Today SO MUCH in one short video:
* Melee of press, #police, protesters & tourists
* #HongKongProtester being arrested
* UK tourist watching atop the silver sculpture
* Sound of pepper spray being sprayed (fountain-style)
* Tear gas being shot
I'm not here to be at the front lines (this guy👇👇👇 is), but to visit with some #HongKongers & their supporters involved.
Think of it as American Thought Leaders🇺🇸, #HongKong Edition, & why not ATL🇺🇸—it's been said that this resembles, in some ways, 1776.
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Meet conflict reporter @Michael_Yon (with gas mask & orange vest) & #HongKong videographer Eric Fok @RazvenHK (donning mask).
Ok, before you meet them, meet the rather assertive #HongKongPolice. Big blue sign means "this protest is unauthorized."
I'm going to keep building this "slow" thread as we go. Today there were giant, largely peaceful protests, though the night is still young.
Later today we'll premiere my sit down with @civicpartyhk chairman @AlanKahKitLeong.
“The police acted like terrorists” on more than one occasion.
#HongKong @civicpartyhk Chairman @AlanKahKitLeong joins me on American Thought Leaders 🇺🇸. We discuss recent elections, #HongKongPoliceTerrorism & communist China threat.
@AlanKahKitLeong discusses big wins by the pro-democracy camp in recent district elections in #HongKong. | ATL 🇺🇸
🔴 PREMIERE at 7pm ET: ept.ms/35ULLTI
“How can you, on the one hand, not do anything to curb police brutality… on the other hand, you prosecuted people for riots—when we were just out there to defend our human rights, freedom & the rule of law?”
@AlanKahKitLeong on ATL 🇺🇸
HK “is still indispensable” to China's ruling regime.
Watch on ATL🇺🇸: ept.ms/35ULLTI
Young #HongKongProtester waving an American flag is asked about the popularity of communism among youth in America. Her response:
"#CCP & #communism is cancer on earth. So thank you for standing with #HongKongers. Anti-#Chinazi. Thank you America."
"Chinazi" term…
#Chinazi, used prolifically in #HKprotest [i.e. above the pig on HK University Lennon Wall], is frankly one that I found quite troubling. "China" certainly ≠ "Nazi."
From this young protester & today's interview with Prof Benny Tai, I got the message of patriotism.
Prof Benny told me that he identifies as both Chinese and as a #Hongkonger, with the future of #China a huge concern.
Today was graduation day at #HongKong University.
The graffiti below the official sign: ARE YOU AWAKE YET?
And on post nearby: FREEDOM OR DEATH.
“[The young protestors] are fighting for us…[for] freedom, liberty & human rights.”
#HongKong lawyer & newly elected district council member Daniel Wong joins me to talk about defending protestors & being on the frontlines on ATL🇺🇸
American Thought Leaders🇺🇸
🔴PREMIERE 8pm ET: ept.ms/34MkXEF
“You will go to the police station of this particular area, but they are not there…You've got to… search all the police stations."
Lawyer Daniel Wong on tactics #HongKong police use to prevent protestors from getting legal counsel.
#HongKong lawyer & newly elected district councilor Daniel Wong Kwok-tung on American Thought Leaders 🇺🇸
Watch: ept.ms/34MkXEF
She wears a mask to protest the #antimasklaw.
She'll be traveling to the US next week to testify on #China human rights issues before US Congress.
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In a moment I'll sit down with #HongKong legislator & @HKDemocrats chairman Wu Chi-wai.
Back on June 12th, as the #HongKongProtests started to escalate, he took a stand against police firing tear gas grenades: "I want to see your commander!"
@CardJosephZen, the outspoken critic of religious persecution in China, had powerful perspectives to offer on the Chinese communist party's attack on #HongKong's freedoms—and the need for international support. Mini-thread and video HERE:
COMING SOON: A voice *directly* from the front line of #HongKongProtests.
Meet "Little Driver" as he's nicknamed, who saw himself as “apolitical” but has become progressively radicalized against the police & #Chinese regime due to #HK police action.
![](https://pbs.twimg.com/media/ELMO7-nW4AEaXMP.jpg)
The interview with Little Driver is deeply honest, shocking, & frankly heartbreaking.
He sees himself as the most unlikely of activists, filled with fear each time at the front line, but driven & duty-bound to support his fellow #HongKongers.
Stay tuned
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@JooeySiiu interview Video minithread: Amazing perspectives on the #HongKongProtests "Leaderless" movement, the Chinese communist party, and A LOT more!
.@JooeySiiu's going to be testifying to US congress in a couple of days. Based on our interview, I'm expecting powerful, compelling testimony.
The @EpochTimes and @news_ntd reporting teams gather energy as evening descends upon the #HongKongProtesters crowd.
—At the #HumanRightsDay march in #HongKong, which organizers estimated at least 800K participants. #HongKongProtests #StandWithHongKong
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This is really something—jewelers staying open, in significant numbers, during today's protest.
But businesses overtly supporting Beijing best beware, based on vandalism I’ve seen & what I've been told by #HongKongProtesters
I've now returned to the US (yes, more interviews!). There will be a total of 11 American Thought Leaders 🇺🇸 #HongKong episodes thanks to sit-downs with really *remarkable* #HongKongers.
Here's #5 on the #HK ATL🇺🇸 playlist:
COMING SOON: My American Thought Leaders 🇺🇸 “#HongKong Voices” interview with Hong Kong’s Iron Lady Emily Lau—builds on some of the themes in the impromptu clip below.
#6 in the American Thought Leaders Voices of Hong Kong Series 🇭🇰:
#HK Legislative Council member @AlvinYeungnk, who led the attempted impeachments of Carrie Lam (expecting it would fail, but saw it as a matter of principle).