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Thread: Hong Kong protests

  1. #16
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    Be lasers

    Gotta give HK cred for creative protests.

    Hongkongers create own harbourfront light show after activist arrested over laser pointer ‘offensive weapon’
    7 August 2019 21:10 Hong Wrong 2 min read

    Hundreds of Hongkongers gathered outside the Tsim Sha Tsui space museum on Wednesday evening to create their own “laser show” to coincide with the nightly light show organised with by the Tourism Board.


    Photo: Tom Grundy/HKFP.

    The gathering was a response to the arrest of Baptist University Student Union head Keith Fong on Tuesday night.

    Fong was arrested in Sham Shui Po after several off-duty police officers said they saw him purchasing ten laser pointers.

    Hong Kong Free Press

    @HongKongFP
    Hundreds of Hongkongers gathered to create their own “laser show” in Tsim Sha Tsui after a student was arrested for possessing offensive weapons - 10 laser pens. http://bit.ly/2ZFEW5p #hongkongprotests #china #antiELAB #hongkong

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    Police said he was found to be in suspicion of possessing offensive weapons.


    Photo: Tom Grundy/HKFP.

    That evening, hundreds besieged the local police station as officers fired tear gas to disperse them.


    Photo: Tom Grundy/HKFP.

    On Wednesday, a crowd of over a thousand people shone lasers at the harbourfront, amid cheers and chants of “Reclaim Hong Kong, revolution of our time.”

    Ryan Ho Kilpatrick 何松濤
    @rhokilpatrick
    · 7 Aug 2019
    Replying to @rhokilpatrick
    They were all just concentrating their lasers in an attempt to “set fire” to the planetarium, mocking police claims they can start fires. This is the joyous, comedic side of #HKprotests I’ve been missing amid the miasma of tear gas.

    Embedded video

    Ryan Ho Kilpatrick 何松濤
    @rhokilpatrick
    They’ve even got transparencies and now they’re doing hand shadow shows of dogs (police) chasing down and biting people! Remember when protests were fun?!

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    05:40 - 7 Aug 2019
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    “I’m so angry, the student was just buying (laser) pens. How can the police arrest him without other evidence or information?” a 28-year-old designer surnamed Lai told news agency AFP. “We are doing this to tell others that possessing a pen doesn’t mean having an offensive weapon, it has other purposes.”


    Photo: Tom Grundy/HKFP.

    The festivities continued past midnight with the crowd partaking in a dance party, as they sang songs, performed for each other and indulged in a brief water fight.

    Laser pointers have been used by anti-extradition law protesters to hinder police officers on the front lines of demonstrations.

    Galileo Cheng
    @galileocheng
    Ta Kung Po didn’t burn #antiELAB #ExtraditionLaw #HongKongProtests

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    Photo: May James/HKFP.

    Ezra Cheung
    @ezracheungtoto
    The famous Space Museum’s 3D Dome Movie Show from the other perspective. Human creativity and humour have no boundary. 😂😂 #antiELAB #ExtraditionLaw

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    After police sought to demonstrate during a press conference that the laser pens can burn paper, some of those gathered at the Space Museum questioned why nearby trees were not bursting into flames after they activated their laser pens.
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  2. #17
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    守护香港!驻香港部队的官宣,有态度、有力量!| 小央视频

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  3. #18
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    Quote Originally Posted by David Jamieson View Post
    I've got a bad feeling about how this is all going to end.

    Don't have a lot of faith in Xi and his government having a change of heart about democracy and autonomous government inside of of Chinese territory.

    The so called "leaders" will be getting getting rounded up and extradited under the bill that everyone is protesting to never been seen or heard from again.

    Authoritarian states are harsh.
    Sadly, I wouldn't be surprised if, 30 years from now, these HK protests are covered up by their government and long forgotten by the younger generations, in the same way that the younger generation in Beijing are unaware of the 1989 Tiananmen Square protests. You wouldn't think that could happen with something this big, but unfortunately, it can be made to happen.

  4. #19
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    Quote Originally Posted by Jimbo View Post
    Sadly, I wouldn't be surprised if, 30 years from now, these HK protests are covered up by their government and long forgotten by the younger generations, in the same way that the younger generation in Beijing are unaware of the 1989 Tiananmen Square protests. You wouldn't think that could happen with something this big, but unfortunately, it can be made to happen.
    The long march and the great leap forward combined with the cultural revolution wiped out the memories of an amazing past in so many ways.
    here in Canada, the native folk were subjected to loads of poor treatment and being forced to not use their languages and being forced to assimilate into
    Canadian (British/French) Society. It almost destroyed their collective memory. they are now getting back on their feet, languages are being revived, art forms, cultural events, the whole thing.

    Anyway, if these people can recover and thrive, so too can anyone, the Chinese people included.
    Kung Fu is good for you.

  5. #20
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    Jackie & Tony

    Both Jackie & Tony are taking a lot of heat for this.

    Jackie Chan and Tony Leung Ka-fai Voice Opposition to Hong Kong Pro-Democracy Protests
    As the uprising enters its 10th week, top celebs native to the former British colony take controversial stances.
    Tambay Obenson
    Aug 14, 2019 6:17 pm


    Top Photo Corporation/Shutterstock

    As Hong Kong heads into a 10th week of mass demonstrations against a controversial China extradition bill, facing a major political crisis, high-profile local natives Jackie Chan and Tony Leung Ka-fai have publicly thrown their weight behind Beijing over the mass protests that have swept the former British colonial outpost since March.

    In an interview with Chinese state broadcaster CCTV, Chan said (via Variety) it is “heartbreaking and worrying for many” to witness the gripping violence of the mass unrest, and that he supported the state TV’s campaign to protect the national flag “desecrated” by protesters. Specifically, Chan was referring to an incident in which pro-democracy protesters had thrown the flag of the People’s Republic of China into the sea.

    “On one hand, I needed to express my most basic patriotism as a Hong Kong citizen and a Chinese,” Chan said. “I am also one of the flag guards. On the other hand, I hoped to express our collective voice through participating in such a campaign.”

    Meanwhile, Tony Leung Ka-fai took part in a pro-police rally on June 30, where he posed with a sign reading, “Support the Police,” although he did not actually speak.

    The controversial move by Chan might especially come as a surprise, given that he has long been Hong Kong’s most recognizable and influential export, launching a career that would thrive while the city was still under British colonial rule (it was handed back to China in 1997). Once considered a likely successor to Bruce Lee in Hong Kong cinema, Chan instead developed his own blended style of martial arts and screwball physical comedy which proved to be box office gold, en route to making him Hong Kong’s highest paid actor.

    Leung, who burst onto the international scene after appearing in Jean-Jacques Annaud’s “The Lover” (1992), is also a film industry veteran, with a career that spans almost 40 years, earning four Best Actor Hong Kong Film Awards (the Hong Kong equivalent to the Oscars).

    What could be motivating both actors to take pro-Beijing positions, especially Leung, could be the box office. Leung’s most recent film, “Chasing the Dragon II” was in mainland China theaters at the time he attended the pro-police rally, where it grossed $43.6 million (RMB306 million).

    However, the 65-year-old Chan may have less on the line. His output isn’t anywhere as prolific as it was during his junior years, and, according to Forbes, already boasts a net worth of around $350 million.

    But Chan is certainly not new to stepping into political minefields, and has often sided with mainland Chinese government stances on a number of contentious issues. For example, during the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing, Chan spoke out against demonstrators attempting to draw attention to several grievances against the Chinese government. And in December 2012, Chan criticized Hong Kong as a “city of protest,” suggesting that demonstrators’ rights in Hong Kong should be limited.

    The current movement against a controversial law has expanded into something significantly larger. The protest has evolved to millions marching through the streets. While the majority of protestors have been peaceful, it’s clear that all sides are becoming increasingly frustrated. Protestors are now demanding greater democracy, as well as an investigation into alleged police brutality against demonstrators. And Beijing has taken an increasingly firm tone, calling the protesters “arrogant lunatics” that represent a “tiny minority,” promising “imminent punishment” to those who engage in violence.

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  6. #21
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    Crystal too?

    Ohhh, Jackie's in hot water for HK comments too.

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  7. #22
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    Crystal too?

    Ohhh, Jackie's in hot water for HK comments too.

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  8. #23
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    Last edited by PalmStriker; 08-17-2019 at 05:37 PM.

  9. #24
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    meanwhile, the rappers...

    Bryan Ke·August 16, 2019·13 min read
    Chinese Rappers Rally Together on Instagram in Support of Hong Kong Police



    Rappers in China are reposting a meme that has been circulating on Chinese social media to show support for the Hong Kong police as violent protests continue.

    The patriotic fury was ignited after a Chinese journalist was tied and assaulted by Hong Kong protesters who thought he was undercover police despite wearing a yellow high-visibility vest typically worn by journalists covering the protest on Tuesday night, according to Inkstone News.

    After the attack, two prominent members of China’s rap group Higher Brothers, Melo and DZ Know, shared images of the Chinese flag on their Instagram accounts on Wednesday afternoon.

    melo0729
    Verified




    melo0729's profile picture
    melo0729
    Verified
    Once again.I'm proud i'm a Chinese.
    5d
    Other Chinese artists also joined in, including “The Rap of China” champion PG One, who re-posted People Daily’s post that reads: “I support Hong Kong police, you can hit me” in Chinese characters and “What a shame for Hong Kong” written in English underneath it.


    Screenshot via Weibo

    “Support Hong Kong police, resist violent atrocities!!! I hope everyone is safe and secure!” PG One wrote in a Weibo post, Radii China reported.

    Miss Vava, another star in “The Rap of China” whose song was featured in the movie “Crazy Rich Asians,” shared the same post on her Instagram with a caption that reads, “Hong Kong is part of China forever.”

    vava.mis



    vava.mis's profile picture
    vava.mis
    Hong Kong is part of China forever
    Another Chinese rapper, After Journey, also shared the post on Instagram. “Compatriots, remember this day, remember this moment,” the caption reads in Chinese.

    afterjourney




    afterjourney's profile picture
    afterjourney
    同胞们,记住这一天,记住这一刻
    Featured Image via Instagram / higherbrothers (Left), Instagram / vava.mis (Right)
    Anyone follow Chinese rap and know anything about these rappers?
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  10. #25
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    Xu = pro-HK

    Now Xu Xiaodong has chimed in on the Hong Kong protests. It's interesting on which side various Chinese celebs are landing...

    Mixed Martial Arts
    MMA fighter Xu Xiaodong speaks out in support of Hong Kong people amid anti-government protests
    Controversial Chinese fighter suspects a smear campaign against the city
    Users of an online Hong Kong forum say they would welcome ‘Mad Dog’
    Chan Kin-wa
    Published: 2:13pm, 19 Aug, 2019


    Chinese MMA fighter Xu Xiaodong at his Beijing gym. Photo: Tom Wang

    Controversial Chinese MMA fighter Xu Xiaodong has sent a message of solidarity with Hong Kong’s anti-government protesters, but said he hoped the city’s social unity would not suffer lasting damage from tensions arising from recent developments.
    In online posts on social media platforms Sina Weibo and YouTube, Xu doubted whether mainland Chinese media reports on the protests had presented a clear picture of what was happening and many citizens seemed to believe the unrest was the work of gangsters and thugs, leading to some strong anti-Hong Kong sentiment on the mainland.
    Xu cited the case of a mainland citizen who was beaten up by protesters at Hong Kong International Airport last week, saying he felt ashamed of the behaviour of the man, whom he believed had been trying to provoke the crowd.
    The outspoken MMA fighter said he hoped a smear campaign was not being conducted and noted the importance of accepting the city was governed under the principle of “one country, two systems”.
    He posted in his social media accounts that he would kick people he suspected of trying to divide the country and smear Hong Kong people out of his “circle of friends”. Isolated violent acts and extreme individual behaviour were not broadly representative of most Hong Kong people’s attitude, he said.
    “Please let it be remembered, whatever Hong Kong people do, they are still part of our family,” he said. “Don’t be fooled by the evil power trying to turn Hong Kong people and Chinese people against each other.”
    The Beijing-based fighter said Hong Kong was China’s “Pearl of the Orient” and the world’s top free-trade port, as well as being the home of some of the world’s top universities. He said he had been watching Hong Kong movies and listening to Hong Kong music since his childhood. “Don’t forget all the blessings from Hong Kong people to the victims in big natural disasters in China,” he said.



    Last week, Xu also expressed his sympathy to Hong Kong people in his first ever YouTube live broadcast.
    “Hong Kong people are Chinese and I am also Chinese. That’s why I love Hong Kong people,” he said in the broadcast. “Someone asked me if I know what’s happening in Hong Kong and queried my right to make any comment. They may be right, but I want to ask why we don’t know what’s exactly happening in Hong Kong. Why?”
    Xu’s comments were well received online.
    In Hong Kong-based forum LIHKG, many users said they respected Xu, saying he was a brave person for speaking out and said the Beijing citizen would be welcome to emigrate to Hong Kong. However, there were also worries for his safety as the broadcast was closely monitored by the authorities.
    Reports said Xu, who is a fierce critic of what he calls “fake kung fu”, previously had his social credit score lowered to heavily restricted “D” status in China following a court order. As a result, Xu was not allowed to buy plane tickets or train tickets.
    He had the restrictions lifted after he eventually apologised but he said he ended up paying around US$37,250 after legal fees and the cost of paying for a public apology to be placed.
    I guess Xu doesn't need to wear clown make-up anymore. That's too bad. I was rather enjoying that.
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  11. #26
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    Oh man, Crystal...

    Yifei really stabbed herself in the foot with this one.

    In China, Disney's #BoycottMulan Problem May Only Be Growing
    3:28 PM PDT 8/20/2019 by Patrick Brzeski , Tatiana Siegel


    Walt Disney Studios
    Crystal Liu in Disney's 'Mulan.'

    As the star of its Chinese warrior epic sides with police amid growing pro-democracy protests, the company may be "dragged into" taking sides as a mass sit-in at Hong Kong Disneyland is considered.
    On Aug. 14, Crystal Liu, star of Disney's upcoming live-action Mulan, weighed in on Hong Kong's police crackdown of pro-democracy protesters. "I support Hong Kong's police, you can beat me up now," she wrote to her 65 million followers on social media platform Weibo, adding the hashtag "IAlsoSupportTheHongKongPolice," with heart and arm-flexing emojis.

    Backlash, and talk of a boycott of Mulan, greeted Liu's post, with many pointing to the various international organizations that have accused the Hong Kong police of brutality and excessive force. And while Disney has chosen to remain silent so far, the problem may not go away any time soon for the studio, whose 10 tentpoles in the past year have earned 12 percent of their $8.85 billion in grosses from China. On a huge film like Avengers: Endgame, which became the all-time box-office champ with $2.8 billion in worldwide ticket sales, China accounted for a stunning 22 percent of that total.

    "Disney can't support the protesters because their business in China is too important," notes Stanley Rosen, a professor at USC who specializes in the Chinese entertainment industry. "But they obviously can't be seen as pandering too much to China either, because that could backfire as well, depending on how the situation in Hong Kong unfolds."

    The studio's studied silence at the least risks tainting the idealism of its brand and inflaming the international #BoycottMulan campaign. But if Disney instead distances itself from its star's statement, it will almost certainly invoke the ire of China's Communist Party authorities, who view control over Hong Kong as one their most urgent concerns.

    A source close to Liu, 31, says she is being unfairly singled out given that other Chinese celebrities have voiced support for Beijing over the Hong Kong protest movement, including the city's own Jackie Chan and Tony Leung Ka-fai. Though protesters bristle at all stars who parrot an autocratic government's talking points, they have an ideal wedge with Liu as the lead of the upcoming global tentpole Mulan — about a young Chinese female fighter of injustice — that Disney will release March 27.

    The studio's apparent decision to try to duck the difficult PR dilemma has put it in the awkward spot of aligning its interests with Beijing and the Hong Kong government, both of which seem to be hoping that the protesters will lose their nerve.

    And yet, it's not as if Disney CEO Bob Iger hasn't taken a stance on hot-button political topics before. He stepped down from President Trump’s business advisory council in response to the president’s decision to withdraw from the Paris climate deal, calling the decision “a matter of principle.” Iger also said “I rather doubt [Disney] will” continue shooting in Georgia after the state passed one of the most restrictive abortion laws in the country.

    The Hong Kong movement's determination not to simply fade away was on display Aug. 18, when an estimated 1.7 million protesters braved heavy rain for a peaceful procession through the heart of the city. Protesters are considering staging a mass sit-in at Hong Kong Disneyland next, possibly as soon as Aug. 24. (Some are concerned that the theme park's location — on a remote corner of Hong Kong's Lantau Island — could leave protestors cornered and vulnerable to mass arrests.)

    Should they forge ahead — and should police respond — Disney may not have the luxury of avoiding comment if global newscasts show tear gas wafting over Hong Kong Disneyland's Sleeping Beauty Castle. "If things polarize even further in Hong Kong and China resorts to even greater violence to assert its authority, it will become much harder for [Disney] not to get dragged into it," adds Rosen, noting that further comments from Liu could also inflame tensions. "It's not unthinkable that the release date for Mulan could have to be moved beyond March 2020."

    At the very least, Beijing's refusal to compromise an inch combined with the protestors' unflagging conviction has left even the most informed observers uncertain of how the standoff could conceivably unwind. Thus, Hong Kong's pro-democracy cause could very well continue to be a major news item come early 2020, when Mulan launches its worldwide marketing campaign — with star Crystal Liu front and center, facing the press gauntlet.

    Karen Chu contributed reporting.


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  12. #27
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    Wait...Twitter can ban misinformation in PRC? Why not in the USA?


    Twitter Bans China Accounts for Misinformation Campaign Against 'Mulan' Boycott

    8:50 PM PDT 8/19/2019 by Patrick Brzeski

    The company deleted nearly 1,000 accounts it said were "deliberately and specifically attempting to sow political discord in Hong Kong, including undermining the legitimacy and political positions of the protest movement on the ground."
    Facebook and Twitter said Monday that they had deleted a network of fake accounts used by China to sow political discord over Hong Kong's pro-democracy, anti-police brutality protests.

    The accounts also were used to share pro-Beijing rhetoric in response to the Hong Kong-initiated boycott of The Walt Disney Co.'s upcoming film Mulan, some of the tweet examples shared by Twitter reveal.

    The Mulan boycott was initiated late last week after the film's star, Crystal Liu Yifei, posted a message of support on Chinese social media for the Hong Kong police force. The post ignited a firestorm both within Hong Kong and among pro-democracy sympathizers overseas, given the many accusations by international human rights groups that the police have been using excess force in their confrontations with protesters and the public.

    Twitter said Monday that it pulled down 936 troll accounts, many of which pushed conspiracy theories about the Hong Kong protesters and their motivations.

    "These accounts were deliberately and specifically attempting to sow political discord in Hong Kong, including undermining the legitimacy and political positions of the protest movement on the ground," the company said in a statement. Twitter added that it has "reliable evidence to support that this is a coordinated state-backed operation."

    Many of the deleted accounts claimed to be users based in the United States, in places ranging from New York City and to small towns like Berrien Springs, Mich. Some of the accounts were set up years ago, and slowly amassed followers by tweeting about innocuous pop culture, such as NBC's hit show This Is Us — a common tactic used to cloak misinformation campaigns in credibility.

    Other accounts, such as @HKPoliticalNew, were attempting to pose as legitimate Hong Kong news outlets.

    Facebook responded to Twitter's move by pulling down 16 pages it said were linked to the same troll operation.

    One post highlighted by Twitter’s public safety team read: "We don’t want you radical people in Hong Kong. Just get out of here!"

    A recent China-linked Facebook post compared the pro-democracy protestors to ISIS fighters.

    Another Twitter post said: "Are these people who smashed the Legco crazy or taking benefits from the bad guys?" (Legco is Hong Kong's legislature, which was briefly occupied by protestors earlier this month.)

    Central to Beijing's vast propaganda campaign within Mainland China is the allegation that the protests have been instigated by Western forces allied against China, including the CIA, rather than Hong Kong residents advocating for their own political concerns. China has offered no credible evidence for the claim.

    Shortly after the #BoycottMulan hashtag start trending on Twitter last Friday, users tweeting about the campaign began calling attention to accounts they suspected were being directed by the Chinese government.

    "You should come to Hong Kong to see the truth, not be misled by unscrupulous Western media and politicians," read one reply to #BoycottMulan from the account @shu_zhiyuan, which has since been removed by Twitter.

    The Hong Kong protests began nearly three months ago in response to a bill that would have allowed Hong Kong residents charged a crime to be extradited to mainland China. Nearly 2 million Hong Kong residents took to the streets to contest the bill at the height of the protests in June, believing it would mark the end of the autonomy and rule of law Hong Kong was promised when the territory was handed back to China from Britain in 1997.

    After the Hong Kong police responded with heavy-handed tactics — including firing tear gas into public subway stations and using rubber bullets against crowds — the protests have intensified and the movement's demands have morphed into calls for independent investigations of the police and direct democracy. An estimated 1.7 million Hong Kong residents braved pouring rain in Hong Kong on Sunday to join a peaceful procession through the heart of the city — demonstrating that the movement is not fading away as the Beijing and Hong Kong authorities may have hoped.

    Liu pulled Disney into the fray last week when she shared an image with her 65 million followers on China's Twitter-like social media service, Weibo, reading: "I support Hong Kong's police, you can beat me up now," followed by, "What a shame for Hong Kong." The image had originally been created by the state-backed People's Daily. Liu added the hashtag "IAlsoSupportTheHongKongPolice" and a heart emoji.

    The post was widely praised in China — both by Beijing's vast social media propaganda apparatus and lay patriotic users — but outside the Middle Kingdom it has raised awkward questions about Disney's brand allegiances.

    Both Facebook and Twitter, as well as the websites of the BBC, The New York Times and Bloomberg, are banned in China, blocked by the so-called Great Firewall, a complex system of Internet censorship mechanisms.

    PATRICK BRZESKI
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  13. #28
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    #supportmulan

    A #SupportMulan campaign kicks off in China after calls in Hong Kong to boycott the Disney film
    CNN Digital Expansion 2017. James Griffiths
    By James Griffiths and Jessie Yeung, CNN
    Updated 4:21 AM ET, Thu August 22, 2019


    Chinese-born actress Liu Yifei, starring in Disney's live action remake of "Mulan" next year, attracted controversy when she criticized ongoing protests in Hong Kong.

    Hong Kong (CNN)Disney hasn't always had the easiest time in China, but amid calls to boycott the live-action version of "Mulan" the entertainment giant is getting help from an unlikely ally: Chinese state media.
    Last week, Liu Yifei, the Chinese-born actress playing the eponymous role in the remake, waded into the Hong Kong protest controversy by pledging support for the city's police, who anti-government demonstrators accuse of using excessive force to quell unrest.
    "I support the Hong Kong police. You can all attack me now. What a shame for Hong Kong," she posted on Weibo, a Twitter-like Chinese social media platform.
    Immediately, people began posting #BoycottMulan on Twitter, which is banned in China. Hours later, the hashtag was trending in Hong Kong and the United States. Twitter users accused the actress of supporting police brutality and noted that she's an American citizen.
    "Liu is a naturalized American citizen. It must be nice. Meanwhile she ****es on people fighting for democracy," one person tweeted.
    But on the Chinese internet and in state media it's been a different story. On those platforms, the actress has received considerable support.
    On Thursday, China's state-run tabloid Global Times published a broadside against the boycott, accusing those who tweeted in support of it of "launching cyber violence against people who supports China."
    "As the hashtag #Mulan was once topped Twitter's worldwide trend, these naysayers only want to use the popularity of the film to smear the Hong Kong police," Li Qingqing wrote in the newspaper. "The criticism is not simply targeted at a film. It is a malicious personal attack bordering on racism."
    Retaliation against the boycott on Twitter helped to expose a network of bots that the platform said was being used to coordinate attacks against pro-democracy activists in Hong Kong and spread misinformation about the ongoing unrest.
    Li, meanwhile, said accounts tweeting in favor of the boycott should be suspended.

    Global Times

    @globaltimesnews
    Anti-China public opinion wants to boycott #Mulan, as if whoever buys the ticket and watches the film is the enemy of democracy and freedom. These people are ideological paranoids. http://bit.ly/30yWQHq #SupportMulan #LiuYifei



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    On Twitter, where Global Times is one of several state-run outlets maintaining a major presence, the paper said boycotters were "ideological paranoids" and included its own hashtag #SupportMulan.
    At the time of writing, the hashtag was largely populated by tweets referencing instances of violence during the protests, and accusing participants of being "thugs" or stooges of Washington fighting for Hong Kong independence.
    "In the story of Mulan," one meme shared by several posters said, "she fights for her family and country in case it's been divided by others."
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  14. #29
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    I've been waiting for this shoe to drop...

    Chinese authorities question MMA fighter Xu Xiaodong over Hong Kong protest comments
    MMA fighter says authorities visited him at his Beijing home after Twitter post supporting Hong Kong people
    ‘Mad Dog’ is worried about deviating from official mainland view on Hong Kong but wants to exercise right to speak freely, citing Chinese constitution
    SCMP Reporter
    Published: 4:52pm, 22 Aug, 2019


    Xu Xiaodong has been censored in China. Photo: Weibo
    MMA fighter Xu Xiaodong has said Chinese authorities visited him at his Beijing home and questioned him about his views after his comments on social media about the Hong Kong protests.
    While famous Chinese actors like Jackie Chan and Liu Yifei, as well as other public figures, have criticised anti-government demonstrations amid nationalist fury, the controversial “Mad Dog” spoke out in support of Hong Kong people.
    Last Monday, state-run news agency Xinhua called protesters “rioters”, saying they had created “black terror” after a weekend of violent clashes. But Xu – who has been censored by authorities in China for exposing what he calls “fake kung fu” – said he suspected a smear campaign against the city.
    “You can’t call all Hongkongers rioters. Can you call all 7 million Hong Kong residents rioters? Can you call 2 million demonstrators rioters?” Xu told SCMP’s Inkstone.
    “Hong Kong is a member of our family. We should love and protect Hongkongers, and stand in unity with them. There are no rioters in Hong Kong, only unlawful individuals,” he added.
    Xu said he was worried about deviating from the official mainland Chinese view on Hong Kong, where protests have stretched into an 11th consecutive week, but wanted to exercise his right to speak freely, citing the Chinese constitution.
    Xu Xiaodong’s friend and fellow Chinese MMA fighter knocks out Bruce Lee wannabe in 12 seconds
    In his Twitter comments, the fighter wrote that Hong Kong was China’s “Pearl of the Orient” and the world’s top free-trade port, with quality higher education including some of the world’s top universities.
    He also praised the city’s entertainment industry, saying he had been watching Hong Kong films and listening to Hong Kong music since his childhood.
    “Don’t forget all the blessings from Hong Kong people to the victims in big natural disasters in China,” he said.



    Last week, Xu also expressed his sympathy to Hong Kong people in his first YouTube live broadcast.
    “Hong Kong people are Chinese and I am also Chinese. That’s why I love Hong Kong people,” he said in the broadcast.
    “Someone asked me if I know what’s happening in Hong Kong and queried my right to make any comment. They may be right, but I want to ask why we don’t know what’s exactly happening in Hong Kong. Why?”
    China orders Xu Xiaodong to publicly apologise and pay damages for insulting tai chi ‘grandmaster’ Chen Xiaowang
    Xu has previously had his social credit score lowered to heavily restricted “D” status in China following a court order. As a result, Xu was not allowed to buy plane tickets or high-speed train tickets, among other restrictions.
    He had the restrictions lifted after he eventually apologised but he said he ended up paying around US$37,250 after legal fees and the cost of paying for a public apology to be placed.
    Inkstone’s Qin Chen contributed to this article

    THREADS
    Xu Xiaodong Hong Kong protests
    Gene Ching
    Publisher www.KungFuMagazine.com
    Author of Shaolin Trips
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  15. #30
    Quote Originally Posted by GeneChing View Post
    Either he's a lying sum*****, or he's as stupid as the rest of the nitwits in hollywood.
    Quote Originally Posted by jun_erh View Post
    "Return rule to the people," they chanted as the rally began to denounce the bill which critics say will impose Beijing-style control over free speech and the media.
    THEY SHOULD NEVER HAVE LET 'RULE' BE TAKEN AWAY IN THE FIRST PLACE.
    Critics say the law, which Beijing has been pressing Hong Kong to enact, poses the biggest threat to basic rights in the former British colony since it reverted to Chinese rule in 1997.
    WHILE THE PEOPLE SHOULD NOT HAVE LET TAKE OVER TO BEGIN WITH, TO LET THEMSELVES REVERT TO MAINLAND RULE IN 1997 WAS JUST CRAZY.
    Earlier, a group of protesters burned the Communist Party flag as Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao tried to reassure the territory that its freedoms would be protected. But the afternoon march was peaceful.
    YES, WEN WILL PROTECT THE TERRITORY'S FREEDOMS LIKE HE PROTECT THE FREEDOMS OF THE PEOPLES OF THE MAINLAND.
    "The legislation according to Article 23 will not affect the different rights and freedoms enjoyed by Hong Kong people, including journalists, under the law," Wen told reporters.
    LET ME TELL YOU ABOUT A BRIDGE I OWN IN BROOKLYN. JOURNALISTS ARE THE FIRST PEOPLE THEY WILL ATTACK AND SUPPRESS.
    Under the legislation, people can be jailed for life if convicted of subversion, treason or secession from China. It also allows gives police sweeping search powers without court orders.
    YEPPER. THERE'S YOUR 'RIGHTS AND FREEDOMS'.
    I'm just very surprised that it took this long for this krap to happen.
    As the member of a family that has fought in every conflict from the French&Indian War up to VietNam, I'm telling you freedom is worth fighting for. And it ALWAYS cost blood and lives.
    hunter

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