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.
POST OCCUPY CENTRAL - DAY 83:
Full coverage of the day’s events on 08-03
Student groups are set for a showdown
Student concern groups at five universities want their unions to quit the Hong Kong Federation of Students.
The calls came as Lingnan University student union prepares for a referendum from tomorrow to Thursday to decide on quitting or staying with the federation.
The flurry also follows the HKU students' union voting on February 14 to quit the federation, which was a leading light in the Occupy movement.
The five concern groups went on Facebook pages claiming to be students at Lingnan, the Chinese University of Hong Kong, City University, Polytechnic University and Baptist University.
A statement from the five said they would invite the federation to a forum to debate issues. They are against directions being set by the federation.
The Lingnan concern group was set up on January 29, those at CUHK and CityU on February 15, Baptist on February 17 and PolyU on February 21.
Lingnan concern group founder Chow Wai-lok admitted being a member of anti-communist political group Civic Passion but denied it had a hand in what looked like a concerted action.
Chu Kiu-chun, an organizer for the 12-member CUSU Independence group, said he had no affiliation with any political group, and he thinks the idea of a forum with the federation would work to everyone's advantage.
He also believed the federation would agree to the forum following a meeting last night.
10,000 reasons why action needed
To no one's surprise, the protests against parallel goods shoppers in Yuen Long degenerated into ugly confrontations with pepper-spraying police.
A woman was led away by officers bleeding from the nose and mouth. Scores of other peotesters spilled over a road to block traffic. As feared, such scenes have become part of the new norm for anti-parallel goods protests.
However, what was surprising was that local rural leaders chickened out after threatening to protect their turf with traditional weapons - feces and urine - and daring protesters to turn up.
Instead, Heung Yee Kuk member Leung Fuk-yuen scrapped a plan to protect shops and asked local villagers to show restraint.
What prompted the about-turn?
Obviously, it wouldn't be in the police's best interest to see the village leaders resort to vigilante action. While they would be obliged to act should villagers start hurling manure, police must have issued warnings beforehand.
Despite Leung's rhetoric, he and his rural peers must be aware that a number of Yuen Long residents are affected by surging crowds of parallel goods shoppers in their neighborhood.
The locals' routines are disrupted, and it's an issue the government must address without delay.
The authorities had said in the past the average number of visits made by multiple-entry permit holders was only eight or nine times a year. At that time, it was already greeted with skepticism because, had it indeed been so infrequent, the situation shouldn't have developed into such a problem.
Yesterday, it was reported that of the numerous multiple-entry permit holders, about 10,000 of them visited Hong Kong more than 100 times a year meaning two or three times a week.
That would be a completely different picture from what had been presented originally.
The report seems to be credible as the figures quoted appear consistent with everyday observations. But why is the alarming breakdown only being released now and not earlier?
I'm not implying the administration had been trying to mislead by being selective in releasing figures. Perhaps the breakdown wasn't available before.
Yet the willingness to leak the true statistics now may be further evidence that, while the authorities had previously been unwilling to limit the number of parallel-goods shoppers from the mainland, officials are now more prepared for the curbs than before.
Commuters between Hong Kong and the mainland had been relying on the railway until the rapid expansion of cross-border coach services and other land transportation.
The MTR has a fare structure designed to charge border commuters prices higher than for domestic services. To an extent, taking the train boosts the cost and is a disincentive for some mainland shoppers.
But even this deterrent is quickly vanishing as some shopping centers now offer free transport by coach for the mainlanders and their engorged suitcases.
Will the situation worsen unless timely action is taken? I'm afraid the answer is "yes."
Coconuts
SPECIAL REPORT: On the ground at Hong Kong’s 4th anti-parallel trade protest in a month
A series of demonstrations broke out in different parts of the city yesterday in the fourth anti-parallel-trading protests in a month. Police arrested three males and one female aged 13-21.
Mobile Crowd
Dozens initially gathered outside Sheung Shui MTR Station at 3pm on Sunday following a call to action on Facebook earlier in the week.
The protest, dubbed the “Sheung Shui city tour”, was said to be against parallel trading and multi-entry permits for mainland Chinese residents. It moved to Tuen Mun after meeting a heavy police presence.
Minor clashes between protesters and anti-protesters occurred, and police checked the IDs of the crowd.
The protesters marched back to Tuen Mun, the site of another . Crowds gathered in the V City shopping mall, Tuen Mun Plaza and the surrounding streets.
Protesters on the move
Richard Scotford, a pro-democracy activist who was on the scene, claimed on Twitter that 400 people were present in multiple groups. He was told the motive was to “drive police crazy” as protesters would “[keep] moving when police arrive[d]”.
A jewellery store closes its shutters
Officers hoisted the “Police Cordon: Do Not Cross” yellow flag and multiple shops were closed.
Bus Stop Showdown
Clashes occurred at the B3X bus stop as protesters attempted to barricade the area. Police reinforced their numbers and had large shields, pepper spray canisters, and police dogs.
Clashes continued outside the Tuen Mun MTR Station, where the luggage of passersby was kicked by protesters.
Tsim Sha Tsui ‘Dinner’
The crowd gathered at the Tsim Sha Tsui ferry pier at 9pm, claiming to be wanting to “have dinner”.
Cheng Chung-tai from activist group Civic Passion appeared on scene and was quickly surrounded by police and cameras.
Cheng Chung-tai from Civic Passion
Meanwhile, chaos erupted as protesters bypassed a police cordon, resulting in arrests. The crowd jeered, “China gong-an [police]” and “shame on you” in English.
Officers look on as the crowd moves in Tsim Sha Tsui
A man surnamed Poon, 25, told Coconuts HK that he joined the protest due to his concern about what he sees as the deteriorating reality of Hong Kong’s politics.
“The police’s handling of the protests has been crude”, he said.
Peaceful protests “have often resulted in youth bloodied by batons or arrested”, which was done to create fear, he believes.
Poon also expressed concerns about what he said was police double standards in handling parallel traders and anti-protest individuals.
“Their behaviour reminds me of the 1970s before ICAC (Independent Commission Against Corruption), and the more it happens, the more worried we are. We are only expressing our views and we have more police than protesters, and what they’re doing so far is ruining their own reputation” he said.
Crowds at Nathan Road
James Bang, 28, says the government is “doing nothing about the smuggler issue”, adding that CY Leung “had something to do [on his recent trip to Beijing] but quickly reversed his stance”.
He also claimed to have witnessed anti-protesters who started a fight later “chatting with the police” while anti-parallel trade protesters were arrested.
Bang said he does not see the protesters' actions as “pro-independence” but said “Hong Kong was promised a degree of autonomy and identity, not [just to be] another city in the communist system.”
The crowd continued to move around the tourist area, finally gathering on Nathan Road outside Chungking Mansion, before gradually dispersing.
A police statement, issued this morning, read: “During the event, Police gave repeated advice and warnings, to appeal to the participants to express their views in a peaceful and rational manner but they refused to comply.
"They shoved Police officers at scene, and caused disturbances to road users and shops. To ensure public safety and public order, Police took resolute actions to stop the unlawful violent acts and arrest the protesters involved.”
China warns Britain over MPs' report on 'eroded' Hong Kong freedoms
China said Britain had "no right to interfere" in Hong Kong on Friday following a by British MPs that warned of an erosion of freedoms in the city.
Britain's influential Foreign Affairs Committee report released late Thursday said the country's former colony could face a "crisis of governance" unless tensions over how it is ruled are resolved.
The committee's chairman Richard Ottaway said the "real concern is that a high degree of autonomy is being eroded" -- particularly over political reforms and press freedoms.
However Chinese foreign ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying said that Hong Kong's return to China under a "one country, two systems" deal had been "a great success".
"Hong Kong is a special administrative region of China. Its affairs are China's domestic affairs. The UK has no right to interfere," she said at a briefing Friday.
Under the Joint Declaration signed in 1984 which set out the terms of Britain's handover, Hong Kong has a string of political, social and economic freedoms not enjoyed on the Chinese mainland.
In a scathing commentary following Beijing's condemnation, the official news agency Xinhua the report out of hand.
"There has never been so absurd a report as the one by UK MPs claiming a region that used to be under British colonial rule for nearly a century has become less free since its return to China," Xinhua said.
Britain's influential Foreign Affairs Committee report released late Thursday said the country's former colony could face a "crisis of governance" unless tensions over how it is ruled are resolved.
The committee's chairman Richard Ottaway said the "real concern is that a high degree of autonomy is being eroded" -- particularly over political reforms and press freedoms.
However Chinese foreign ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying said that Hong Kong's return to China under a "one country, two systems" deal had been "a great success".
"Hong Kong is a special administrative region of China. Its affairs are China's domestic affairs. The UK has no right to interfere," she said at a briefing Friday.
Under the Joint Declaration signed in 1984 which set out the terms of Britain's handover, Hong Kong has a string of political, social and economic freedoms not enjoyed on the Chinese mainland.
In a scathing commentary following Beijing's condemnation, the official news agency Xinhua the report out of hand.
"There has never been so absurd a report as the one by UK MPs claiming a region that used to be under British colonial rule for nearly a century has become less free since its return to China," Xinhua said.
"The wording of the report shows that these British MPs are hostile to Hong Kong's development and are still labouring under a colonial mindset," it added.
British MPs were barred from entering the city by China in December to research their report as the demonstrations continued, with Chinese officials accusing them of acting as a colonial power.
Hong Kong's democrat lawmakers had called British MPs "honourable" Friday.
"I can't agree more with what they have said, they have certainly spoken out the truth," pro-democracy legislator Albert Ho told AFP.
Alan Leong of Hong Kong's Civic Party said of the report: "It's the first honourable thing that the British have done in this Hong Kong fight for democracy."
But lawmakers added that the city could not rely on foreign support to force change.
"We in Hong Kong cannot count on and depend on any foreign powers, British included, to help us to get what we want in terms of real democracy," Leong said.
'Use state visit to press Xi'
Ottaway said that while it could not force China to change its behaviour, it could offer guidance "from a country that's had a democracy for hundreds of years."
"If you offer the people a bit of democracy, they're going to want the whole lot... until they get a complete package of democracy, this is going to be a continuing problem for them," he told AFP.
The committee's report also urged the British government to press China harder to ensure that "fundamental rights" are protected.
Chinese President Xi Jinping is making a state visit to Britain later this year and whoever is prime minister after May's general election should use the occasion to push the issue, the report said.
The state visit would be a good opportunity "to convey to the Chinese government that really, it's not in their interests to go on the way they are", Ottaway said.
Hong Kong pro-democracy activists have been highly critical of Britain's failure to speak out against China's plans for the 2017 vote, accusing it of being focused on boosting economic ties with Beijing instead.
And the committee's report voiced concern that the Foreign Office's "lack of clarity" in expressing its views on the issue "may be damaging the UK's reputation" in Hong Kong.
"The UK can and should take a clearer position on the overall pace and degree of democratic reform," it said.
British MPs were barred from entering the city by China in December to research their report as the demonstrations continued, with Chinese officials accusing them of acting as a colonial power.
Hong Kong's democrat lawmakers had called British MPs "honourable" Friday.
"I can't agree more with what they have said, they have certainly spoken out the truth," pro-democracy legislator Albert Ho told AFP.
Alan Leong of Hong Kong's Civic Party said of the report: "It's the first honourable thing that the British have done in this Hong Kong fight for democracy."
But lawmakers added that the city could not rely on foreign support to force change.
"We in Hong Kong cannot count on and depend on any foreign powers, British included, to help us to get what we want in terms of real democracy," Leong said.
'Use state visit to press Xi'
Ottaway said that while it could not force China to change its behaviour, it could offer guidance "from a country that's had a democracy for hundreds of years."
"If you offer the people a bit of democracy, they're going to want the whole lot... until they get a complete package of democracy, this is going to be a continuing problem for them," he told AFP.
The committee's report also urged the British government to press China harder to ensure that "fundamental rights" are protected.
Chinese President Xi Jinping is making a state visit to Britain later this year and whoever is prime minister after May's general election should use the occasion to push the issue, the report said.
The state visit would be a good opportunity "to convey to the Chinese government that really, it's not in their interests to go on the way they are", Ottaway said.
Hong Kong pro-democracy activists have been highly critical of Britain's failure to speak out against China's plans for the 2017 vote, accusing it of being focused on boosting economic ties with Beijing instead.
And the committee's report voiced concern that the Foreign Office's "lack of clarity" in expressing its views on the issue "may be damaging the UK's reputation" in Hong Kong.
"The UK can and should take a clearer position on the overall pace and degree of democratic reform," it said.
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