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Hong Kong activist hits out at Beijing in video over missing booksellers Hong Kong activist hits out at Beijing in video over missing booksellers
(about 9 hours later)
A young pro-democracy activist in Hong Kong has released a video, which has gone viral, attacking Beijing’s campaign of “political suppression” following the disappearances of five booksellers.A young pro-democracy activist in Hong Kong has released a video, which has gone viral, attacking Beijing’s campaign of “political suppression” following the disappearances of five booksellers.
Agnes Chow, a 19-year-old student who was a prominent figure during the former colony’s 2014 ”umbrella movement” protests, posted the five-minute video on Facebook on Saturday, three days after a bookshop owner, Lee Po, became the latest member of Hong Kong’s publishing community to vanish. Agnes Chow, a 19-year-old student who was a prominent figure during the former colony’s 2014 ”umbrella movement” protests, posted the five-minute video on Facebook on Saturday, three days after a bookshop owner, Lee Bo, became the latest member of Hong Kong’s publishing community to vanish.
By Monday lunchtime Chow’s video – titled “An urgent cry from Hong Kong” and filmed in English – had been viewed more than 820,000 times.By Monday lunchtime Chow’s video – titled “An urgent cry from Hong Kong” and filmed in English – had been viewed more than 820,000 times.
In her video message, Chow, a second-year student at Hong Kong’s Baptist University, hit out at Chinese authorities over the apparent abductions of five booksellers who specialised in tabloid-style tomes about the private lives of Communist party officials.In her video message, Chow, a second-year student at Hong Kong’s Baptist University, hit out at Chinese authorities over the apparent abductions of five booksellers who specialised in tabloid-style tomes about the private lives of Communist party officials.
Related: Hong Kong politicians call for Beijing to answer over bookseller's 'abduction'Related: Hong Kong politicians call for Beijing to answer over bookseller's 'abduction'
“I have an important message that I hope to spread to the world,” says Chow, who is also a prominent member of the student protest group Scholarism.“I have an important message that I hope to spread to the world,” says Chow, who is also a prominent member of the student protest group Scholarism.
“Unlike mainland China, Hong Kong does not adopt authoritarian governance. Citizens who sell politically sensitive books are not supposed to be suppressed by any threats of disappearance and imprisonment, with the existence of freedom of press and speech.”“Unlike mainland China, Hong Kong does not adopt authoritarian governance. Citizens who sell politically sensitive books are not supposed to be suppressed by any threats of disappearance and imprisonment, with the existence of freedom of press and speech.”
Chow recorded the video message after Lee, 65, went missing in Hong Kong last Wednesday.Chow recorded the video message after Lee, 65, went missing in Hong Kong last Wednesday.
One of the others who have gone missing, Gui Minhai, 51, was apparently abducted from his beachfront holiday home in Thailand. Supporters suspect Chinese security officials, possibly angered by the publishers’ books, have spirited them into custody in the mainland.One of the others who have gone missing, Gui Minhai, 51, was apparently abducted from his beachfront holiday home in Thailand. Supporters suspect Chinese security officials, possibly angered by the publishers’ books, have spirited them into custody in the mainland.
An editorial in the Communist party-controlled Global Times newspaper on Monday lashed out at the booksellers, who, it claimed, “relied on causing trouble in mainland China to survive”. It made no comment on the whereabouts of the missing publishers but said their books were filled with “vicious fabrication”.An editorial in the Communist party-controlled Global Times newspaper on Monday lashed out at the booksellers, who, it claimed, “relied on causing trouble in mainland China to survive”. It made no comment on the whereabouts of the missing publishers but said their books were filled with “vicious fabrication”.
Chow said the apparent abduction of Lee Po called into question the “one country, two systems” formula that guarantees citizens of Hong Kong far greater freedoms than their counterparts in mainland China. Chow said the apparent abduction of Lee Bo called into question the “one country, two systems” formula that guarantees citizens of Hong Kong far greater freedoms than their counterparts in mainland China.
“In the past we were safe because we lived in Hong Kong instead of mainland China,” she said. “However, the circumstances have changed with the abduction.”“In the past we were safe because we lived in Hong Kong instead of mainland China,” she said. “However, the circumstances have changed with the abduction.”
Speaking to the Guardian on Monday, Chow said she had made the English-language video in order to raise global awareness of the apparent abductions and what she said was Beijing’s increasing meddling in Hong Kong’s affairs.Speaking to the Guardian on Monday, Chow said she had made the English-language video in order to raise global awareness of the apparent abductions and what she said was Beijing’s increasing meddling in Hong Kong’s affairs.
“I am really surprised by the huge numbers of views,” she said. “I didn’t really expect so many people to watch my video but I think that it shows [how much] Hong Kong people [care] about this issue.”“I am really surprised by the huge numbers of views,” she said. “I didn’t really expect so many people to watch my video but I think that it shows [how much] Hong Kong people [care] about this issue.”
Related: Gui Minhai: the strange disappearance of a publisher who riled China's eliteRelated: Gui Minhai: the strange disappearance of a publisher who riled China's elite
She added: “We feel like Hong Kong is becoming more dangerous – more and more dangerous – and [we feel] the erosion of the ‘one country, two systems’ [when] even something like cross-border abduction can happen in Hong Kong.She added: “We feel like Hong Kong is becoming more dangerous – more and more dangerous – and [we feel] the erosion of the ‘one country, two systems’ [when] even something like cross-border abduction can happen in Hong Kong.
“Political suppression in Hong Kong didn’t start today but we feel like more and more political suppression will happen after this cross-border abduction.”“Political suppression in Hong Kong didn’t start today but we feel like more and more political suppression will happen after this cross-border abduction.”
At the end of her video, Chow says the disappearance of the five Hong Kong booksellers reminded her of the words of Martin Niemöller, the German pastor who opposed the Nazis.At the end of her video, Chow says the disappearance of the five Hong Kong booksellers reminded her of the words of Martin Niemöller, the German pastor who opposed the Nazis.
“First they came for the activists, and I did not speak out because I was not an activist,” Chow says. “Then they came for the journalists, and I did not speak out because I was not a journalist. Then they came for the bookseller, and I did not speak out because I was not a bookseller. Then they came for me and there was no one left to speak for me.”“First they came for the activists, and I did not speak out because I was not an activist,” Chow says. “Then they came for the journalists, and I did not speak out because I was not a journalist. Then they came for the bookseller, and I did not speak out because I was not a bookseller. Then they came for me and there was no one left to speak for me.”
Beijing has not commented so far about the missing publishers. But Hong Kong’s pro-Beijing chief executive, CY Leung, was forced to speak out against Lee Po’s apparent abduction on Monday amid growing anger from pro-democracy groups. Beijing has not commented so far about the missing publishers. But Hong Kong’s pro-Beijing chief executive, CY Leung, was forced to speak out against Lee Bo’s apparent abduction on Monday amid growing anger from pro-democracy groups.
Leung said it would be “unacceptable and unconstitutional” for mainland security officials to operate in Hong Kong, the South China Morning Post reported. “No other law enforcement agencies, outside of Hong Kong, has such authority,” he said.Leung said it would be “unacceptable and unconstitutional” for mainland security officials to operate in Hong Kong, the South China Morning Post reported. “No other law enforcement agencies, outside of Hong Kong, has such authority,” he said.
Writing in the same newspaper, the columnist Alex Lo said answers were needed. “The midnight knock on the door is not something we have had to worry about in Hong Kong. But if we do now, that would be the end of our way of life,” he said.Writing in the same newspaper, the columnist Alex Lo said answers were needed. “The midnight knock on the door is not something we have had to worry about in Hong Kong. But if we do now, that would be the end of our way of life,” he said.