19 Arrested near #PolyU All Charged with Rioting --One Arrestee Claimed He was Beaten by Mandarin-speaking Officer

[Nov 19] During the siege of PolyU on Sunday (Nov 17), the Hong Kong police arrested and charged all who attempted to leave the campus with “rioting”. Citizens organized to rescue those trapped and engaged in clashes with the police.

These 19 people arrested were at 5am on November 18 at Cheong Wan Road near PolyU were mentioned in court the next day after their arrest. Most were injured. A secondary school student recalled that a male police officer, masked, threatened to rape him in 'San Uk Leng'. Another stated that a Mandarin-speaking "police officer" with no badge hit and kicked his head. One said that their medical personnel badge was gone after presenting it as evidence.

Source: Inmedia

Evidence of Police Attack of Polytechnic University

The video captures in the morning of #Nov18 :
- Nonstop gunshots fired by the Police
- Police violently dragged subdued citizens all the way down the staircase and then on the ground
- Police stormed in the premise of #PolyU (which they denied)

At the end of the video, the police ordered the reporter to stop filming, just as the police had turned the PolyU campus into a warzone.

Source: RTHK

[Video] Letter of apology found in a room with bloodstain
https://publielectoral.lat/guardiansofhongkong/11547

[Timeline] Police barged in and assaulted university campus
https://publielectoral.lat/guardiansofhongkong/11519

2 More Civilians Leave PolyU Campus Escorted by Volunteer First-aiders

0356 | At midnight, two students, aged 21 and 22, both from the City University of Hong Kong (CityU), left the #PolyU campus with the help of a voluntary first aider. They were first registered by the Police before being sent to the hospital. The first-aiders who persuaded them to exit Poly U stated that both students were in poor condition, and were completely worn out. They showed symptoms of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder as they were on constant alert in fear of sudden Police manoeuvres into the University. The first-aiders spent a lot of time to convince the duo to leave. The first-aider also stated that at least 20 civilians were still seeking refuge within the Poly U campus. Some of them began developing suicidal thoughts, and from his knowledge, at least 5 civilians have developed a tendency to harm themselves by cutting their hands with sharp objects. The situation of those inside PolyU campus had been alarming to many.

Source: RTHK

#Nov25

Dr. Darren Mann, a surgeon who attended the casualties at #PolyU, wrote in an article in medical journal to condemn the Hong Kong Police for violating international humanitarian standards
#HumanitarianCrisis

Hong Kong Police Force Enter #PolyU; University Claims it did not participate in the Security Taskforce of the Police

0810 | Mr Lam Yat-Fan, Action Commissioner of Police Operations entered PolyU this morning and stated two major objectives for the police operation today: To find any potentially dangerous objects and to search for evidence of the riot.

He mentioned that if any civilians are found, police negotiators and social workers will be available to help them. He emphasized that the main objectives of today is not to arrest civilians, but to assist in their health condition, and that there is no riot police or any undercover officers at PolyU today.

At 8am, Yeung Li-Wei, Vice-president of PolyU, entered the University with firemen to search and handle any dangerous goods found onsite. He said that PolyU did not involve in the operation of the Hong Kong Police Force.

Source: Now News
#Nov28 #PolyU

#PolyU

1223 | Police had withdrawn from PolyU. A woman entered the campus via the footbridge in Hung Hom MTR Station. She told the reporter that she cried and was overwhelmed when she saw the blood stained clothing and the scenes that left behind.

Source: Apple Daily

20-year-old protester granted bail after 120-day detention

During the police siege of #PolyU last November, police also arrested many citizens who joined protests in a hope to save the trapped ones inside the university campus. Among them, a 20-year-old woman, surnamed Kwong, has been detained for almost 120 days.

Of the 19 defendants charged with riotting in the same case, all but one of them was suspected of possessing weapons, and the remaining 17 had been released on bail.

Kwong applied on March 18 to Kowloon City Magistrates Court for bail review. The prosecution did not object to the application, and the Acting Magistrate postponed the hearing to March 24 at the West Kowloon Magistrates' Court.

During this period, the defendant was granted a cash bail of $40,000 on condition including residence at a designated address, denial of departure and surrender of travel documents. A curfew is imposed and regular check-in to the police station is required 3 days a week.

Source: Stand News #Mar18

#Court
15 More Charged with Rioting during #PolyU Siege

15 more citizens, including YouTuber Auman, were charged of riot and possession of arms or ammunition during the PolyU siege in November 2019. The case was heard in Eastern Magistrates' Courts on May 18.

Outside the court, the counsel who represented three of the defendants revealed that the police ordered the arrested to kneel in an outdoor carpark overnight. They suffered for 4 hours without food and water, time to use the bathroom and meeting their lawyers. If they talk, they will be insulted by the police using foul language. This process only ended because someone fainted.

Another counsel tried to file a complaint in court that the police used disproportionate violence against the defendant when subduing him. Yet, the magistrate stopped him and asked him to file it in the next hearing.

Since the prosecutor needed time to prepare documents, the hearing was adjourned to 20 Aug in West Kowloon Magistrates Courts.

Source: InMedia #May18

"Liberate Hong Kong" and "Save 12": Pro-democracy Slogans Appear Near University Before the One-year Mark of the Siege of #PolyU

On the eve of the one-year mark of the siege of the Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU), protest slogans "Liberate Hong Kong" and "Save 12" appeared on a footbridge after midnight on November 12, 2020.

Since the #PolyUSiege, a wire fence has been install along the footbridge connecting the campus to the train station. The pro-democracy slogans were formed by padlocks of different colors attached to the fence.

Source: Stand News # Nov12
https://www.facebook.com/710476795704610/posts/3635976876487906/

#NeverForget #NeverForgive #Save12 #Save12HKYouths

#PolyUSiege
#PolyU University Managememt Suppresses Students' Union's Commemorative Events, Bans
Screenings and Newspaper Advertisement, Threatens Students with Penalties


On the eve of the one-year mark of the siege of the Hong Kong Polytechnic University Students (PolyU), the Students' Union (#PUSU) planned to hold the screenings of two documentaries, 'Save PolyU ' and 'Inside the Red Brick Wall' on November 17 and 18, 2020, in addition to publishing a statement on the front page of Apple Daily.

However, the university management stated in an email sent to the Students' Union on Nov 11, 2020 that the screenings and the newspaper advertisement were banned. If the students do not comply, the university authorities will impose a series of punishments including terminating their use and management rights of the students' union venues; the university will also stop collecting the students union's fee for them, among other disciplinary penalties.

The Students Union condemned the university's intervention, describing it as an act intending to 'wipe out the bloody scenes in our campus'. Regarding the use of venues and operation in the future, the Union will rearrange the screenings and post the statement via their social media instead.

Source: Stand News #Nov12
#PoliticalSuppression #Censorship #University #NeverForget #NeverForgive

#PoliticalPrisoner #MassArrest
#PolyUSiege: HK Police Arrests 21 Civilians Including Student Standing in Public Exam

The police arrested 21 civilians in Hong Kong on the morning of April 26, 2021. The arrestees have refused bail in the Hong Kpng Polytechnic University (#PolyU) clash during the 2019 Anti-ELAB protest.

The Organised Crime and Triad Bureau of the Hong Kong Police Force charged them with “perverting the course of justice” as they were suspected of assisting other civilians trapped in the PolyU campus to avoid from being tracked.

Stand News found that one of the arrestees is a public exam HKDSE candidate who was absent for the subject Liberal Studies - Paper 1 exam due to police detention.

His/ her educational pathway will be obstructed as this paper accounts for 56% of the assessment, which is a core subject and required to obtain at least a level 2 in university admission.

Source: Stand News #Apr23

https://bit.ly/3aCvqb2

#PoliceState #PoliticalSuppression

Tears Shed at Premier of PolyU Siege Documentary in London

The documentary "Inside the Red Brick Wall" was shown in the Open City documentary festival in London on September 11. The film captured one of the most aggressive crackdowns of Hongkonger's fight for democracy during the anti-Extradition movement in 2019, the police siege against protesters in Polytechnic University (#PolyU).

Many Hongkongers that have recently arrived in the UK went to see this documentary. Among them was a pro-democracy supporters, K, who said she took part in one of the demonstrations near the university. K told reporters that the documentary has brought back memories of the crackdown and her involvement in those demonstrations.

She was very saddened because she knew that those endured the sufferings during the siege were ordinary youngsters, real people with flesh and blood. She couldn't help but shed tears as she watched the documentary.

K acknowledged that the screening in UK did provide a platform for Hongkongers to get together, so that they knew they were not alone and can seek support when needed.

She hopes for the documentary to be shown in other countries, to let the world better understand what is happening in Hong Kong. She believes that the question-and-answer session at the end of the show helped local people understand what Hong Kong people has gone through during the movement.

#PolyUseige #FightForFreedom #StandwithHK #Documentary #InsidetheRedBrickWall #HongKongCinema #Screening #London

Source: Stand News; #Sept12
https://www.thestandnews.com/international/%E7%90%86%E5%A4%A7%E5%9C%8D%E5%9F%8E%E8%8B%B1%E5%9C%8B%E9%A6%96%E6%94%BE%E6%98%A0-%E6%B8%AF%E4%BA%BA%E8%A7%80%E5%BD%B1%E8%90%BD%E6%B7%9A

HK Documentary about #PolyUSiege Wins Grand Prize at International Documentary Festival in Japan

The documentary "Inside the Red Brick Wall", chronicling the 13-day police siege of #PolyU during the #AntiELAB movement, has won the grand prize at Japan's #Yamagata International Documentary Film Festival. This honor has never been won by a Hong Kong film in its three-decade history, until now.

The film was selected as the best Hong Kong film of 2020 by the Hong Kong Film Critics Society. However, it had been shunned by local cinemas after pro-government media labeled it anti-police and anti-government. Its premiere was cancelled only hours before its showing by the hosting cinema.

The panel of judges noted that the documentary showed citizens and students being trapped by the police inside Polytechnic University; it documented the reality of youngsters, including minors, as they faced these dire circumstances, whether or not they had food. Live footage also showed photographers being fired upon within the campus

[editor's note: according to statistics from Hong Kong Journalists Association, 3 journalists had been shot with pepper balls at close range].

The film itself carries historical significance.

The film's directors, listed as "Hong Kong Documentary Filmmakers", thanked the organizers through a pre-recorded video. They said that under Hong Kong's current oppressive environment, they must regroup and be formless like water, but believed that "we'll walk together again".

"To all who believe in freedom", they added, "The only response to oppression is resistance. We will keep moving, and keep on filming."

Source: Citizen News #Oct13
https://bit.ly/3awuc0v

#Film #Documentary #Resistance #ProtestArt #FilmFestival

#Brainwashing #Education
Universities in Hong Kong to Implement Courses on Modern China and National Security

Under the #NationalSecurityLaw (#NSL), educationsl institutions in Hong Kong were requested to implement national security education.

Universities like the Hong Kong Polytechnic University (#PolyU), the Hong Kong Baptist University (#HKBU), the Hong Kong Education University (#EdUHK) and the Hong Kong Lingnan University (#HKLU) have followed the government order.

Recently, the Chinese University of Hong Kong (#CUHK) has reportedly amended their core curriculum for the next academic year.

CUHK will open online courses on "Understanding China Today", and "National Security" starting from the next academic year. Each of them takes account to 1 credit.

CUHK confirms InMedia's enquiry and claimed that the new courses aimed to "strengthen students' knowledge [...] to understand national security". The courses were authorised by the University's academic council; however, no curriculum details have been revealed.

According to the documents InMedia received, the course titled "Understanding China Today" touched upon the modernization of China and technological development, in addition to Chinese culture and history. In addition to national security education, other online courses cover positive psychology and modern language. Each of the course takes account to 1 credit.

The University called it "Service Learning" and requires students to take at least one of thrse 1-credit courses.

CUHK replies to InMedia that the university would launcb national security education in accordance with Article 10 of the NSL. The university also said that they have already rolled out a number of policies and activities to "increase students' national belonging". Orientation activities include theme talks about national security and media literacy; courses contain a talk regarding "international circumstances and China's diplomacy"; graduates career workshops consist of #BasicLaw.

Source: Inmedia #Jan18
https://bit.ly/3nwAVhB

#Propaganda #Regime #University

#Oppression #Authoritarianism
Hong Kong University forces boarding students to leave dormitories and stops them from protesting

Claiming pandemic-control, at least five tertiary institutions in Hong Kong told dormitory residents to return home.

On February 10, the Chinese University of Hong Kong (#CUHK) told occupants of its student residences to leave in two days’ time by February 12 – 13.

Polytechnic University (#PolyU), Baptist University and City University (#CityU) said they also had plans to “encourage” residents to leave.

The university’s decision has caught many students in surprises, putting them through unnecessary disturbances and therefore, elicited resentment.

In just a few hours after #CUHK’s announcement, over 500 students of the university joined a discussion group on social media, calling to protest the school’s arrangement.

Although these students reiterated that their actions would remain peaceful and they would only attempt to hand in petition letter to the university, the university reacted fervently with tens of uniformed security officers stationed visible at where the students gathered.

The security guards were seen pointing video cameras at protesting students and shouting through loudspeakers for students to leave the site or they might risk violating the COVID-19 gathering restrictions.

Source: inmediahk; #Feb11
https://bit.ly/3BcsRbI

#Oppression
Polytechnic University cuts ties with student union

The student union of Polytechnic University (#PolyU) said on April 15, 2022 that the university had cut ties with it by demanding that it stop using the university's name or claiming affiliation with the institution.

The union's Ad-hoc Executive Committee said the university had also demanded that all of its affiliated organisations must move out of the university campus by July 15, 2022.

The student union said the move came after it had refused to sign an agreement with the university requiring it not to carry out any acts that would damage the institution's reputation.

The union said it decided not to accept the agreement after the majority of its members had voted against signing it in January.

It expressed deep regret over the university’s move, saying the union had been serving PolyU students for half a century and been a bridge between the study body and the university.

It said the university’s decision means it no longer recognises the union's official status and that it amounted to an erosion of students' rights.

#PolyUseige #StudentsUnion

Sources: Ming Pao, RTHK; #Apr15

https://bit.ly/38ZtdbL