From 5h ago Sarah Basford Canales Marles will ‘make right decision in Australia’s interest’ over deploying navy vessels to Red Sea Earlier this morning, trade minister Don Farrell left open the possibility Australia could deploy navy vessels to the Red Sea amid ongoing attacks against commercial shipping from Iran-backed militia. This week the US asked Australia to send a warship to the region as part of its duties as a member of the international naval security taskforce, the combined maritime forces. It comes as the Yemen-based and Iran-backed Houthis warned…
Tag: Protest
World watches as landmark Jimmy Lai trial set to begin in Hong Kong
Hong Kong’s global reputation will be tested this week when the long-delayed trial of the pro-democracy activist and former media mogul Jimmy Lai gets under way. Lai, who turned 76 in jail this month, is charged with colluding with foreign forces under the national security law, as well as sedition. If convicted, which experts say is highly likely, the British national faces spending the rest of his life in prison. The trial starts on Monday, two weeks after another landmark hearing came to an end on 4 December. The Hong…
Chinese dissident who held Tiananmen Square vigils flees to Taiwan
A Chinese dissident known for regularly commemorating the 1989 crackdown on pro-democracy protesters in Beijing’s Tiananmen Square has fled to Taiwan where he pleaded for help in seeking asylum in the US or Canada. In a video posted online on Friday, Chen Siming said he was in the transit area at Taoyuan international airport to escape Chinese political persecution. “The Chinese police’s stability maintenance methods directed towards me were becoming more and more cruel and crazy,” he said in his post. “They detained me at will without following legal procedures,…
Daughter of Hong Kong exiled activist detained by national security police
Hong Kong national security police have reportedly detained the daughter of a wanted activist, in the latest move targeting the families of pro-democracy figures in exile. Mimi Mi Wahng Yuen, the daughter of Elmer Yuen, was taken for questioning on Monday morning, according to local media. Elmer Yuen, 74, is accused of having encouraged foreign countries to impose sanctions on Hong Kong officials and judges, online from the US, and promoting Hong Kong’s self-determination. Authorities in Hong Kong recently announced bounties HK$1m (£99,500) on eight activists wanted for arrest. All…
Hong Kong’s brash bid to catch overseas activists chafes against its claim to be open for business
In Hong Kong, wanted suspects can fetch a high price. Information leading to the prosecution of a man accused of murder can lead to a reward of HK$300,000 (£30,200). For two men wanted in connection with an arson case that killed 17 people, the incentive goes up to HK$400,000. But the highest prize goes to those who can help capture eight overseas-based pro-democracy activists who are accused of violating Hong Kong’s national security law. For them, the bounties are HK$1m each. For several of the accused, the warrants came as…
Hong Kong protesters allegedly attacked by Chinese activists in Southampton
Police are investigating after footage emerged apparently showing pro-Hong Kong demonstrators being violently attacked by a group of Chinese activists in Southampton. The alleged incident occurred after a rally to mark the anniversary of the 2019 protests for democratic changes in Hong Kong. Hampshire constabulary said they had received a report about a “hate-related assault” in Southampton, while Hong Kong community leaders denounced what they called a “blatant violation of the fundamental principles of freedom of expression, peaceful assembly, and the right to protest”. The group Hongkongers in Britain said:…
From the archive: How Hong Kong caught fire: the story of a radical uprising – podcast
We are raiding the Guardian Long Read archives to bring you some classic pieces from years past, with new introductions from the authors This week, from 2020: Hong Kong used to be seen as cautious, pragmatic and materialistic. But protests have transformed the city. As Beijing tightens its grip, how much longer can the movement survive? How to listen to podcasts: everything you need to know The Guardian
Torches and T-shirts: Hongkongers defy attempts to forget Tiananmen
For the past three years, Hong Kong authorities have gone to great lengths to stop people from lighting candles in Victoria Park and publicly commemorating the Tiananmen Square massacre – an annual tradition tens of thousands of residents had kept alive for three decades since the bloody crackdown in 1989. This year, the city took it a step further. On Sunday, in place of a mass vigil was a patriotic carnival held by pro-Beijing groups, celebrating the city’s return to Chinese rule with food booths, and dance and music performances.…
Hong Kong police detain eight people on eve of Tiananmen anniversary
Hong Kong police detained eight people, including activists and artists, on the eve of the 34th anniversary of China’s Tiananmen Square crackdown, a move that signals the city’s shrinking freedom of expression. Police said in a statement late on Saturday that four people had been arrested for allegedly disrupting order in public spaces or carrying out acts with seditious intent. Four others were taken away for investigation on suspicion of breaching public peace. Authorities did not immediately respond to an email seeking comment late on Saturday. The bloody 1989 clampdown…
Chinese censors remove protest site Sitong Bridge from online maps
Chinese censors scrubbing the internet of any words or symbols that could be used to reference the Tiananmen Square massacre in the run-up to Sunday’s anniversary have a new target in their sights: a bridge in Beijing where a rare protest was staged last year. As the 34th anniversary of the 1989 massacre approaches, anyone searching in Chinese for Sitong Bridge on Baidu maps will draw a blank. On 13 October 2022 white banners with large red characters criticising the Chinese Communist party (CCP) were hung over the bridge near…