Posted on 01/06/2021 8:49:56 AM PST by SeekAndFind
More than 50 of Hong Kong's most prominent pro-democracy activists and politicians have been arrested in the biggest crackdown since China imposed a draconian security law last year.
About 1,000 police took part in morning raids on 72 premises across the city.
Those held helped run an unofficial "primary" to pick opposition candidates ahead of postponed 2020 elections.
They are accused of trying to "overthrow" the government. Activists say the new law aims to quash dissent.
China's government imposed the legislation on the semi-autonomous territory in June, saying it was necessary to curb months of sometimes violent pro-democracy protests.
Beijing defended Wednesday's arrests, with Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying saying they were needed to stop "external forces and individuals [colluding] to undermine China's stability and security".
But the crackdown appeared to confirm the fears of many who warned about the reach of the law, with Amnesty International saying the arrests are "the starkest demonstration yet of how the national security law has been weaponised to punish anyone who dares to challenge the establishment".
(Excerpt) Read more at bbc.com ...
Pei-Ping
Police fanned out around the city and in early morning raids detained 53 people who represent a who’s who of democratic forces in the former British colony, young and old. They include:
* long-established opposition figures James To, Lam Cheuk-ting, Claudio Mo and Benny Tai, one of the initiators of the primaries
* young pro-democracy campaigners Lester Shum, Gwyneth Ho, Tiffany Yuen and Jeffrey Andrews
* Human rights lawyer John Clancey, a US citizen
* two academics behind the primaries strategy
* 13 candidates from the primaries
* Police also searched the home of already detained activist Joshua Wong, as well as three news outlets.
* Apple Daily and Stand News, which had co-organised election forums for the primaries candidates, and In-Media, which ran ads around the primaries, were ordered to hand over information.
Mr Clancy, a veteran legal activist and long-time resident of Hong Kong, is chairman of the Asian Human Rights Commission and the first US citizen held under the new law. He was detained when police searched the offices of law firm Ho Tse Wai & Partners where he works.
And coming soon here
Very excited by the DHUMMYtards ousting D.TRUMP .....
Hope they will have a big disapointment
Change the headline from “China” to “USA” and you have tomorrow’s News today................
Similar coming soon ti the USA if the Democrats have anything to say about it.
Joe & Hunter Biden gives two thumbs up!
Mitch too!
They won't, after all, they all want to live under authoritarian rule, as long as they get their bread and circuses. Alphabet, the parent company of Google will provide the dumb-masses all the news they need to know and circuses through YouTube, Media, and Disney to keep them occupied.Of course, the pot shops and liquor stores will be kept open throughout the pandemic, to keep the dumb-masses medicated, while closing Churches, where people might get bad ideas.
Then Google can begin implementing China's "social scores" on the US population, THEN move to a cashless society, so if you don't follow their rules, you starve without access to your bank account. George Soros and company smile...
Mark
They mis-spelled USA.
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