BLOG – Full Lowdown of Handover Weekend: Protest Minimised, Reporter Removed

Date: 2012.06.30 | Category: Blog | Tags: blog,Politics: All Posts

With discontent at a 15-year high, up to 400,000 people hit the streets for the annual pro-democracy rally. Jacky Lim, 37, was amongst many protesters carrying the old British colonial flag, “There is nothing worth celebrating today. Hong Kong is being gradually destroyed by the Communist Party”, he said.

> For my own snapshot of HK politics today, click here & here’s a quick appearance on TVB.

via AP

The International Herald Tribune observed that millionaire property consultant CY Leung’s inauguration was conducted without a word of Cantonese being spoken. This is a departure from the 2007 ceremony when Donald Tsang gave his inaugural speech in the local dialect as opposed to Putongua.

Without a hint of irony, Hu spoke of the importance of ”opposing interference by external forces in Hong Kong affairs”.

via AP

A heckler who referred to the Tiananmen Square incident and repeated “End one-party rule“ was also removed during the event…

Here is a shameful shot of the official area reserved for protest during Saturday’s visit by Hu Jintao. As is the case during any mainland visit or world media frenzy, civil liberties and dissent are minimised to a degree in which they are barely legally preserved…

via AP

Hong Kong police have removed an Apple Daily reporter on Saturday after he asked the Chinese premier a question regarding the Tiananmen Square massacre. Hu did not answer.

Also, earlier, Hu Jintao inspected the troops of the Chinese People’s Liberation Army Garrison at the Shek Kong barracks. It is the first time that military vehicles such as tanks have been seen in Hong Kong.

The dialogue in the video between Hu and the military is “Hello Comrades”, “Hello Leader”… and… ”Comrades, you are hard working”; “We do it for the People”

Meanwhile, the BBC has a package about the record-breaking poverty gap in the city…

The following satirical music video ‘You’re Killing Our Dreams’ has seen tens-of-thousands more hits than the official patriotic Handover song ’Believe in Our Dreams’…

Photos from the Twittersphere…

The Falun Gong marching band

South China Morning Post summary of attendance figures…

Figures from the South China Morning Post

via South China Morning Post

Photos from AP and Reuters…

Hilariously, mainland news agencies have completely ignored the huge display of dissent…

China News Agency: “The government of the (Hong Kong) special administrative region organised more than 300 celebratory activities. Hong Kong residents also organised their own series of brilliant and varied activities. For several days, there was a surge in the passion of Hong Kong citizens for celebrations of the return and more than 100,000 people participated.”

and…

China Daily: “More than 40,000 people packed Hong Kong Stadium for a performance by an 80-member parachute team from the People’s Liberation Army. On Sunday evening, hundreds of thousands of people crowded the promenades on both sides of Victoria Harbour for a fireworks display.”

• Time Magazine Q&A with CY Leung
• BBC: Hu Faces Restive HK Public
• Hu Jintao’s HK speech in full and in English
• The government’s official response to Sunday’s protest
• Zhongnanhai Blog: Hu Jintao’s visit highlights Hong Kong’s dystopian future