Occupy Central
Occupy Central is a civil disobedience movement which began in Hong Kong on September 28, 2014. It calls on thousands of protesters to block roads and paralyse Hong Kong's financial district if the Beijing and Hong Kong governments do not agree to implement universal suffrage for the chief executive election in 2017 and the Legislative Council elections in 2020 according to "international standards." The movement was initiated by Benny Tai Yiu-ting (戴耀廷), an associate professor of law at the University of Hong Kong, in January 2013.
Umbrella Movement
The Umbrella Movement (Chinese: 雨傘運動; pinyin: yǔsǎn yùndòng) is a loose political movement that was created spontaneously during the Hong Kong protests of 2014. Its name derives from the recognition of the umbrella as a symbol of defiance and resistance against the Hong Kong government, and the united grass-roots objection to the decision of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress (NPCSC) of 31 August.
The movement consists of individuals numbering in the tens of thousands who participated in the protests that began on 28 September 2014, although Scholarism, the Hong Kong Federation of Students, Occupy Central with Love and Peace, groups are principally driving the demands for the rescission of the NPCSC decision.
The movement consists of individuals numbering in the tens of thousands who participated in the protests that began on 28 September 2014, although Scholarism, the Hong Kong Federation of Students, Occupy Central with Love and Peace, groups are principally driving the demands for the rescission of the NPCSC decision.
Occupy Central site in an area surrounding the Legislative Council and Central Government Offices at Tamar were cleared 22-06-2015.
Hong Kong reform vote
The Hong Kong government’s political reform proposal for how the city elects its leader by universal suffrage for the first time in 2017 is based on a strict framework set by Beijing. The plan limits the number of candidates to two or three and requires them to win majority support from a 1,200 strong nominating committee. Arguing that this does not constitute genuine universal suffrage, pan-democratic lawmakers have vowed to reject the package, while pro-democracy groups have protested. The government’s resolution was to be put to a vote by the 70-member Legislative Council in June 2015, requiring a two-thirds majority to be passed.
POST OCCUPY CENTRAL - DAY 215
POST REFORM VOTE：DAY 30
POST REFORM VOTE：DAY 30
Full coverage of the day’s events on 18-07
Joshua Wong and activists plead not guilty
Hong Kong student leader Joshua Wong and three other pro-democracy activists entered “not guilty'' pleas in court today over charges related to an anti-China protest last year.
They have accused the city authorities of a witch hunt against political campaigners after a contentious Beijing-backed reform package was vetoed last month.
The rejection of the government's bill was an unprecedented rebuke to Beijing and left the city politically polarized.
Wong, 18, the teenage face of the pro-democracy movement, is charged with obstructing police at a small peaceful protest in June 2014 – before large-scale democracy rallies in the city.
Nathan Law, 22, leader of Hong Kong's major university student union, and activists Raphael Wong and Albert Chan – a legislator for the People Power party – appeared on the same charges.
They were among dozens who had gathered outside Beijing's representative office in Hong Kong to oppose a “white paper'' from China that asserted its control over the semi-autonomous city and a reproduction of the document was burned.
“It is not a crime to burn the white paper – shame on political suppression,'' said Raphael Wong, a member of the League of Social Democrats party, as he entered his plea, ripping up a copy of the white paper, before being warned by judge Bina Chainrai not to use the courtroom to express his political views.
Joshua Wong spoke only to confirm his plea.
“Joshua Wong is not guilty,'' he said.
Around 20 protesters carrying yellow umbrellas gathered outside the court and burned a copy of the white paper, shouting: “Return my freedom of expression, step down Leung Chun-ying,'' referring to the city's unpopular leader.
“This is something that happened over a year ago and there were no arrests,'' said Chan after the hearing.
“This is 100 percent political persecution.''
Chainrai questioned why the four had been arrested and brought to court after more than a year.
“Why has it taken so long?'' she asked, saying that a “stay'' of proceedings could be sought by the defense.
The case was adjourned to August 28 for a pre-trial review.
Leung upbeat after meeting Democrats
The chief executive has described his meeting with the Democratic Party as constructive, pragmatic and frank, adding that he would warmly welcome another meeting with its members.
Writing in his blog yesterday, Leung Chun-ying said he will also meet with the party's lawmakers to listen to their views when he starts to draft next year's policy address.
Leung reiterated the government intends to focus on economic development and improving citizens' livelihoods.
The Democratic Party's six lawmakers including chairwoman Emily Lau Wai-hing, Albert Ho Chun- yan and Sin Chung-kai met with Leung on Tuesday.
They urged him to resolve the lead-contaminated water scare affecting Kai Ching Estate in Kowloon City, Kwai Luen Estate in Kwai Tsing, and Shui Chuen O Estate in Sha Tin, as well as restarting public consultation on political reform.
Meanwhile, independent lawmaker Ronny Tong Ka-wah, convener of the newly set-up think-tank Path of Democracy, said members will meet with Secretary for Justice Rimsky Yuen Kwok-keung next week to discuss the direction of political reform.
Tong said he hopes to communicate with government officials, political parties and social groups in the coming months to try to forge a consensus on how Hong Kong can move forward on constitutional development. He added it is also important to get support from the business sector, which plays an enormous role in society.
Meanwhile, Shih Wing-ching, founder of Centaline Property, became the first individual from the business sector to join Path of Democracy as a honorary consultant. Shih said he supports the think- tank because it may help Hong Kong break the current deadlock on political reform.
Coconuts
Occupy volunteer gets 10-month sentence as magistrate considers ‘police force’s morale’
An Occupy volunteer who clashed with police last December has been sentenced to 10 months’ imprisonment by a magistrate who took into consideration the “police force’s morale.”
Ng Ting-pong, 39, confronted police at Admiralty Centre during last year’s pro-democracy Occupy demonstrations after protesters attempted to surround the Central Government Complex at Tamar. The accused grabbed hold of an officer, who slumped to the floor, and then hit him with his fists, causing the policeman to lose consciousness.
During the incident, police allegedly provoked female protesters by saying, “I’ll take you to the police office and rape you,” according toApple Daily.
Ng Ting-pong and the officer during clashes last December. Photo: Stand News.
Ng was convicted of two counts of assaulting a police officer and one count of common assault at the Kowloon City Magistrates’ Court on Thursday afternoon.
Photo: Jimmy Lam.
The counsel for the accused pleaded for the magistrate to consider poor police-community relations and the complicated social environment during the Occupy movement protests. In response, magistrate So Wai-tak said that his verdict “did not take into account the social situation at the time, as this will disrupt public order and the police force’s morale.”
Photo: Apple Daily.
The magistrate added that the accused failed to show repentance at the trial, and described his behaviour as one of an unrestrained ruffian. So said Ng “turned a blind eye to the law” by throwing consecutive punches within a short period of time, and displayed hostility by calling police “dogs.”
Ng’s co-defendant, 39-year-old So Wing-kin, was suspected of striking a police officer’s face. However, So was acquitted as the magistrate ruled that this was an accident.
Police threatened to use pepper spray during the incident. Photo: HongWrong.
Ng previously failed in his appeal against an injunction order obtained by taxi and minibus drivers, which allowed police to assist bailiffs to clear roads occupied by pro-democracy protesters last November. He was ordered to pay HK$60,000 in legal costs.
The incident occurred a day after Hong Kong Federation of Students and Scholarism leaders called upon protesters to surround government headquarters. In response, police used pepper spray and batons to prevent protesters from occupying the surrounding roads.
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