#thread this Ming Pao front page story is one of the must-read for #HKProtests anniversary - a riot police Lee and a frontline protester Chan chatted on phone.
Their sole agreement was that the gov is still evading from handling the key problems.
On use of force
Chan said protesters could only use bricks and petrol bombs for self-defense, which could never compare with the police weapons.
Lee said bricks and petrol bombs were more harming than protesters imagined and urged Chan to rethink.
On liability
Chan said police has been abusing their power and seem under no supervision at all.
Lee disagreed but admitted that head shots and more force after arrest are not acceptable. Lee said individual officers might lose control under fear in face of unprecedented clashes.
On 7.21 Yuen Long Attack
Lee denied collaborate of police and triads and concluded the problem on allocation of manpower.
Chan did no accept the explanation.
On lynching and vandalism
Chan said it was due to "anger that could not be allayed" and police's selective law enforcement.
Lee said it contradicted the pursuit of democracy and freedom. "Even after you recover Hong Kong, you still have to handle people with different ideas"
On forms of protests
Lee said the most brilliant victory the protesters got was in the district council election.
Chan said all kinds are necessary. "Without street protests, not so many HKers wouldn't realise the city has so many problems"
On police handling of protests
Lee said he was saddened by people calling the force "rogue police" and asked what Chan expected them to do when roads were blocked.
Chan said "we each have our things to do. i only hope we wouldn't have to fight each other so bitterly."
On independent inquiry
Lee said he is personally neutral but some of his colleagues doubt if protesters will be willing to testify so the inquiry won't be focusing on police only.
Chan said he personally would not testify but the inquiry would be a first step to reconcile.
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The confidential work of national security committee was again revealed in court.
The court was shown two “judgement and decision” by NSC during the legislative exercise of the #Article23 security law which in general said the bill and the amendments were necessary…
…and the HK gov table them at the legislature. The prosecution confirmed that the documents were not available to the legislators and were revealed under special authorisation from the gov to assist the court in today’s proceeding.
Today’s proceeding concerned jailed #HKAlliance activist Chow Hang-tang’s application to introduce evidence from overseas witnessed by live TV link in the Alliance’s #NSL trial scheduled to start next May.
What happened in Hong Kong around June 4, 2024, the 35th anniversary of the deadly, military crackdown on democracy protests in China in 1989. It’s the first Tiananmen anniversary in Hong Kong since the city enacted a second national security law.
🗓️ May 24: Ex pro-democracy district councillor Debby Chan disclosed on social media that police called her concerning where she would run on June 4 and warned her not to contravene national security law.
🗓️ May 28: HK national security police made the first arrests under the newly enacted “#Article23” Safeguarding National Security Ordinance, rounding up jailed Tiananmen activist Chow Hang-tung and five associates over the allegation of…
#BREAKING HK top court ruled in favour of journalist @Baochoy’s appeal , quashing all her conviction and fines as the court found “there was no reason that bona fide investigative journalism … should be excluded from the phrase ‘other traffic and transport related purpose’.”
Choy was found guilty of “making false statement” 2 years ago for choosing the purpose of “other traffic and transport related matters” on the application form for car owner info from public registries controlled by the Transport Dept.
Choy’s search was for her award winning investigative report on #721YuenLongAttack in 2019. The application form then provided only 3 purposes for applicants after an amendment to remove the open-ended “other:” column in Oct 2019.
Tsui Hon-Kwong, veteran member of disbanded #HongKongAlliance - the group who hosted candlelight vigil for #June4 for three decades in HK, was taken away by police. He kept upholding his candle for #TiananmenMothers until police shut the door.
A man whose phone torch was on was taken away by police after a search. An officer snatched his phone as a group of officers escorted him into the search zone.
At a point people were lined up to wait for police search.
#BREAKING League of Social Democrats leader #ChanPoying was taken away minutes after she showed up with a small candle for #TiananmenMothers and two yellow flowers. She resisted and tried to uphold what she had in hands.
Heard LSD’s Chan Po-Ying said “why must police station? I don’t mind here.” before police bundled her into a police car.
Truck driver turned activist To Chi-kuen was taken away by police. He apparently carried nothing with him except wearing a tee that says “I don’t want to remember but I dare not to forget”.