Hong Kong's steady descent into a police state

[Aramis]

Yes, so @ByeByeEngland was talking out of his arse. Thanks for the longwinded pontification confirming it.

I see you are one of those that can't have a civilized discussion and feel the need to belittle others. Welcome to my ignore list.

[Pauljoecoe]

Can I suggest you both do a simple internet search on the perils of taking a photo of UK or US policemen without their permission. It may just shock you into reality.

So, this happened the other day. Clearly someone took the video (she was openly interviewed on Sky news later) and also you can see someone else taking a video next to the police. The police immediately said there would be an independent investigation and it was all over the papers and news channels. That’s called keeping the Police in check.

https://twitter.com/essmurph/status/...368739840?s=21

[MatthieuTofu]

https://twitter.com/tomgrundy/status...174780929?s=21

[TheBrit]

I see you are one of those that can't have a civilized discussion and feel the need to belittle others. Welcome to my ignore list.

Thanks Golem. I'm glad you won't feel the need to reply to me again. I look forward to your next banning.

[AsianXpat0]

https://twitter.com/damon_pan...12108842024963

https://twitter.com/Nrg8000/s...99530715721729

[AsianXpat0]

https://twitter.com/galileoch...16552417734656

https://twitter.com/krislc/st...16830843940864

Sorry for more on the same subject, but even more so than for the protesters, it offends me greatly that the press which are clearly neither participants nor violent are being brutalised in this way. Repeatedly obstructing them from filming was bad enough, but now this? Hard to argue in my view, that the wholesale intimidation of the press is not part of the descent into a police state.

[ByeByeEngland]

While I disagree with the relevance of what UK/US or any police force does in these circumstances, he didn't say that it wasn't allowed. He pointed out that they can ask questions and stop and search which is true if they suspect terrorism. However the policy clearly states that it's not meant to be done with the purpose of intimidation which is exactly what the HKPF is doing and as I said before, there is oversight in democratic countries and there is none in HK. There are avenues to make complaints. That's the difference in a police state which he doesn't seem to be able or willing to understand.

From the Met police site:
Officers have the power to stop and search a person who they reasonably suspect to be a terrorist. The purpose of the stop and search is to discover whether that person has in their possession anything which may constitute evidence that they are a terrorist.

There is nothing preventing officers asking questions of an individual who appears to be taking photographs of someone who is or has been a member of Her Majesty’s Forces (HMF), Intelligence Services or a constable so long as this is being done for a lawful purpose and is not being done in a way that prevents, dissuades or inhibits the individual from doing something which is not unlawful.

Pretty much exactly my point. If the Brit could ever get over himself (unlikely with a keyboard warrior) I have stated in this very thread that it is NOT illegal but it doesn’t stop many cases of individuals being harassed, arrested etc on very flimsy grounds.

[Aramis]

Pretty much exactly my point. If the Brit could ever get over himself (unlikely with a keyboard warrior) I have stated in this very thread that it is NOT illegal but it doesn’t stop many cases of individuals being harassed, arrested etc on very flimsy grounds.

Except that your point has absolutely no context. The fact that bad things happen in democratic countries is meaningless because there are avenues of redress there and there are NONE here. THAT is one of the differences between a police state and a democracy.

Someone that gets harassed and intimidated in the UK can go straight to the website to find a policy that states it's not appropriate and have a chance at getting redress. Where is that option here? Who will investigate the claims of sexual abuses that some protesters have lodged? It's ridiculous to take one action out of context and say it's fine because it happens elsewhere...

[ByeByeEngland]

Except that your point has absolutely no context. The fact that bad things happen in democratic countries is meaningless because there are avenues of redress there and there are NONE here. THAT is one of the differences between a police state and a democracy.

Someone that gets harassed and intimidated in the UK can go straight to the website to find a policy that states it's not appropriate and have a chance at getting redress. Where is that option here? Who will investigate the claims of sexual abuses that some protesters have lodged? It's ridiculous to take one action out of context and say it's fine because it happens elsewhere...

Let’s not blow this all out of proportion. I agree with you again.

It started as a simple observation that the actions of police here in reaction to photos being taken of them is not unique

[TheBrit]

It started as a simple observation that the actions of police here in reaction to photos being taken of them is not unique