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China Releases Violent ‘Anti-Riot’ Video Threatening Protestors and Defends Police Violence

Screenshot of anti-riot video released by Chinese Army. (Photo: YouTube)
Screenshot of anti-riot video released by Chinese Army. (Photo: YouTube)

In an effort to quell the record-breaking protests across Hong Kong, China released a video threatening violence against protestors who refuse to “fall back.”

In late July Citizen Truth reported the following concerning the continuous pro-democracy protests in Hong Kong, “As noted above, the vast majority of protestors in Hong Kong have been peaceful. The People’s Daily did not specifically go into detail concerning the anger surrounding the now withdrawn extradition bill, mistrust of Carrie Lam’s government in Hong Kong, and the desire of citizens of Hong Kong to be free of Beijing influence.”

However, the Communist Party-led Chinese government has ignored such grievances and has instead begun using the media to send veiled threats to the protestors in Hong Kong.

This new chapter of the uprising is one which could lead to increased violence, much like the recent incident where citizens and a pro-democracy politician were attacked by a triad linked mob at the Yuen Long MTR train station.

China Defends Hong Kong Police, Blames Western Interference

“Some ‘irresponsible people’ in the West have applied ‘strange logic’ that made them sympathetic and tolerant to ‘violent crimes’ but critical of the police force’s ‘due diligence,’” said Yang Guang, a spokesman for the Chinese Cabinet’s Hong Kong and Macao Affairs Office, according to an Associated Press report.

“At the end of the day, their intention is to create trouble in Hong Kong, make Hong Kong a problem to China, in order to contain China’s development,” he continued.

Guang then added that China would not tolerate outside interference into Hong Kong affairs, despite the Chinese government actively attempting to influence the legislation of the mostly autonomous region of Hong Kong.

Article 31 of the Constitution of the People’s Republic of China grants the privileges of the special administrative district of which reads:

“The state may establish special administrative regions when necessary. The systems to be instituted in special administrative regions shall be prescribed by law enacted by the National People’s Congress in the light of the specific conditions.”

Despite multiple requests from protestors of Hong Kong to have an independent inquiry into the actions of the police during the protests, Yang said the Chinese government completely backs the actions of police during the demonstrations.

“We understand the huge pressure facing the Hong Kong police and their families,” said Yang, “and would like to salute the Hong Kong police who have been fearlessly sticking to their posts and fulfilling their duties against all odds.”

The comments from Claudia Mo, a pro-democracy lawmaker in Hong Kong brings life to fears that the words of the Chinese government are adding fuel to an already raging fire.

“I’m so worried that what happened in Beijing this afternoon will actually help fan the fire of what’s already been a tsunami of protests in Hong Kong,” she told the Associated Press after Yang’s statements began to spread.

Chilling Chinese Video Violently Targets Protestors

Mo’s concerns were likely not quelled when the Chinese army released an antagonistic video on Thursday directed at protestors in Hong Kong.

Reporting on the video’s release, CTV News wrote:

“The Chinese army has released a promotional video for its Hong Kong-based troops showing them dealing with a mock street demonstration at a time of uncertainty over whether the military will intervene in the city’s summer of protest.

“On the eve of Thursday’s anniversary of the army’s founding, the Hong Kong Garrison of China’s People’s Liberation Army posted on its official social media account a three-minute video showing soldiers rappelling from helicopters, aiming sniper guns and, in one sequence, throwing tear gas at a crowd dressed as civilians.

“Some of the targeted civilians shown in the army video are wearing helmets and masks, much like those worn by protesters who have taken to Hong Kong’s streets in the hundreds of thousands over the past two months,” the report continued.

The three-minute-long video, titled “Anti-Riot Drill Footage” was released on the Chinese social media site Weibo and shows troops chanting “Fall back!” and carrying a flag reading “WARNING Stop Charging Or We Use Force.”  Despite the chilling nature of the video, it’s unlikely the bombastic video will do little to keep pro-democracy protestors from taking to the streets.

The rhetoric from Hong Kong framing all protestors as perpetrators of “violent crime” is also likely to feed the energy of protestors who have taken to the streets over the past month. While there have been a few cases of hooliganism and property damage, the vast majority of protestors have not been violent towards the police.

China’s decision to ignore the violent acts of police and those associated with the Chinese government against the citizens of Hong Kong will likely just fuel the protestors’ rationale for wanting the removal of Chinese influence from the affairs of Hong Kong.

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Walter Yeates

Walter Yeates is a journalist, novelist, and screenwriter who embedded at Standing Rock with military Veterans and First People in December 2016. He covers a range of topics at Citizen Truth and is open for tips and suggestions. Twitter: www.twitter.com/GentlemansHall or www.twitter.com/SmoothJourno Muckrack: https://muckrack.com/walteryeates

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2 Comments

  1. Larry Stout August 3, 2019

    Where does “law and order” stop and “repression of legitimate dissent” begin. Lines are drawn here and lines are drawn there, and nobody agrrees on the lines. And the lines are always somebody else’s propaganda talking points. It’s like “spreading democracy” (but not to Saudi Arabia, of course).

    Reply
  2. Truth August 12, 2019

    O que o autor diz é tudo disparates.
    Primeiro, “a emenda do Governo de Hong Kong, aos decretos,visa preencher as lacunas no sistema legal e evitar que esta metrópole se tornenum paraíso dos criminosos. Em Fevereiro de 2018, um cidadão de Hong Kong tinhamatado a sua namorada em Taiwan e fugiu para Hong Kong. Devido à falta doacordo na assistência judiciária e entrega de infractores fugitivos entre HongKong e Taiwan, o criminoso não pode ser entregue a Taiwan para julgamento,mesmo que o caso já fosse esclarecido pela Polícia. Face a esta grande lacunano sistema legal, o Governo de Hong Kong iniciou a emenda dos decretos, a fimde cooperar com o continente da China, Macau e Taiwan na entrega dos suspeitose fugitivos, e evitar a fuga dos criminosos severos da justiça.”

    Segundo, citando que “a grande maioria dos manifestantes em Hong Kong tem sido pacífica”, é necessario apresentar alguns fatos seguintes: ”são extremamente ignóbeis os actos dos manifestantes, por ferirem os olhos da Polícia com equipamento de laser, morder o dedoda Polícia até quebrar, lançar bombas de gasolina à polícia que resultou em inferido gravamente, impedir a mulher grávida de andar de metro, ainda, insultar e empurrar velhotes no aeroporto, etc.

    Terceiro, em relação à interferiência dos alguns países estrangeiros, eu só queria fazer duas perguntas: a primeira, por que Julie Eadeh, chefe da secção de Política do consulado americano em Hong Kong, encontrou com um dos líder do Movimento de Independência de Hong Kong? E a segunda, por que se vê tão frequentemente bandeira americana nas manifestações?

    Reply

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