Page 4 of 7
Re: The masses against the (political) classes in Hong Kong
Posted: Sat Aug 03, 2019 9:58 pm
by Yourmother
Not cooling down. Reports of moderators using tear gas.
Despite this, there seems to be some group of open supporters of the HK police. Which surely is either triads or pr posters??
Re: The masses against the (political) classes in Hong Kong
Posted: Tue Aug 06, 2019 12:54 am
by Hong Kong
there have been many depressing clips of all sorts of violence that show members of the public taking the law into their own hands. Anyone who does not bow down before the cockroaches (for clarity, that's the protestors), is beaten badly. There are also numerous clips of Molotov cocktails being thrown at police stations.
Members of the public have taken to driving throw roadblocks -set up by the cockroaches - and attacking the hoarding masses.
An announcement from Beijing is scheduled for 1000 this morning (HK time, 2 hours time) - I don't expect anything new other than, HK sort it out.
Re: The masses against the (political) classes in Hong Kong
Posted: Tue Aug 06, 2019 7:20 am
by Hong Kong
guy smiley wrote:I’m transiting later today, think I’ll stay inside the airport rather than enjoy any city sights
Today
should be okay
Re: The masses against the (political) classes in Hong Kong
Posted: Tue Aug 06, 2019 8:50 am
by village
Hong Kong wrote:there have been many depressing clips of all sorts of violence that show members of the public taking the law into their own hands. Anyone who does not bow down before the cockroaches (for clarity, that's the protestors), is beaten badly. There are also numerous clips of Molotov cocktails being thrown at police stations.
Members of the public have taken to driving throw roadblocks -set up by the cockroaches - and attacking the hoarding masses.
An announcement from Beijing is scheduled for 1000 this morning (HK time, 2 hours time) - I don't expect anything new other than, HK sort it out.
That's true, but the police have hardly covered themselves in glory in the past few weeks. Tear gas being used willy-nilly in densely populated residential areas. The protestors have gas masks, the local residents don't, so you get young kids of 3 and 4 screaming their heads off half blinded by the stuff which has drifted into their high rise housing complex:
https://twitter.com/i/status/1158329384844943360
And when residents complain - worried about their elderly - as they did in Mong Kok the other night, the police response has been the sort of snarling thuggish 'fudge off we do what we want' attitude you'd expect from their mates the triads. Yuen Long will be a stain on the force for many years
.
There have been tear gas rounds fired at dangerously low trajectories and from dangerously close proximity. At least one news reporter is in hospital having been shot in the face by a tear gas round in Sham Shui Po last night:
Could have been 2 but the BBC correspondent had a better gas mask on in a separate incident so it only cracked the glass & didn't do serious damage:
Point is, tear gas rounds are not supposed to be deployed in the cavalier manner more than a few officers have been deploying them in.
I'm not trying to have a pop at you HK, I understand the force has been put under strain but as a HK resident who has no dog in the fight & is generally supportive of the police, the impression one increasingly gets from the footage shared and seen first hand is of a police force that is either under-trained and panicking, or has become vindictive in its approach to stamping out public dissent. The contrast to how things were handled in 2014 is stark.
Re: The masses against the (political) classes in Hong Kong
Posted: Tue Aug 06, 2019 10:46 am
by Jake
Hong Kong wrote:guy smiley wrote:I’m transiting later today, think I’ll stay inside the airport rather than enjoy any city sights
Today
should be okay
Honkers,
It's good to know you've got so much robust advice on this thread- I'd bookmark it if I were you...
Re: The masses against the (political) classes in Hong Kong
Posted: Thu Aug 08, 2019 8:24 pm
by Yourmother
https://uk.reuters.com/article/uk-hongk ... =applenews
Top Hong Kong police commander recalled from retirement as violence escalates
David Lague, Farah Master
6 MIN READ
HONG KONG (Reuters) - The police commander who oversaw pro-democracy demonstrations that roiled Hong Kong in 2014 has been recalled from retirement to help deal with the violent protests convulsing the Chinese-ruled city, two sources with knowledge of the move told Reuters.
The sources, both senior government security officials, said former deputy police commissioner Alan Lau Yip-shing, planned to meet top-level ground commanders on Friday.
The move comes ahead of yet another weekend of protests across the former British colony, including a three-day rally at the international airport, that have prompted travel warnings from countries including the United States and Australia.
“The protests and confrontations have spilled over into neighbourhoods other than those where the police have permitted marches or rallies,” said an advisory posted on the website of the U.S. State Department on Wednesday.
What began as protests against a bill that would have allowed people in Hong Kong to be extradited to mainland China for trial in courts controlled by the Communist Party have evolved into a broader backlash against the city’s government, with flash mob-style demonstrations on an almost daily basis.
Lau’s recall suggests the government lacks confidence in the capacity of the current police leadership to manage the response, the security officials said.
Hong Kong police and the government did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
The police have been increasingly targeted by protesters, who have hurled abuse at officers on the front lines and attacked them in online forums.
Activists accuse the police, who have fired rubber bullets and nearly 2,000 rounds of tear gas to disperse demonstrators, of using excessive force and have called on the government to launch an independent inquiry into their actions.
Re: The masses against the (political) classes in Hong Kong
Posted: Fri Aug 09, 2019 1:39 am
by wamberal99
One thing I would be pretty sure of: brute force will not win the day. Some sort of reconciliation has to be the aim.
Re: The masses against the (political) classes in Hong Kong
Posted: Fri Aug 09, 2019 1:53 am
by sonic_attack
Yourmother wrote:
The police have been increasingly targeted by protesters, who have hurled abuse at officers on the front lines and attacked them in online forums.
Absolutely atrocious. How dare they!
Re: The masses against the (political) classes in Hong Kong
Posted: Fri Aug 09, 2019 4:52 am
by Hong Kong
sonic_attack wrote:Yourmother wrote:
The police have been increasingly targeted by protesters, who have hurled abuse at officers on the front lines and attacked them in online forums.
Absolutely atrocious. How dare they!
Whilst taken out of context, yes it’s amusing. When personal particulars are being used to harass, abuse family members, commit crimes, etc, then the amusement factor drops way off
Re: The masses against the (political) classes in Hong Kong
Posted: Fri Aug 09, 2019 8:40 am
by Uthikoloshe
At least you have probably harassed them back by posting margin busting images.
Resistance!
Re: The masses against the (political) classes in Hong Kong
Posted: Mon Aug 12, 2019 10:08 am
by village
Whole HK airport has been shut down. All flights in and out cancelled as the airport is flooded with mass protest over police brutality. Last night the cops fired tear gas rounds inside 2 MTR stations & then followed that up with pepper balls at very close range directly into a crowd & clubbed down those fleeing down the escalator. Elsewhere in HK last night a girl (a first-aider) lost her eye having been shot by a rubber bullet in the face and 2 petrol bombs were thrown in Wan Chai. Things are not calming down at all.
Singapore looking an increasingly nice place to do business.
https://twitter.com/i/status/1160622910861561856
Re: The masses against the (political) classes in Hong Kong
Posted: Mon Aug 12, 2019 12:13 pm
by massive_field_goal
Re: The masses against the (political) classes in Hong Kong
Posted: Mon Aug 12, 2019 4:52 pm
by Hong Kong
I’ll keep this brief - HK is not that fooked that the PLA will be sent in. Oh, and the girl who lost her eye? Quite possibly black on black
Re: The masses against the (political) classes in Hong Kong
Posted: Mon Aug 12, 2019 11:35 pm
by wamberal99
It would be really interesting to know where the weight of public opinion lies. I doubt that this level of sustained protest could be maintained unless there is a lot of community support.
The powers that be seem to be frozen in the headlights.
Re: The masses against the (political) classes in Hong Kong
Posted: Tue Aug 13, 2019 1:30 am
by Sensible Stephen
Some of the stuff the police have been doing, not good. Close range shots to people heads? Tear gas fired into enclosed spaces with children? Jesus.
Re: The masses against the (political) classes in Hong Kong
Posted: Tue Aug 13, 2019 1:58 am
by Ted.
Hong Kong wrote:I’ll keep this brief - HK is not that fooked that the PLA will be sent in. Oh, and the girl who lost her eye? Quite possibly black on black
You're better than that, HK.
Re: The masses against the (political) classes in Hong Kong
Posted: Tue Aug 13, 2019 2:11 am
by Hong Kong
Ted. wrote:Hong Kong wrote:I’ll keep this brief - HK is not that fooked that the PLA will be sent in. Oh, and the girl who lost her eye? Quite possibly black on black
You're better than that, HK.
Sorry - for clarity, the black reference is a well known, in HK at least, term for protesters. White shirts are either anti-protesters or triads, depending on who is on the ground. That is all I meant
Re: The masses against the (political) classes in Hong Kong
Posted: Tue Aug 13, 2019 2:35 am
by Ted.
Hong Kong wrote:Ted. wrote:Hong Kong wrote:I’ll keep this brief - HK is not that fooked that the PLA will be sent in. Oh, and the girl who lost her eye? Quite possibly black on black
You're better than that, HK.
Sorry - for clarity, the black reference is a well known, in HK at least, term for protesters. White shirts are either anti-protesters or triads, depending on who is on the ground. That is all I meant
I know what you are referring to. It's the innuendo without a skerrick of supporting evidence that that I think you could do better at, or alternatively, if you don't have the evidence, leave it out.
Re: The masses against the (political) classes in Hong Kong
Posted: Tue Aug 13, 2019 2:38 am
by Sensible Stephen
Hong Kong wrote:I’ll keep this brief - HK is not that fooked that the PLA will be sent in. Oh, and the girl who lost her eye? Quite possibly black on black
She was hit by a beanbag round to the face. How that can be brushed off as protester on protester fcuk knows.
Re: The masses against the (political) classes in Hong Kong
Posted: Tue Aug 13, 2019 2:41 am
by Slim 293
Media Watch did a good piece last night about journalists being targeted by police/pro-Chinese groups etc...
https://www.abc.net.au/mediawatch/episo ... g/11405104
[quote]BILL BIRTLES: Clashes with police, tear gas, fires, rubber bullets, bricks, projectiles and arrests. Many arrests.
This has been the scene in Hong Kong for eight straight weekends. And the confrontations are getting more violent.
- 7.30, ABC, 5 August, 2019
Hello, I’m Paul Barry, welcome to Media Watch.
And there were more fiery clashes in Hong Kong over the weekend as thousands of people took to the streets yet again to protest against threats to freedom.
Police used tear gas across the city, including in a subway station where police charged protestors at close range.
And with no sign of either side backing down, and fear it may get worse, the media have also been in the firing line:
JOURNALIST: You shoot the press! You shoot the journalists! You shoot the journalists! You shoot journalists, motherfuckers!
- Twitter, @HongKongHermit, 12 June, 2019
That was back in June as one photojournalist screamed at police to stop aiming rubber bullets at his colleagues.
But two journalists from Radio Television Hong Kong were beaten up last night.
And last week former ABC correspondent Stephen McDonell was also in the wars:
STEPHEN MCDONELL: About an hour ago I was hit directly in the face by a projectile from the police. Could've been one of these tear gas canisters or possibly a rubber bullet that’s, this looks like … It smashed the glass in front of my, so I had to switch a mask over. But, you know, there are projectiles going all over the place and the police come in different directions and it all moves so quickly.
- BBC News, 5 August, 2019
Now reporting for the BBC, McDonell wasn't sure he was targeted because he was a journalist. But the evidence seemed clear.
As he explained on Twitter:
… while I had both hands in the air, with "media" markings etc, one of the police shot me straight in the face from perhaps 15 metres away.
- Twitter, @StephenMcDonell, 7 August, 2019
McDonell changed his helmet and got back to work.
But, on the same day, this local Hong Kong journalist was not so lucky, copping a canister to his unmasked head before being carted off to hospital.
In recent weeks, police have been using tear gas as a first response.
And two weeks ago former Channel Seven host Anna Coren, now at CNN, caught a faceful:
ANNA COREN: This was something quite toxic. It hit the ground, admittedly we were in a residential area, and then it was just burning up. And if you don’t have your mask on super tight then it gets in.
… we were just choking up, it was extremely difficult to breathe and we just had to get out of there.
- CNN, 28 July, 2019
We’ve spoken to a number of journalists in Hong Kong. And all have fears the police are targeting them and trying to stop them doing their job.
Some police have been using flashlights to dazzle the cameras, as this South China Morning Post reporter discovered.
But other journalists have had more serious encounters. Kirsty Needham, who’s in Hong Kong for The Age and Sydney Morning Herald, told Media Watch:
I have been warned by protesters and politicians that I need to be careful because they believe media are being targeted by police. At an official level police say this isn’t so, but on the street it appears otherwise.
- Twitter Direct Message, Kirsty Needham, China correspondent, Nine newspapers, 8 August, 2019
Needham says she was gassed three times during the June 12 protest, despite standing at a safe distance, on a footbridge.
She believes the bridge was targeted to clear out the cameras.
And last month The Foreign Correspondents’ Club reported incidents including:
… a photojournalist being shoved to the ground, reporters being chased by police officers swinging batons and police discharging pepper spray toward reporters and photographers …
- Statement, The Foreign Correspondents’ Club, Hong Kong, 31 July, 2019
The Hong Kong Journalists Association has been calling in vain for the government to stop using force against the media.
And reporters have even staged protests of their own, showing up to press conferences in helmets and gas masks.
And last week drowning out one briefing:
[Journalists tapping pens]
- Twitter, @timmysung, 6 August, 2019
But it’s not just police they have to fear.
Pro-China protesters have also been threatening journalists on the street and on social media.
Stephen McDonell was even interrupted by one on air last month:
STEPHEN MCDONELL: … very quickly.
PROTESTER: Yeah.
STEPHEN MCDONELL: What’s the problem with what I’ve just said?
PROTESTER: Not real, it’s …
STEPHEN MCDONELL: What’s the problem? What did I say that’s not true?
PROTESTER: … you said that there’s more violence.
STEPHEN MCDONELL: Someone’s been arrested today with explosives.
PROTESTER: Yeah, that’s true …
STEPHEN MCDONELL: OK, that’s true, so thank you very much.
- BBC News, 20 July, 2019
Even before these protests started and police cracked down, press freedom in Hong Kong was already being eroded.
Thanks to what Reporters Without Borders calls “Beijing’s baleful influence” it had dropped to 73 in the world rankings.
And the risk must be that reporting what happens in Hong Kong to the rest of the world is only going to become more difficult and more dangerous as time goes on.[/quote]
Re: The masses against the (political) classes in Hong Kong
Posted: Tue Aug 13, 2019 2:47 am
by Kahu
HK might be a plum but he is definitely not a racist and attaching symbolic meaning to a literal statement is not fair.
Re: The masses against the (political) classes in Hong Kong
Posted: Tue Aug 13, 2019 3:04 am
by Sensible Stephen
Kahu wrote:HK might be a plum but he is definitely not a racist and attaching symbolic meaning to a literal statement is not fair.
I don't think anyone is suggesting as such.
More like he is making it out as its most likely protester on protester, rather than any police wrong doings. Which seems to be quite a stretch based on the evidence at hand.
Re: The masses against the (political) classes in Hong Kong
Posted: Tue Aug 13, 2019 3:06 am
by Slim 293
Sensible Stephen wrote:Kahu wrote:HK might be a plum but he is definitely not a racist and attaching symbolic meaning to a literal statement is not fair.
I don't think anyone is suggesting as such.
More like he is making it out as its most likely protester on protester, rather than any police wrong doings. Which seems to be quite a stretch based on the evidence at hand.
Yep, no doubt the police have been deliberately attacking protesters and journalists...
Re: The masses against the (political) classes in Hong Kong
Posted: Tue Aug 13, 2019 5:24 am
by Sensible Stephen
guy smiley wrote:Hong Kong wrote:I’ll keep this brief - HK is not that fooked that the PLA will be sent in. Oh, and the girl who lost her eye? Quite possibly black on black
There are photos on Reddit of lines of tanks on freeways and a convoy of army trucks swinging into town.
To be fair, the "experts" are saying its a show, trying to scare the protesters. They doubt they will actually roll across the border as the economic consequences would be massive.
But who knows, it doesn't look great.
Some protesters are being cynts.
Some cops are being cynts.
Its looking very scary.
Re: The masses against the (political) classes in Hong Kong
Posted: Tue Aug 13, 2019 5:37 am
by Sensible Stephen
guy smiley wrote:
Scary as hell. My bet is the PLC have been employing their brand of image management across the globe for several years and might have an appetite to make a statement. They’re not above a sledgehammer approach and this is an affront at their front door on prized territory.
If they did... it opens the door for all sorts of nasty stuff.
If they charge in and do a Tienanmen on HK, its only a slight escalation to invade Taiwan.
Re: The masses against the (political) classes in Hong Kong
Posted: Tue Aug 13, 2019 5:44 am
by Sensible Stephen
guy smiley wrote:Sensible Stephen wrote:guy smiley wrote:
Scary as hell. My bet is the PLC have been employing their brand of image management across the globe for several years and might have an appetite to make a statement. They’re not above a sledgehammer approach and this is an affront at their front door on prized territory.
If they did... it opens the door for all sorts of nasty stuff.
If they charge in and do a Tienanmen on HK, its only a slight escalation to invade Taiwan.
Yup. I had that in mind as I typed. How long do you think Taiwan has left?
Less than 5 years.
I can't see the US going to war with China over Taiwan any more.
Re: The masses against the (political) classes in Hong Kong
Posted: Tue Aug 13, 2019 10:26 am
by Hong Kong
Ted. wrote:Hong Kong wrote:Ted. wrote:Hong Kong wrote:I’ll keep this brief - HK is not that fooked that the PLA will be sent in. Oh, and the girl who lost her eye? Quite possibly black on black
You're better than that, HK.
Sorry - for clarity, the black reference is a well known, in HK at least, term for protesters. White shirts are either anti-protesters or triads, depending on who is on the ground. That is all I meant
I know what you are referring to. It's the innuendo without a skerrick of supporting evidence that that I think you could do better at, or alternatively, if you don't have the evidence, leave it out.
So, the issue is with whether there is evidence to prove the cops didn’t do it (hint there’s no clips out there which proves we did) but for me to have the temerity to suggest that quite possibly she was hit by a ball bearing from a fellow protester (hint: there loads), is wrong? GTFA!
Re: The masses against the (political) classes in Hong Kong
Posted: Tue Aug 13, 2019 10:29 am
by MrDominator
I had no idea one of our mods was a fully paid-up servant of the Chinese politburo.
Bizarre.
Re: The masses against the (political) classes in Hong Kong
Posted: Tue Aug 13, 2019 10:30 am
by Toulon's Not Toulouse
Hong Kong wrote:Ted. wrote:Hong Kong wrote:Ted. wrote:Hong Kong wrote:I’ll keep this brief - HK is not that fooked that the PLA will be sent in. Oh, and the girl who lost her eye? Quite possibly black on black
You're better than that, HK.
Sorry - for clarity, the black reference is a well known, in HK at least, term for protesters. White shirts are either anti-protesters or triads, depending on who is on the ground. That is all I meant
I know what you are referring to. It's the innuendo without a skerrick of supporting evidence that that I think you could do better at, or alternatively, if you don't have the evidence, leave it out.
So, the issue is with whether there is evidence to prove the cops didn’t do it (hint there’s no clips out there which proves we did) but for me to have the temerity to suggest that
quite possibly she was hit by a ball bearing from a fellow protester (hint: there loads), is wrong? GTFA!
As in a protester protester, or a police officer posing as one? I mean, if you really want to go down the list of possibilities...
Re: The masses against the (political) classes in Hong Kong
Posted: Tue Aug 13, 2019 10:38 am
by Sensible Stephen
Re: The masses against the (political) classes in Hong Kong
Posted: Tue Aug 13, 2019 10:52 am
by village
The UN has raised concerns about how the police have behaved.
https://www.ohchr.org/EN/NewsEvents/Pag ... 8&LangID=E
Meanwhile the airport was shut down again this afternoon. So far all softly softly with so many tourists in that area, but I can't see the protesters being allowed a third day of it.
Re: The masses against the (political) classes in Hong Kong
Posted: Tue Aug 13, 2019 12:07 pm
by Ted.
Kahu wrote:HK might be a plum but he is definitely not a racist and attaching symbolic meaning to a literal statement is not fair.
Who is doing that, FFS?
Re: The masses against the (political) classes in Hong Kong
Posted: Tue Aug 13, 2019 12:10 pm
by Ted.
Hong Kong wrote:Ted. wrote:Hong Kong wrote:Ted. wrote:Hong Kong wrote:I’ll keep this brief - HK is not that fooked that the PLA will be sent in. Oh, and the girl who lost her eye? Quite possibly black on black
You're better than that, HK.
Sorry - for clarity, the black reference is a well known, in HK at least, term for protesters. White shirts are either anti-protesters or triads, depending on who is on the ground. That is all I meant
I know what you are referring to. It's the innuendo without a skerrick of supporting evidence that that I think you could do better at, or alternatively, if you don't have the evidence, leave it out.
So, the issue is with whether there is evidence to prove the cops didn’t do it (hint there’s no clips out there which proves we did) but for me to have the temerity to suggest that quite possibly she was hit by a ball bearing from a fellow protester (hint: there loads), is wrong? GTFA!
Sorry HK, but wrong again. I imagine your are under a fair bit of strain at the moment, but you are jumping to unreasonable conclusions, which was what drew my comment in the first instance. You as a police officer should know better than that.
To be clear, I have made absolutely no comment on the rights and wrongs of the situation, nor who has done what to whom.
Re: The masses against the (political) classes in Hong Kong
Posted: Tue Aug 13, 2019 1:39 pm
by village
Re: The masses against the (political) classes in Hong Kong
Posted: Tue Aug 13, 2019 2:05 pm
by village
https://twitter.com/jgriffiths/status/1 ... 1468525568
This tweet and the whole thread is quite depressing. They really aren't going to stop until the shit hits the fan I think. Cop or not, looks like the guy is lucky to get out without a lynching.
Re: The masses against the (political) classes in Hong Kong
Posted: Tue Aug 13, 2019 2:07 pm
by Hong Kong
FMG Ted! Then say wtf you mean. Subtle hints, vague references ain’t working for me dawg. Under a bit is strain? Yes from fooking idiots.
Re: The masses against the (political) classes in Hong Kong
Posted: Wed Aug 14, 2019 12:00 am
by wamberal99
High summer in Hong Kong. Diabolical weather. 29c and 99% humidity at 6 am when you go for your morning jog. Very hard to get a good night's sleep even with air conditioning.
Not a place where cool hearts and minds are likely to be particularly noticeable.
Once upon a time the upper classes moved up to live on the Peak, and/or sailed back to Blighty for a while.
July and August the place basically closed down. Glad I am not there!!!
Re: The masses against the (political) classes in Hong Kong
Posted: Wed Aug 14, 2019 12:08 am
by The Optimist
F U C K - T H E - P O L I C E!!!
All day HK!
Free Willie.
Re: The masses against the (political) classes in Hong Kong
Posted: Wed Aug 14, 2019 12:13 am
by wamberal99
I have to say that targeting the airport is a brilliant tactic. Something has to give soon. Time for some compromises. Bugger Beijing. It looks to me as though they are just playing politics, could even be some internal party machinations going on. Xi looks omnipotent, but no ruler since Mao is omnipotent.
Re: Hong Kong Protests
Posted: Wed Aug 14, 2019 12:15 am
by flaggETERNAL
