Social-Media
The security law of Hong Kong scares citizens in social media scrubbing, self-censorship
(WSJ) China's new National Security Act for Hong Kong sends shivers through a city where people are used to speaking freely, prompting some to quickly change their behavior and hiding their support from the city's protest movement for fear of becoming a target.
Although the authorities have made promises that the law can only apply to a very limited number of people, the breadth of the legislation has given the police a wide mandate to implement it, spreading fear beyond campaigners, journalists and teachers who are already under further scrutiny by the authorities.
Around 10 a.m. Thursday, four police officers inspected a restaurant in the neighborhood of Shau Kei Wan, after receiving complaints that the shop may violate national security law by displaying posters and messages supporting demonstrators, according to Gordon Lam, organizer of a small restaurant federation who is a friend of the owner.
The police warned that they would take legal action against the shop if the posters were still up until the door opened, Mr. Lam said, after hearing the specifics from the restaurant workers who declined to comment.
On its Facebook page, the restaurant, called Bowl and Plate, said it was only available for take-out, with only workers allowed inside.
Late Thursday, the Hong Kong government declared that the popular slogan of "Liberate Hong Kong, Revolution of Our Times" had separatist meanings, and called on people not to defy the law.
Anxiety over the consequences of the new law is widespread in this area, where the protest movement has gained strong public support. Pro-democracy candidates secured a landslide win in the November elections in the district. But those who have not been contacted by the police are taking action to ensure that their support for the campaign is not focused on the law.
Jonathan Chan, co-owner of a restaurant that explicitly supports the campaign, removed all the posters and materials that referred to the city's independence — a fringe concept a year ago that has gained that support from more extreme demonstrators in recent months.
The movement is still going on, but our attention has moved away from the streets, said Mr. Chan. "The first thing we need to do is protect our lives before we can do more."
The new law introduced by Beijing is aimed at secession, subversion, insurgency and cooperation with international or external powers in order to place national security at risk. It makes it a criminal act to help someone who commits terrorism, even by offering them transport or giving them money.
The legislation provides provisions for life imprisonment and trial on the mainland in some situations, such as immediate danger or the intervention of foreign countries or external factors" that make the trial in the city difficult.
The reach of the law exceeds expectations, said Cora Chan, associate professor of law at the University of Hong Kong, who co-edited a book on how China views its national security and the role of Hong Kong. The definitions of the four crimes are very broad and vague and are bound to have a serious chilling effect on freedoms.
Mr. Lam, of the restaurant federation, blamed the police force for going after restaurants in an effort to disrupt the "yellow economy," referring to a city-wide network of businesses that openly sponsored the demonstrations in recent months. Many of these stores pulled signs and cheerful notices with encouraging messages when the law came into effect.
Freedom of expression and business is a key principle of Hong Kong, he said. Hong Kong would no longer be Hong Kong if it loses its core value and is no different from Shanghai or Shenzhen.
A police spokeswoman did not respond immediately to a request for comments. On Wednesday, the force said it was ready to uphold the statute.
The city's former chief executive, Leung Chun-ying, has offered $1 million in Hong Kong dollars (129,024 dollars) for anyone who supports the arrest of national security offenders.
On Wednesday, the police arrested a man who had boarded a U.K.-bound plane for allegedly stabbing an officer in a street brawl earlier in the day as demonstrators swarmed the streets of the city. Local media reported that the man had been turned into a relative.
Some analysts claim that the city's deep divides can expand as pro-establishment advocates use the law to report relatives, teachers or colleagues to agencies responsible for the enforcement of national security.
Source: Wall Street Journal by Natasha Khan and Joyu Wang
