Police Supporters Lash Out

 

Thousands came out with blue signs in support of the Hong Kong police

Today people in support of the Hong Kong police force came out to Tamar for a rally, with organizers saying 165,000 attended. Many were middle-aged and elderly, holding placards that read, "we support HK police" and chanted slogans.

The rally, organized by pro-Beijing lawmaker Junius Ho Kwan-yiu, had some star power attached, with actors Tony Leung Ka-fai, Philip Chan Yan-kin and singer Alan Tam Wing-lun on stage. Guess they have lost some fans for good now.

Tony Leung Ka-fai and Philip Chan Yan-kin at the rally

Also making speeches were former police chief Tang King-shing and Basic Law vice-chairwoman Maria Tam Wai-chu.

Speaking onstage, Tang said he was "disheartened that Hong Kong police, which are the best in Asia, had their efforts completely disregarded".

"Over the past few weeks, Hong Kong police, working in extremely difficult environments and facing investigation, still remain very tolerant," Tang said.

He led the crowds in shouting" "Sir, madam, we support you! Sir, madam, thank you!"

However, this was far from a peaceful rally. Supporters for the police harassed reporters and anyone dressed in black, assuming they were an anti-extradition bill protester. Some people were manhandled and/or had abuse shouted at them. The police had to intervene.

Police supporters seen ripping signs off "Lennon Wall"

Tensions surged higher when police supporters went around, tearing down posters that protesters had put up, ripping up messages of support that were posted on "Lennon Wall", a concrete stairwell area that had been the site of many messages in 2014.

This led to more shouting matches. One Caucasian man confronted a middle-aged woman for desecrating a memorial for one protester who fell to his death on June 15 at Pacific Place. She ignored him and then turned around saying as a Hong Kong person he should speak Cantonese. He replied English is also an official language in the city.

Others desecrate a memorial

Hong Kong seems more divided than ever -- and the government has already picked sides.

If anything today's event has only inspired more people to come out tomorrow for the annual July 1 march. Perhaps this is the government's bizarre way of getting people to do more physical exercise?

In Too Deep

China's biggest movie flop to date, and 750 million yuan down the drain

Wow what a waste of money.

The most expensive film made in China at 750 million yuan (US112 million) was yanked from screens after it flopped spectacularly on opening weekend, making only 49.05 million yuan.

Called Asura, the fantasy film was backed by big names like Alibaba Group Holding, Zhenjian Film Studio, and Ningxia Film Group, and starred Hong Kong actors Carina Lau Kar-ling and Tony Leung Ka-fai, as well as 19-year-old teenage heartthrob Wu Lei.

Tony Leung Ka-fai (second left) and Carina Lau (third to left)

But the producers made the shock announcement on the film's Weibo account, saying they gave their "deepest apologies to viewers who did not get a chance to watch the film, as well as to all the Chinese and international participants who were involved in its production over the past six years".

Oh boy.

There were some 2,500 people involved in the making of the film, that was shot in Qinghai, Ningxia and Hebei provinces, while 15 months of post production was done in the United States.

Thank goodness the trade war wasn't happening then...

Asura was based on Buddhist mythology, but it seems the story line wasn't compelling enough to viewers, as it only got 3.1 out of 10 from 10,950 viewers on the Chinese film review website Douban, and 6.4 on ticketing provider Maoyan's website.

The film was in post production in the US for 15 months

Meanwhile, Asura's competition, Hidden Man, directed by actor and director Jiang Wen, that also opened on July 13, raked in 341 million yuan.

Another case of China's bid to throw gobs of money at something with the expectations it will succeed, but in fact the opposite is what happens. Apparently Asura was the first of a trilogy... guess the other two are canned now?