsang Yam-kuen for chief executive many moons ago...

It seems Leung didn't get much support today from old school pan-democrats, and instead from people like Eddie Chu Hoi-dick, Lau Siu-lai and Nathan Law Kwun-chung.

Leung is definitely not the right candidate for the pan-democrats, but no one else really is. Are the political rookies supporting him just to agitate the situation?