Archive for the ‘Politics: Activism’ Category

• ACTIVISM – Live Blog Post of HK Snowden Rally Media Coverage, Photos

  Date: 2013.06.15 | Category: Blog, Politics: Activism, Politics: All Posts | Response: 0

  

  Kin Cheung, AP

  An unprecedented number of local social and political groups came together on Saturday at the supportsnowden.org rally in solidarity with the American NSA whistleblower. 27 co-organisers joined more than 900 Hong Kong and foreign demonstrators (according to an independent head count). With 6 speakers, including 3 LEGCO members, they marched in the rain from Chater Garden to the US Consulate, demanding an end to surveillance of innocent citizens. A letter (PDF) was handed in to Ambassador Steve Young demanding that the human right to a private life is upheld (Article 8 of the UN declaration). Accompanied by the world’s media, marchers then convened at HK Government HQ in Admiralty, demanding that Chief Executive CY Leung speak up, protect Snowden and ensure rule of law is upheld without interference from Beijing.

  Despite the weather and warnings from the US consulate to avoid the area and Chater Garden, this was the biggest rally yet, worldwide, on the NSA/PRISM issue. The SCMP reported that, for some, it was their first ever march. A large proportion were expats and many bought their children along. More details, photos and videos will be up on the blog later this week. Collected below is some of the early coverage – this page will update on Sunday. Also be sure to check out the SCMP live blog.

  
  INTERNATIONAL ARTICLES:

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• ACTIVISM – Preview of Today’s Hong Kong ‘Support Snowden’ Rally

  Date: 2013.06.15 | Category: Blog, Politics: Activism, Politics: All Posts | Response: 0

  Today at 3pm, hundreds will gather at Chater Garden (exit J2, Central)  in support of Edward Snowden. Over 15,000 have been invited online with 600+ confirmed. The world’s media will cover the event live. An unprecedented 28 groups are now on board – a diverse and unified showing of concerned Hong Kongers. 6 speakers are confirmed, half of whom are serving LEGCO members, and we’ll be rallying at three key locations in the heart of the city this afternoon…

  

  Preparations at the InMedia HQ took place last night – we have some whistles, waterproof placards and decorated umbrellas but please bring your own. This afternoon, we will all be whistleblowers! You can download placards here and be sure to join us, even if it rains. (Especially if it rains!).

  

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• EVENT – Rally to Support Edward Snowden in Hong Kong: This Saturday, 3pm

  Date: 2013.06.12 | Category: Blog, Events, Politics: Activism | Response: 1

  

  Hong Kong Rally in Support of Edward Snowden this Saturday, 3pm Chater Garden (exit J2, Central). Hosted by InMedia and Hong Wrong. See supportsnowden.org for details and bring a whistle! Over 14,000+ invited at the time of writing, but we need you to show up with your whistles!

  

  Rally tag: #snowdenhk Live updates on Twitter here.
  Click to tweet this event in English or in Chinese.

  Confirmed speakers include:

  • Albert Ho, Director, HK Alliance & HK election Democratic runner-up, “Why this case is important for HK’s future” 
  • Law Yuk Kai, Director, HK Human Rights Monitor: “Hong Kong’s legal system & international legal system”
  • Ip lam Chong, In-Media HK: “The implications of Edward Snowden coming to Hong Kong”
  • Claudia Mo, LegCo member, founding member of Civic Party: “Whistleblowers and free speech in HK”
  • Charles Mok, LegCo: “The right to communicate safely online and freedom of expression”

  Download placards or make your own…

  

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• ACTIVISM – HK Communities Unite in Peaceful Protest for Gaza

  Date: 2012.11.18 | Category: Blog, Politics: Activism, Politics: All Posts | Response: 3

  [Page will update soon with video]

  A diverse group of concerned Hong Kongers marched today from Victoria Park to the Israeli Consulate in Admiralty demanding an end to the Israeli occupation and the current bombardment of Gaza…

  

  Hong Kong legislator ‘Long Hair’ Leung Kwok Hung was joined by Rami El-Ashi, one of two Palestinians present at the demonstration. Rami spoke to Reuters and AP about his concerns for his family who remain trapped in Gaza…

  

  As of yesterday, 48 Palestinians – around half civilians, including 13 children and a toddler have been killed in Israeli raids. 3 Israeli civilians have been killed in Palestinian rocket attacks.

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• EVENTS – Peaceful Protest in Solidarity With Gaza – THIS SUNDAY, Victoria Park 2pm.

  Date: 2012.11.16 | Category: Events, Politics: Activism | Response: 1

  A peaceful protest is being organised to show solidarity with Palestinians in Gaza, suffering under the illegal Israeli led occupation and escalating onslaught of attacks. Earlier this week, Israel launched “Operation Pillar of Clouds” with a series of air strikes. These attacks have continued despite reports of civilian casualties. Hamas is retaliating and it’s likely this conflict will escalate further.

  Please share this event with your networks, bring your banners and signs and spirit to the action: Facebook event / A4 Flyer/Poster / Zip file of .doc & .pdf versions for printing.

  Meet at Victoria Park statue – South Playground, Hong Kong at 2pm and walk towards the Israel Consulate (Admiralty).

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• ACTIVISM – Shots from Today’s National Education Protest

  Date: 2012.09.01 | Category: Politics: Activism, Politics: All Posts | Response: 0

  Below are some shots from this afternoon’s LEGCO demonstration against gov’t plans for patriotic ‘national education’ classes. As this latest political shitstorm hits the headlines across the world, 10,000 protesters, teachers, parents and students are expected to continue pouring into the government site. It is likely the gathering will progress long into the night.

  Meanwhile, the new SCMP website comes kicking-and-screaming into the 21st century with a live blog (viewable even to non-subscribing peasants).

  Coverage:

  • BBC: HK Debates National Education Classes.
  • News.gov.hk: CY Leung Calls for Open Attitude.
  • Time Out HK: Hunger strikers protest national education.
  • Badcanto.com: Kindergarten students wearing red scarves and student interviews.
  • Wall St Journal: Chinese Olympians Asked about National Education.

  (Meanwhile, China Daily insists Hong Kongers are ‘ignorant and biassed’.)

  
  
  
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• ACTIVISM – £2420 ‘Arrest Blair’ Bounty Awarded

  Date: 2012.08.30 | Category: Politics: Activism, Politics: All Posts | Response: 1

  George Monbiot’s arrestblair.org campaign awarded a bounty of £2,420.89 this week for my attempted arrest of Tony Blair in Hong Kong this summer. It comes on the day Desmond Tutu refused to share a platform with Blair in South Africa.

  • Click for full coverage, video and details of the arrest attempt in June.

  • Article: ‘Why I Attempted to Arrest Tony Blair’

  The sum will be converted to Hong Kong dollars and donated to: The Palestinian Centre for Human Rights, Democracy Now!, West Sahara Resource Watch, Students for Justice in Palestine National Conference and others. Receipts to be published on my personal blog.

  

  Click to enlarge

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• ACTIVISM – Why I Attempted to Arrest Tony Blair

  Date: 2012.06.19 | Category: Politics: Activism, Politics: All Posts | Response: 1

  This entry below is a piece for New Internationalist Magazine and is a cross-post from my personal site…

  

  Last Thursday, I attempted a citizen’s arrest of Tony Blair for crimes against peace as he was about to present a speech at Hong Kong University about faith. It seems particularly dubious for the ex-British Prime Minister to address the subject of religion, as he has done so much to enrage the Muslim world and thus set back religious tolerance by decades.

  My confrontation with Blair came during the deadliest week of violence in Iraq since the US pull-out, and a day after the International Criminal Court prosecutor asked judges to hand down their first sentence to a fellow war-criminal, Congolese warlord Thomas Lubanga. All current ICC investigations and prosecutions are related to African nations, yet Mr Blair’s status as an ex-Western leader does not exempt him from its founding Rome Statue, to which Britain is a signatory

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• ACTIVISM – HK LGBT Anti-Discrimination Rally: Photos

  Date: 2012.05.13 | Category: Politics: Activism | Response: 0

  Yesterday, Hong Kongers marked the International Day Against Homophobia and Transphobia (IDAHOT) in preparation for a soon-to-be-released ‘climate report’ into the cultural state of affairs for the LGBT community in HK. Over 100 people gathered in Chater Garden, Central dressed in black to give a ‘final burial’ to homophobic and transphobic bullying.

  

  The emotional rally came days after Obama voiced his support for gay marriage and almost a month after local Cantopop star Anthony Wong came out at a live concert…

  

  The city often plays ‘catch-up’ with the rest of the democratic world in that homosexuality was only legalised in the 90′s and the age of consent was only equalised for gay couples in 2006 (despite opposition from Donald Tsang). In 2008, a judge upheld a ruling against RTHK for broadcasting a programme about homosexuality which failed to give air-time to homophobic counter viewpoints. And until as recently as 2009 , co-habiting gay couples were not recognised in the Domestic Violence Ordinance.

  

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• ACTIVISM – Lantau Incinerator Protest

  Date: 2012.03.18 | Category: Politics: Activism, Politics: All Posts | Response: 0

  A few shots from today’s protest against the Lantau incinerator. See this entry for more details or click here for a full resolution gallery. There is also a new summary here from HK Magazine.

  
  
  

  

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