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1/ The choice of the Metropark Hotel as the (temporary?) Hong Kong National Security office HQ is a very strategic one. I'm very familiar with this area and neighborhood. https://twitter.com/XinqiSu/status/1280508576197468161?s=19
2/ The hotel is steps away from Victoria Park and the Tin Hau MTR station. This is important because the park is where the majority of big protests and rallies begin. The MTR station here is a major hub for transport to protests.
3/ The roof of the Metropark hotel is an optimal vantage point of the entire area and the park. It would be easy to direct police to crowd flow activity in the area, making it easier to choke off developing protests.
4/ Its a hotel. By choosing a hotel, Beijing has secured accommodation for any mainland agents and even easy access to potential onsite detention.
5/ The location is central, but not in the heart of the business district, which would be too visible, but make no mistake, by choosing this location they WANT to be seen, but by the population and protestors, not businesses.
6/ Queens Boys College is directly across the street, a prominent school which has seen their students protest. This is also a message for education in Hong Kong to tow the line.
7/ Tung Lo Wan Road is the artery into Tai Hang, a small but developed neighborhood popular with expats. To get to the MTR, they have to walk past Metropark daily, or take a smaller path around the side.
8/ How will this impact the neighborhood? Massively. Their presence will be unavoidable. Tai Hang will lose much of its prestige and people will avoid the area. People who live their will be looking over their shoulders constantly and will feel even less safe.
9/ They say it is temporary and for 6 or so months, but really, how long will it be? All bets are off.
HKFP reporter said in livestream they've raised a flagpole and installed a People's Republic of China emblem on the Metropark Hotel in Tin Hau, #HongKong
In what is to be the new National Security HQ.
So yeah, they're literally planting the flag.
In what is to be the new National Security HQ.
So yeah, they're literally planting the flag.
