On April 24, 2019, a court in Hong Kong handed down jail terms to four pro-democracy activists accused of “inciting” the 2014 Occupy Central movement, after finding them guilty of public order charges. Movement co-founders Benny Tai and Chan Kin-man were both sentenced to 16 months’ imprisonment by the West Kowloon District Court for “conspiracy to cause a public nuisance,” while fellow movement leader Chu Yiu-ming, 75, and Civic Party lawmaker Tanya Chan were given suspended prison terms owing to poor health. The charges were based on comments made to the media, and on a 2013 press conference given by Chan Kin-man, Benny Tai and Chu Yiu-ming calling on people to occupy the Central business district in a peaceful civil disobedience
Cheng Tsz-Ho, 18, is among 12 Hongkongers aged 16 to 33 being held on suspicion of “illegal immigration” at the Yantian Detention Center in the southern Chinese city of Shenzhen, which borders Hong Kong
Hundreds of activists and ordinary citizens in Hong Kong marked the first anniversary of the city’s anti-government movement by staging protests across the Asian financial hub on Tuesday. On June 9 last year, about one million Hong Kongers staged a peaceful protest against a proposed extradition law that would allow individuals to be sent to China for trial. The government at the time insisted on pressing ahead with the law, prompting more people to take to the streets in a series of mass protests that plunged the former British colony into one of the deepest crises in its history
A lot of police officers would humiliate and curse out arrested protesters during the anti-extradition movement. When they got you back to the police station they would do everything they could to make it harder for us. For example, it was very hot in the police station and there was a long wait to go to the bathroom.
Tsai’s visit came as Taiwanese lawmakers issued a cross-party joint statement criticizing Beijing’s plan to impose a draconian sedition and subversion law on Hong Kong, bypassing the city’s Legislative Council (LegCo)
the city’s seven million residents hunkered down for the traditional festivities, many public celebrations including the fireworks display were called off, with police citing fears for “public safety” in the wake of a protest movement that has seen thousands of arrests and thousands of tear gas canisters fired at crowds, amid a storm of international criticism
What began as protests over a proposed extradition law – meaning Hong Kongers could face trial in China’s Communist Party-controlled courts unleashed years of pent-up frustrations over creeping control by Beijing and an intentional erosion of Cantonese culture
The triads first began to organize as part of a patriotic movement to restore Ming rule. But they gradually turned to crime, including the sale of drugs, such as opium, heroin, and cocaine. They gained control of gambling and prostitution rings. Much like mafia groups, members are expected to regard each other as blood brothers