Free CIS

Free CIS A group of Chinese International School students passionate about HK. Views do not represent CIS. You can DM, privacy respected.

6.16 Protest March2,000,000+1 people on the streets two years ago ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀有燈就有人，念念不忘，必有回響。Where there is ...
16/06/2021

6.16 Protest March
2,000,000+1 people on the streets two years ago ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
有燈就有人，念念不忘，必有回響。
Where there is light, there is hope. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
Dear HongKongers, I still believe. Do you?
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀

Credit:

The Hong Kong police’s crackdown on the press continues. After a year of brutality towards reporters, the police release...
22/09/2020

The Hong Kong police’s crackdown on the press continues.

After a year of brutality towards reporters, the police released an order today, claiming that they would only recognize journalists from organizations recognized by the government and international news agencies that would fall under the vague description of “renowned”.

This renders many of the press passes from the Hong Kong Journalist Association useless, delegitimizing smaller medias and freelance journalists.

Many see this de-facto system of press accreditation as extremely detrimental, as they feel that law enforcement and the government will feel more comfortable to crackdown on any media organizations that they do not like, forcing organizations to either self-censor or to report with bias.

This marks yet another step forward in the deterioration of press freedom in Hong Kong.

In the wake of the forceful implementation of the national security law, many Hong Kongers have chosen to pursue lives o...
29/08/2020

In the wake of the forceful implementation of the national security law, many Hong Kongers have chosen to pursue lives overseas in exile, to avoid what they feel to be their inevitable political persecution.

With the most safe destination being the freer shores of Taiwan, Hong Kong’s political refugees have safely escaped multiple times before in July. However, the most recent batch, just earlier this week, have failed to escape successfully.

Their escape failed as bad weather interrupted their plans, and as the Hong Kong police found out. However, being the Hong Kong police, they were still too late to catch the escapees, instead informing mainland Chinese coastguard of their journey. They were then promptly intercepted, arrested, and are now detained in Shenzhen.

The detainees number 12, the youngest being only 16 years old. Several of the detainees were previously arrested over Hong Kong’s 2019 protests, the most notable of which is Andy Li, who was accused of “inciting secession” and was arrested under the national security law.

It is important for us to keep up with this case, as we worry that the detainees may face torture and abuse in Chinese detention, or the kangaroo courts that make up China’s rigged criminal justice system.

Graphic: HK01

Many in the pro-democracy camp see the legco elections as one of the few ways to save Hong Kong.Faced with a massive cha...
28/06/2020

Many in the pro-democracy camp see the legco elections as one of the few ways to save Hong Kong.

Faced with a massive challenge that is the pro-Beijing camp, and in light of threats from the central government itself, the pro-democracy camp and its hopefuls for the legislative council have decided to come together and reorganize.

They have decided that in order to avoid pro-democracy votes being spread over various candidates, American-style primary elections will have to be held. The most popular candidates will then go forth to participate in the final elections.

One candidate to look out for is Southeast Asian social worker Jeffery Andrews, the first of Southeast Asian ethnicity to run for a legislative council position in Hong Kong.

A pro-democracy majority in the Legislative Council chamber would be a significant victory for Hong Kong.

Though general opinion in Hong Kong sways towards the pro-democracy camp, September’s elections will still be a major challenge, given the grim future for opposition in Hong Kong. Candidates could see disqualification, imprisonment under the soon-to-be implemented National Security Legislation, voter suppression, and so on. And perhaps the greatest challenge of all that must be contended with is the already rigged Legislative council voting system.

Tuesday marked 1 year since the beginning of Hong Kong’s protest movement.A year ago, tear gas was a rarity and a shock....
10/06/2020

Tuesday marked 1 year since the beginning of Hong Kong’s protest movement.

A year ago, tear gas was a rarity and a shock. People protested freely in the street, without so much as a mask. The concepts of “yellow” and “blue” rarely defined the citizens of Hong Kong.The police would stand amongst the people, directing traffic and ensuring that the protest would flow smoothly through the roads of Hong Kong.

Today, the war wages on a multitude of fronts. On the frontlines, brave students risk their lives in order to protect the tens of thousands of peaceful protestors behind them. Journalists risk their lives in order to tell the world the truth, not just fighting a battle against police brutality but also fighting against the gradual decline of press freedom in Hong Kong. Economically, money is strategically spent on shops deemed “yellow”, in order to support and sustain the “yellow economic circle”. Internationally, prominent Hong Kong activists rally to generate international solidarity and pressure from foreign governments.

Yet - why does it have to be like this, all for the purpose of fulfilling 5 simple yet seemingly unachievable demands?

Was withdrawing the extradition bill so difficult?

Is reducing the use of the at times incorrect term “riot” something stupid to ask for?

Is demanding the review of politically motivated incarcerations irrational?

What is wrong with an independent review of police misconduct?

And most importantly, why can we not have the full democracy that we were promised so long ago?

This movement, though factionalized between a variety of viewpoints, rests on the 5 demands - and until they are fulfilled, there will is no end in sight. No one knows what will happen beyond 2047, but the bottom line of what should happen tomorrow is clear: the constitutional fulfillment of the 5 demands.

It is not until we’ve given up that we can say that we have failed or lost, so another year, it will have to be.

In defiance of the police ban, thousands of Hong Kongers came out to commemorate the Tiananmen Square massacare of 31 ye...
04/06/2020

In defiance of the police ban, thousands of Hong Kongers came out to commemorate the Tiananmen Square massacare of 31 years ago. From the tight alleyways of Mong Kok, to the fenced off pitches of Victoria Park, to people’s own homes, candles were lit. On this night, many touching actions were seen, and no violence was seen.

We feel that as long as we continue to fight fight for freedom in Hong Kong, hope still exists. For if we do not do so, then the deaths of those at Tiananmen Square will have all have been in vain.

Let us join hands and hope for a better future in Hong Kong and China. That is what those lost at Tiananmen would have wanted.

The Hong Kong Police have just banned this year’s Tiananmen Square vigil in Victoria Park, citing public health concerns...
01/06/2020

The Hong Kong Police have just banned this year’s Tiananmen Square vigil in Victoria Park, citing public health concerns. This is the first time it has ever been banned since the vigils began in 1990.

Every year, a candle lighting vigil happens in Victoria park to honor those murdered by the Chinese government in the Tiananmen Square massacre, June 4th, 1989.

Organizer appeals to the police have failed. Organizers have asked that people stay home, to light a candle at 8:00pm, and to observe a moment of silence at 8:09pm. This is an activity that we recommend everyone, regardless of opinion, attends, as we feel it imperative for everyone to honor those who have died unjustly, and to honor the death if democracy in China.

With the national security legislation already well on its way, it is likely that Hong Kong’s annual Tiananmen square vigils will never happen again, according to ex-chief executive CY Leung.

Please stand with justice, freedom, and democracy and honor those who were so violently put down before us.

Yesterday, in Minneapolis, USA, an African American named George Floyd was killed by the policeman arresting him. The po...
27/05/2020

Yesterday, in Minneapolis, USA, an African American named George Floyd was killed by the policeman arresting him. The policeman knelt on his neck for 9 minutes, as Floyd continuously expressed his inability to breath and his surrender. He was later pronounced dead.

The photo on the right is from several weeks ago. A southeast asian man was killed by the Hong Kong police force for allegedly having drugs on him. He died in a similar fashion to George Floyd.

The 4 officers handling George Floyd’s arrest have since been fired. The officer who killed him now faces charges of manslaughter.

Over in Hong Kong, nothing. If this sort of unaccountability and violence happens on a non-political level of the Hong Kong police force, one cannot imagine what happens on the stage of political protest.

Photo: Apple Daily

National Security Legislation - the end of Hong Kong as we know it. -On May 21st, the National People’s Congress of Chin...
23/05/2020

National Security Legislation - the end of Hong Kong as we know it. -
On May 21st, the National People’s Congress of China convened to discuss and pass resolutions. One of the resolutions they passed was regarding the implementation of National Security Legislation in Hong Kong.
-
This National Security Legislation seeks to criminalize secession, sedition, and subversion. It will be implemented without consultation of the Hong Kong Legislative Council or the people of Hong Kong. The new laws will make any sort of peaceful political protest illegal, by labelling it as action to overthrow the government.
-
National Security Legislation is incredibly vague in its wording, leaving it wide open to wild exploitation where any sort of dissidence is quashed via “interpretations” of these new laws.
-
It is impossible to see how this doesn’t destroy the freedoms that we love in Hong Kong. Non-political activism will become increasingly difficult too, and it is likely that the same firewalls seen in China will pop up in Hong Kong. Life as we know it may once and for all disappear.
-
That is why we, Free CIS, would like to ask this of members of the Chinese International School community:
1. Please put last year’s unrest, turmoil, and controversy behind, and not use it as an excuse to be politically apathetic;
2. Remain informed and updated on events;
3. Remain tolerant and empathetic towards any actions that Hong Kongers might take
4. Spread the word, by sharing this post or others.
-
We are not asking you to go out to protest, or to side with our opinion. Instead, we are asking you all to at the very least be aware, or should you choose, care, about our home, Hong Kong, and its death.
-
“In the end, there will be no winners in this revolution. But please, stay to bear witness.” If anyone will be able to tell the tale, it is us, the international school students, with our diverse passports. Let us, the privileged, take the burden of being able to one day tell the world the truth about Hong Kong, as other Hong Kongers may never be able to.
-
In the following weeks, we will post updates and more information about National Security Legislation.

National Security Legislation - the end of Hong Kong as we know it. On May 21st, the National People’s Congress of China...
23/05/2020

National Security Legislation - the end of Hong Kong as we know it.

On May 21st, the National People’s Congress of China convened to discuss and pass resolutions. One of the resolutions they passed was regarding the implementation of National Security Legislation in Hong Kong.

This National Security Legislation seeks to criminalize secession, sedition, and subversion. It will be implemented without consultation of the Hong Kong Legislative Council or the people of Hong Kong. The new laws will make any sort of peaceful political protest illegal, by labelling it as action to overthrow the government.

It is impossible to see how this doesn’t destroy the freedoms that we love in Hong Kong. Non-political activism will become increasingly difficult too, and it is likely that the same firewalls seen in China will pop up in Hong Kong. Life as we know it may once and for all disappear.

National Security Legislation is incredibly vague in its wording, leaving it wide open to wild exploitation where any sort of dissidence is quashed via “interpretations” of the laws.

Realistically speaking, there is not much more for Hong Kong to do, but protest.

That is why we, Free CIS, would like to ask this of members of the Chinese International School community:
1. Please put last year’s unrest, turmoil, and controversy behind, and not use it as an excuse to be politically apathetic;
2. Remain informed and updated on events;
3. Spread the word, by sharing this post or others.

We are not asking you to go out to protest, or to side with our opinion. Instead, we are asking you all to at the very least be aware, or should you choose, care, about our home, Hong Kong, and its death.

“In the end, there will be no winners in this revolution. But please, stay to bear witness.” If anyone will be able to tell the tale, it is us, the international school students, with our diverse passports. Let us, the privileged, take the burden of being able to one day tell the world the truth about Hong Kong, as other Hong Kongers may never be able to.

In the following weeks, we will post updates and more information about National Security Legislation.

On the 15th of May, the Independent Police Complaints Council released their first report, regarding police operations o...
18/05/2020

On the 15th of May, the Independent Police Complaints Council released their first report, regarding police operations on protests up till September. The report was meant to look into complaints and allegations of police misconduct, and to follow up with recommendations directly to the police Commissioner Chris Tang on how to proceed.

The report itself gives a summary of events from June until March. This summary was mostly factual, but at times was one-sided and written with denotation.

The rest of the report discusses individual instances, such as the events of the Yuen Long attacks on July 21st, or the Prince Edward MTR station raid on August 31st. On every single one of the instances that went into detail however, for the most part the IPCC cleared the police force of any blame, something that is difficult to agree with.

Overall, one could describe the report as more of a police investigation into protests, rather than an investigation that intends to bring the perpetrators of police brutality to justice. It is impossible to not see how the report seeks to blame protestors for police action.

The IPCC summarized that though there were instances of misconduct with individual policemen, the issue was not systemic. This is impossible to agree with, as yes, the issue is internal.

It is clear that in the police force, there is no accountability or discipline even for the most obvious of misconducts. In fact, one could even describe the internal attitude towards violence against protestors and innocents as a “glory culture”. Because of how corrupt the top dogs are, there is no precedent set to control individual officers.

And regardless of how one sees the report - if the commissioner does not punish those that even the IPCC deem as incorrect, then the IPCC in all its mediocrity has still failed to achieve what it has claimed to: justice.

Image: RTHK

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