Hong Kong Protests - TheCrypticMan/Essays GitHub Wiki

This is a public archive of information regarding the pro-democracy protests and riots that took place in Hong Kong starting in the summer of 2019. The purpose of this archive is to dispel the narratives of anti-Chinese media and organizations regarding these protests, and to expose the lies propagated by them, particularly regarding the reasons behind the protests, the alleged brutality of Hong Kong's police force, the acclaimed peaceful nature of the protests, and the scale of said protests.

This page is unanimously pro-China and does not pretend to be anything else; it is meant to serve as a voice for mainland China and to provide facts that are concealed or underreported by media outlets that are biased against China. All sources of information are biased, and the only difference is that this page does not hide this fact. On the contrary, we encourage any individuals who want to seriously study the protests to listen to a variety of sources from many different perspectives before forming a concrete opinion, and to cross-reference any information with the opposite camp. This page is only meant to record facts that are systematically ignored by anti-Chinese media, with the aim that it will be only one of the many sources that viewers will listen to rather than blindly trusting a specific narrative.

Background and Reasons behind the Protest

Around February 13, 2018, 19 year-old Chan Tung-kai murdered his pregnant girlfriend, 20 year-old Poon Hiu-wing, in a Taiwanese hotel. After dumping her body in a suitcase outside the hotel, Chan returned to Hong Kong where he admitted to the crime.

However, due to the ['One Country Two Systems']*https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/One_country,_two_systems) principle of the PRC, extradition from Hong Kong to other parts of China was prohibited, meaning that there was no legal way to punish Chan. This drove Hong Kong's authorities to pass a new bill, which which would remove the legal loophole of Hong Kong's special status which prevents the extradition of criminals to other parts of China, including the mainland. The bill itself can be read here.

Most notably, bill only allows extradition for crimes which are punishable by more than 3 years' imprisonment in Hong Kong, (later changed to 7 years), and clearly specify that Hong Kong's courts would have the final say whether to proceed with any extradition request. The petition to push for the Fugitive Amendment Bill received over 700,000 signatures in less than two months, with each signature being given alongside the person's name and ID.

The first demonstrations against the bill took place on March 31, 2019, and included several thousand attendees. Several more demonstrations were held with the largest of these being the annual July 1 march, which saw an attendance of over 250,000 people according to facial recognition software. Protest demands grew to include: withdrawing the extradition bill, rescinding the characterization of the protests as 'riots', discharging all arrested protestors, launching an independent inquiry to crack down on police misconduct, and the resignation of Hong Kong's Chief Executive, Carrie Lam. Although this should be an internal matter for China, many foreign individuals and governments including Australia, Canada, Britain, Singapore, and other pro-western countries and NGO's have been extremely vocal in backing the protestors.

On July 9, 2019, Hong Kong's Chief Executive Carrie Lam officially declared the extradition bill 'dead', indicating that it would no longer pass and that there would be no extradition treaty, though pro-western media have repeatedly pointed out that the bill was not formally withdrawn. Regardless, this gesture did little to placate future protests.

Important Polls/infographics

As of 2017, more than 60% of Hong Kong citizens do not support the idea of independence for Hong Kong vs. 11.4% supporting independence. Less than a year before this, the ratio was 57.4 % to 17.6%, suggesting a growing degree of assimilation of HK and mainland China. The source is the Chinese University of Hong Kong, some of whose faculty and students have previously shown support a similar HK protest called the Umbrella movement in 2014.

Violence and Disruption Committed by Protestors

HK protestor pulls mom's hair, hurls dad to the ground and proceeds to repeatedly bash his head after parents try to kick him out.
August 5, 2019: After surrounding an expensive car and forcing its driver out, several blackshirt rioters hit him across the head. Despite the driver being completely non-confrontational, the mob proceeds to smash his car with sticks and throws cans and water bottles.
August 5, 2019: rioters hurl firebombs at a police station in Tsuen Wan district, evidently aiming to burn the vehicles parked next to it.
August 5, 2019: Blackshirt rioters vandalize and spray-paint graffiti on a police van, while the police are forced to stay inside.
August 5, 2019: rioters block traffic, surround and a vandalize car with driver still inside. Even while reporting on this incident, The British news outlet The Guardian manages to take a pro-protestor stance, comparing the driver to the Charlottesville car attack, and making the fairly ridiculous implication that the rioters wanted to "assist" the driver. This is done despite claiming just seconds earlier that the driver was forced out of the car and their own video showing the car's front window having been clearly damaged.
August 5, 2019: Blackshirt rioters arrive at a number of MTR stations and proceded to block doors and traffic, closing down many transit routes across Hong Kong. Many of the angry, trapped commuters proceded to then beat up the rioters.
August 3, 2019: rioters violently harass and repeatedly attack a man after he warns them not to make trouble. After other people manage to briefly halt the violence and try to escort the man away, the rioters are seen following him and attacking again. An individual then pours some unknown liquid over the man.
August 3, 2019: rioters sling bricks at police station. - More footage showing lasers and eggs being used to damage and deface Tseung Kwan O police station.
August 3, 2019: HK police fire tear gas at rioters. Rioters hit back with petrol bombs. This happens after a march in Mong Kok was approved in the last minute, but the protestors proceed to veer off the approved route and incidents of vandalism are recorded, including against the Tsim Sha Tsui Police Station. Many other incidents occur leading up to the petrol bombs being thrown, including one incident where four black-clad protestors lower the PRC flag and throw it into the sea.
August 1, 2019: Andy Chan, founder of Hong Kong National Party (banned in Hong Kong), is arrested after police find multiple smoke bombs in an industrial area. Chan tells supporters not to be afraid of arrest, adding that ‘there is no turning back’. No formal charges have been placed, and the arrested individuals are to be released on a $1000 bail.
July 30, 2019: A large mob of protestors violently chase after five retreating police officers. The protestors throw water bottles and umbrellas at the officers as they are backing, and then running, away. Several individuals then hit the officers across the back with more umbrellas and a plastic frame.
July 30, 2019: Hundreds of protestors disrupt trains during rush hour while others blocked entrances, or sounded emergency alarms. Crowds of passengers became stuck on subway platforms, unable to leave for several hours. This follows a similar incident from a week earlier, where trains were similarly blocked from leaving.
July 28, 2019: An individual posts their experiences of being in the area of a HK protest in Causeway Bay. Testimony includes seeing blackshirt protestors ripping up pedestrian street fences and using them as barricades, as well as being assaulted by four blackshirts trying to force them to delete photos. Pictures of barricaded streets and vandalism are included in the post.
July 24, 2019: SCMP (HK-based outlet) posts a video of clashes between pro-HK and pro-mainland parties. HK crowd is clearly seen as the more violent one, as some of its members begin physically attacking mainland students and then proceed to shout racial slurs and insults as they retreat.
July 23, 2019: Blackshirt rioters attack and knock a random passer-by unconscious. After the mob begins shouting at the man, another man urges him to back away and he and leaves, causing the mob to give chase, knock the man to the ground, and proceed to beat and kick him until he is unconscious.
July 23, 2019: Rioters vandalize the graves of the parents of Junius Ho - a famous HK lawyer and politician.
A picture showing molotov cocktails impacting against riot police shields during HK protests.
July 21, 2019: HK police arrest three men over largest bomb plot, finding powerful explosives as well as 10 petrol bombs and anti-extradition material. Two of the three men are members of pro-independence organizations. Police say that this is the largest seizure of explosives since 1997; the year when Hong Kong was first reunited with China.
July 21, 2019: Rioters deface the insignia of the PRC above an office. On the same say, rioters vandalize the Hong Kong liaison office, defacing it with graffiti.
July 21, 2019: Blackshirt rioters block streets, surround cars, force a driver out, and proceed to mob him and repeatedly hit him with sticks and bats. The man was knocked unconscious and had to receive medical aid.
July 21, 2019: A rioter is seen running with a brick in one hand and some sort of makeshift weapon in the other.
July 18, 2019: HK police organize an entire operation to rescue 20 elite officers besieged by protestors at New Town Plaza. The besieged police officers were cornered and protestors hurled insults, and later physical objects such as water bottles and helmets at them. Several officers were injured, despite being armed with lethal weapons and not resorting to their use.
July 16, 2019: Blackshirt protestors surround and proceed to beat up an elderly man. Several rioters proceed to kick and beat the elderly man after he is knocked to the ground.
July 14, 2019: Protestor assaults police constable, then bites off another officer's finger. This happens amid unprecedented violence in Sha Tin, in which seven police officers are wounded and two police officers lose fingers.
July 14, 2019: An especially brutal and violent video of the incident above can be found here. After a police officer is suddenly kicked with enough force to throw him off the escalator, a huge mob of blackshirt rioters surround and proceed to beat and kick him for a good portion of a minute. The officer is evidently knocked unconscious by the beating.
July 14, 2019: Protesters target a news station that is accused of being too friendly to Beijing. NYtimes (which has admitted to sending its material to the US government prior to publication) manages to spin shutting down a pro-China news station as "concern for the city's status as a regional bastion of press freedom", implying that it is being "undermined by the Communist Party in China, where media controls are strict".

Pro-China Rallies and Demonstrations

August 4, 2019: After the previous day's incident where blackshirt rioters lowered the PRC flag and threw it into the sea, a group of government supporters take the initiative to raise the flag over Tsim Sha Tsui harbor, and proceed to sing the national anthem of the PRC. Former Chief Executive Leung Chun-ying promises a reward of 1 million HK dollars (127,000 USD) for anyone who can help the police arrest the people who desecrated the flag the day before.
August 3, 2019: Tens of thousands gather to support HK's embattled police force. Police estimates say attendance peaked at 26,000, while organizers claim an attendance of 90,000.
Support pours in for HK police, many of whose identities have been deliberately exposed and leaked. Messages and gifts are sent to HK police to express appreciation for their professionalism. The article goes on to provide first-hand accounts of the police workers' families being targeted, which include incidents of stalking, death threats leveled against the police and them, their spouses, and their children.
July 20, 2019: Organizers claim an attendance of 316,000 while police say 106,000 attended a rally in Tamar Park supporting HK's police force. Attendees call for the police to be respected amid the riots, carrying the slogan Safeguard Hong Kong.
30 June, 2019: A counter-protest is held in Tamar Park supporting Hong Kong's embattled police force. Organizers claim an attendance of 165,000 while police put the number at 53,000. Some of the demonstrators wave the flag and play the anthem of the PRC.

Testimonies from Relevant/Notable Persons

July 31, 2019: Tung Chee Hwa, former leader of Hong Kong, publicly accuses the United States and Taiwan of fermenting and orchestrating the protests. Tung explains his reasoning by pointing to the sudden escalation of violence and how unusually organized the protestors were, noting how quickly the slogan "Oppose the extradition bill" turned to "Liberate Hong Kong, the revolution of our times". This is unsurprising in light of the US' track record: the 1996 meddling in Russia's elections, 2004 Orange Revolution in Ukraine, 2011 coup against Libya, involvement in Ukraine's Maidan in 2014, Operation Timber Sycamore, and very blatant century-long string of meddling in Venezuela all barely scratch the surface of a topic that is far too long to cover in a single post. Tung attributes a part of the problem to be the result of young people venting their helplessness in light of HK's housing crisis and growing economic irrelevance, and that these problems can be solved with the help of Beijing.
Trump openly refers to the Hong Kong protests as 'riots' upon being interviewed by journalists, August 1, 2019.

Debunking Fake News and False Rumours

[BBC China correspondent Stephen McDonell tries to slander pro-Beijing Hong-Kongers], but misinterprets the writing on their banner. After getting called out for it, he proceeds to throw a tantrum in the comments.
Online footage claims to show PLA garrison arresting HK protestors. Further investigation reveals that the footage is an exercise help by South Korean riot police dating back to at least 2011.
TeleSUR creates a video exposing multiple false claims by anti-Mainland organizations and individuals. These claims include: the aforementioned misleading footage of South Korean riot police (gained over a million views on social media), and an elderly woman who was shown as defending protestors when she was, in fact, asking them to leave.

Foreign Meddling and Involvement in the Protests

Hudson Institute China watcher confirms on air that the National Endowment for Democracy; the regime-change apparatus of the United States, has spent millions of dollars to mobilize and organize the protests.
Joey Gibson, creator of the Proud Boys organization, is seen waving an American flag in Hong Kong during the protests.
Jimmy Lai, pro-western journalist and democracy advocate with ties to Hong Kong, is seen meeting with national security advisor and infamous warmonger John Bolton in DC.
Harvard University conducts a "study" in which they pay HK individuals to protest. Said study deliberately misclassifies the HK protests as some 'antiauthoritarian' movement in their research paper, and further discredits itself by simply labelling countries like Russia as an 'authoritarian' country, citing protests with attendance in the low thousands while systematically ignoring the much larger protests in western countries, such as the enormous anti-corruption protests in Puerto Rico, or the Yellow Vest protests that have been brutally and violently repressed over the course of eight months and counting. The stated goal of the study is to measure the effect of the belief of a protest's turnout on the actual turnout.

Miscellaneous

A professional crier, who has shown up to multiple events surrounding the protests and engaged in fake drama, is exposed
After becoming confrontational with pro-China individuals, a woman is lightly nudged. She then proceeds to very obviously fake a fall while calling for security.