CHINA-HONGKONG: BEIJING MOVES TO QUELL TROUBLE

The Wall Street Journal (October 16) reports that Beijing has begun to selectively target pro-democracy activist. 35-year old Stanley Ho Wai-hong of the Hong Kong Confederation of Trade Unions was severely beaten on September 29 resulting in injuries including three broken fingers and a thumb. Other pro-democracy figures who have reportedly been targets of criminal violence, include lawmakers Lam Cheuk-ting and Kwong Chun-yu; an unnamed reporter for the Apple Daily news paper; Davin Wong, a student activist who was acting president of the Hong Kong University Students’ Union; and Jimmy Sham, convenor of the Civil Human Rights Front. The home of Apple Daily publisher Jimmy Lai was firebombed in September.  These reports claim also  that official state violence has escalated with lawmaker Alvin Yeung’s office estimating that law enforcement fired some 10 live rounds, 4,500 canisters of tear gas, 1,490 rubber bullets, and 520 sponge grenades between June 9 and Oct. 1. Police also deployed water cannons. As of October 9, Hong Kong’s public hospitals had treated 1,251 for casualties sustained during protests, including patients admitted in critical and serious condition.  Hong Kong police have seized more than 2,300 protesters over the past four months, including at least 104 children under 15.





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