Tuesday, after a Hong Kong Media Icon , Jimmy Lia, of Apple Daily was arrested another trusted media organization, the Hong Kong Free Press (HKFP) posted a video of British backed Hong Kong police raiding a newsroom, including the desks of journalists and other employees, searching for material that is not in compliance with the Chinese Communist Party’s new National Security Laws.
“Teenagers in HK are just looking for freedom, but now we can’t even talk about the slogan ‘Fight for freedom, stand with Hong Kong’ on the street because the slogan violates National Security Law,” a student told HKFP.
Some Hong Kong citizens say a message is being sent that the CCP is taking the new law very seriously and to a new level of control.
“Officers are seen examining staffers’ desks inside Apple Daily’s HQ, contradicting assurances from the National Security Department’s Steve Li that journalistic materials would not be searched. Clip: Apple Daily via StandNews,” HKFP wrote.
Reaction to the arrests on Monday, and the raids on Tuesday, show the people are not giving up their freedom of speech and media rights easily. A group raised money to prosecute the Hong Kong Police who are enforcing the CCP law.
BREAKING: my private prosecution of British police in #HongKong backed by @nathanlawkc and a wide coalition of orgs has raised £100,000 in just over 24 hours.
? mind blown at your generosity.#StandWithHongKong pic.twitter.com/gKIjhrRlNK
— Luke de Pulford 裴倫德 (@lukedepulford) August 11, 2020
Hong Kong has been the location of populist uprisings against the Chinese Communist Party, attempting to assert and maintain their independence. This raid is startling to people who cherish Hong Kong’s freedom of speech rights.
@hkpoliceforce could you tell me what were you guys actually searching? Any slogan advocating #HKIndependence or any cheque from so-called ‘foreign power’? Definitely a declare of war to #FreedomOfSpeech in a civilised country! pic.twitter.com/6bPC0RAB91
— hkrunnerALEX (@AlexYip69099080) August 10, 2020
Some media people saw the raid as a threatening message to other news organizations.
This is a warning to every office worker and manger and business in Hong Kong – do not leave anything unencrypted without military grade encryption,
do not leave information on paper,
do not leave waste that can be read.— Rising Frog (@frog_rising) August 10, 2020
Another form of pushback against the National Security Law was skyrocketing ownership of stocks for Jimmy Lia’s pro-Democracy news media group. It was reported that people were buying up stock in the media company was purley to show support.
Hongkongers buying up stacks and stacks of AppleDaily today #StandWithHongKong pic.twitter.com/4yfGjUWXua
— Claudia Mo 毛孟靜 (@ClaudiaMCMo) August 11, 2020
HKFP reported that searching the desks was not included in the warrant that the Police got Tuesday.
2/2 Officers were "specifically reminded to avoid going through news materials during the evidence collection process… The Police expressed regret that some media had deliberately discredited the Police's search operation," they said in a statement. https://t.co/FpxoxZZ3Uy
— Hong Kong Free Press HKFP (@HongKongFP) August 11, 2020
In Hong Kong, there is rising tension over the treatment of pro-Democracy local activists by British backed Police because of beatings and other violent treatment of activists.
Please help. https://t.co/hvyKJsfR3Z ""
— jess (@Jess_07_17) August 11, 2020
Some Democracy activists charge the British backed police force as enforcing the CCP’s new National Security Laws.
Potentially bad news for Rupert Dover and David Jordan, two British police officers who routinely caused misery for the Hong Kong protesters – beating them, abusing them and now apparently torturing them. https://t.co/am8G9ZIiop
— sam (@ChinaStream) August 11, 2020
Scuffles between police and student activists have raged in the streets of Hong Kong for close to a year.
HONG KONG POLICE ARENT LIKE BRITISH POLICE OR AMERICAN POLICE. THEY’RE THE CHINESE COMMUNIST PARTY IN DISGUISE.
— your feelings dont determine my free speech (@blase009) July 2, 2020
Kari is an ex-Community Organizer who writes about Voter Engagement, Cultural Marxism and Campaigns. She has been a grassroots volunteer with the GOP, on and off for 18 years. She is a Homeschool Mom in North Carolina and loves Photojournalism and Citizen Journalism.
