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Yet another mass arrest of pro-democracy leaders in Hong Kong. This includes such "dangerous" criminals as Martin Lee (81 y.o., former chairman of the Hong Kong Bar Association), Margaret Ng (72 y.o., barrister / ex-legislator), and Albert Ho (68 y.o. solicitor / ex-legislator). https://twitter.com/lokinhei/status/1251373275415896065
Meanwhile, not a single HK Police officer has been arrested or charged, despite countless videos showing horrific police violence against protestors during the #HongKongProtests. I do not use the term lightly, but Hong Kong is quickly descending into a police state. Appalling.
Here is the hard-core posse of "dangerous" criminals that the HK Police has decided to target, evidently deeming the matter to be so pressing that it must be done even while everyone else is occupied with the #COVID19 pandemic.
The arrestees include Jimmy Lai, the 71-year-old owner of one of the few pro-democracy media outlets in Hong Kong (Apple Daily). In fact, this is Lai's second arrest in 2 months. Who hasn't been arrested, though - the real thugs who firebombed Lai's house. https://twitter.com/WilsonLeungWS/status/1233415517752324096?s=20
The arrestees also include Dr Yeung Sum, 72, a former university lecturer and ex-legislator. He is the former chairman of the Democratic Party, a large and moderate party in the democratic camp. It's also his second arrest in 2 months: https://hongkongfp.com/2020/02/28/hong-kong-police-arrest-pro-democracy-newspaper-tycoon-jimmy-lai-labour-party-vice-chair-lee-cheuk-yan/
Another "dangerous" criminal arrested today by HK Police is pro-democracy labor unionist, Lee Cheuk-yan, 63. He was already arrested once in February. At that time, Lord Patten and Lord Alton (and many others) condemned the arrest: https://www.hongkongwatch.org/all-posts/2020/2/28/the-arrest-of-jimmy-lai-lee-cheuk-yan-and-yeung-sum-is-yet-another-blow-for-hong-kongs-freedoms-and-autonomy
The arrestees are mainly from the moderate camp of democracy activists. Some of them have even been called out for being too mild (eg Richard Tsoi, 52, fell out with his party because he had opposed restaurants discriminating against Mainland Chinese). Yet HK Police targets them.
Latest arrestee is Sin Chung-kai, a 59-year-old district councillor, former legislator, and IT manager. He also belongs to the Democratic Party, a large and moderate pro-democracy party in Hong Kong. https://twitter.com/lokinhei/status/1251373275415896065?s=20
Thread by DW journalist Phoebe Kong (including videos) https://twitter.com/phoebe_kongwy/status/1251383175361650690?s=20
Hong Kong Free Press' news report on today's mass arrests of veteran pro-democracy leaders: https://hongkongfp.com/2020/04/18/8-hong-kong-pro-democracy-figures-arrested-in-latest-police-round-up-party-says/
Notably, several of the arrestees (Martin Lee, Margaret Ng, and Albert Ho) are lawyers who often represent the opposition camp in constitutional and human rights cases. This has echoes of PRC, where human rights lawyers are often arrested, then need other lawyers to defend THEM.
Many of the arrestees are in their 60s, 70s, or even 80s - a high risk group for #COVID19. It is reckless, if not malicious, to send large groups of HK Police (see video below) to round them up and bring them into a crowded police station. https://twitter.com/phoebe_kongwy/status/1251383175361650690?s=20
Thread by SCMP reporter Alvin Lum re today's arrest of Hong Kong pro-democracy leaders https://twitter.com/alvinllum/status/1251372551718068231?s=20
HK Police are arresting these pro-democracy leaders for "unauthorised assembly" - i.e. taking part in a protest for which the HK Police had refused to give permission. Here is one of those "unauthorised" protests from last August - peaceful and gigantic https://twitter.com/phoebe_kongwy/status/1251396134037151744?s=20
Look out! it's one of those "dangerous" criminals that HK Police have just rounded up. (This is 72-year-old Margaret Ng, PhD, a barrister, ex-legislator from the pro-democracy camp, and former newspaper editor.) https://twitter.com/XinqiSu/status/1251407565117747206?s=20
Thread by AFP reporter Xinqi Su https://twitter.com/XinqiSu/status/1251403268640497666?s=20
Thread by Hong Kong writer Kong Tsung-gan https://twitter.com/KongTsungGan/status/1251421610440929282?s=20
Last year, HK Police repeatedly refused to give permission for protests. At other times, HK Police gave permission but revoked it halfway through the event. Now, the police are arresting ppl for these "unauthorised" protests. Thread by Amnesty researcher https://twitter.com/dorianelau/status/1251437648171827205?s=19
NY Times report on today's arrests: "More than a dozen leading pro-democracy activists and former lawmakers in Hong Kong were arrested...in connection with the protests...the biggest roundup of prominent opposition figures in recent memory." https://www.nytimes.com/2020/04/18/world/asia/hong-kong-arrests.html
UK govt's response (somewhat bland, saying they are "concerned" and are "following" the situation - but at least better than nothing) https://twitter.com/UKinHongKong/status/1251498830052245504?s=20
Chris Patten (HK's last British governor) has a much more robust response: "This is not the rule of law. This is what authoritarian governments do. It becomes ever more clear, week by week and day by day, that Beijing is determined to throttle Hong Kong." https://hongkongfp.com/2020/04/18/8-reactions-to-hong-kongs-crackdown-on-democrats-this-is-not-the-rule-of-law-says-ex-governor-chris-patten/
Malcolm Rifkind (former UK Foreign Secretary): “The arrest of Martin Lee...barrister Margaret Ng and other prominent mainstream pro-democracy politicians..is a truly appalling attack on the very heart of HK's freedoms, the rule of law and autonomy". https://hongkongfp.com/2020/04/18/8-reactions-to-hong-kongs-crackdown-on-democrats-this-is-not-the-rule-of-law-says-ex-governor-chris-patten/
Also grateful for solidarity from US's @RepTedYoho: "The people of #HongKong spoke loudly in favor of liberty. Govt should not be using #pandemic as an opportunity to restrict more freedoms & harass local businesses supporting the democracy movement.” https://hongkongfp.com/2020/04/18/8-reactions-to-hong-kongs-crackdown-on-democrats-this-is-not-the-rule-of-law-says-ex-governor-chris-patten/
Also arrested is Leung Yiu-chung, 66, a pro-democracy legislator and community activist. Again, he's a moderate who has sometimes been criticised for being *too* mild (eg balking at filibustering; blocking protestors from storming the council building). https://twitter.com/phoebe_kongwy/status/1251539816967057413?s=20
Schona Jolly (UK Queen's Counsel) re today's arrest of Margaret Ng: https://twitter.com/WomaninHavana/status/1251416458141339649?s=20
