Organized Canine Bureau Special Agent
AFP reports more intensity in cracking down on pro-protest views in Cathay Pacific:
Hong Kong's flagship carrier, which has 27,000 staff in the city, has been accused of bowing to political pressure from China, whose aviation regulator has banned airline staff who have supported the demonstrations from working on flights through its airspace.
In an internal memo to staff, a Cathay director, Tom Owen, said participating in a strike planned for Monday and Tuesday could constitute a breach of contract.
"We expect all of our employees to report for work as normal and over this period and will be monitoring attendance levels closely," he said in the memo, a copy of which was sent to AFP by Cathay.
"Any breach of policy or regulatory requirements will be investigated and may lead to termination of contract."
The memo caps a sharp U-turn by the airline which publicly supported the right to free expression of its workforce earlier this month, only to crumble in the face of pressure from Beijing.
Cathay has already fired at least four staff — including two pilots — for supporting the protests.
A fifth, Rebecca Sy, a union organiser and cabin crew for its regional airline Cathay Dragon, says she was dropped from a Chinese flight rota and then dismissed a day later without explanation.
Several staff have told AFP they believe a witchhunt is underway, with employees frantically deleting social media posts and gutting their friends lists fearing disciplinary action if they are found to have any links with the protests.
The company has also issued a revised code of conduct to employees including reiterating its "zero tolerance" approach to staff participating in "illegal protests".
Protest groups are calling for a general strike on Monday and Tuesday, three months into escalating pro-democracy protests that have rocked the city and damaged Hong Kong's reputation as a stable business hub.
A city-wide strike early August brought transport chaos to the city.
It was supported by Cathay's flight attendants union whose members joined the walk out.
More than 160 flights were cancelled due to the action.
By toeing Beijing's line, critics say Cathay has trashed its reputation as a totemic Hong Kong company, which has grown over 72 years in parallel with the city's status as a gateway to Asia.
https://news.rthk.hk/rthk/en/component/k2/1477884-20190831.htm
Ladies and gentlemen, the HKPF presents, Reichstag fire 2019.
Edited by stairwalker on Aug 31st 2019 at 1:12:12 AM
![[up]](https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/smiles/arrow_up.png "[up]"){kind=icon}
And just before the 80th anniversary of the start of World War II...
Shin Megami Tensei IV
A single cop don't equals burning a government building
It depends on how the government tries to spin it.
Beijing's strategy; no concessions.
I should note that personally I think the Reuters source is rather questionable, as it doesn't seem that any newspaper has quickly picked up on it.
Edited by TheWildWestPyro on Aug 30th 2019 at 12:14:52 PM
Organized Canine Bureau Special Agent
The PTU is mobilized to tear gas protestors that violated a ban order.
Funny enough, I was prepping an article on the necessity of doing peaceful marches when this happened. Wonder if I should table it or submit it ASAP?
"Exit muna si Polgas. Ang kailangan dito ay si Dobermaxx!"
Tweak and submit. Maybe add extra emphasis on the "at least you'll have the moral high ground when your bones are broken by water or you almost choke to death". :/
Mind you: it sucks to be one of the clubbed or the dead. Yet, if nobody fights... you don't end, say, apartheid. <shrugs>
Edited by Euodiachloris on Aug 31st 2019 at 2:07:21 PM
Organized Canine Bureau Special Agent
PTU brought out water cannons with blue dye.
More protestors are arrested.
"Exit muna si Polgas. Ang kailangan dito ay si Dobermaxx!"
In the name of being honest
Going full South Africa, I see.
Echoing hymn of my fellow passerine | Art blog (under construction)
Organized Canine Bureau Special Agent
Word around in HK is to target roads and rails going in and out of the airport for civil disobedience.
MTR had to limit operations with some stations including Wan Chai and Admiralty.
"Exit muna si Polgas. Ang kailangan dito ay si Dobermaxx!"
Organized Canine Bureau Special Agent
HKPF announced an officer who's not on duty was attacked by armed men. He survived though, but was transported to hospital.
The force is investigating if it's related to the protests since the men were seen dressed in all-black.
"Exit muna si Polgas. Ang kailangan dito ay si Dobermaxx!"
There was an especially bad attack at Prince Edward station; the police started firing tear gas into the train and then beat up protesters. Pleas for the police to stop were ignored, those who kneeled to do so were beaten even harder. There's images of frightened and crying protesters being spread all over Hong Kong social media.
The police apparently beat up both civilians and protesters, perceiving anyone in the carriages as a threat.
Edited by TheWildWestPyro on Sep 1st 2019 at 12:56:36 PM
Oh, bother.
Grim. It'll be a long time before the HK police's reputation recovers from this, if ever.
Disgusted, but not surprised
Organized Canine Bureau Special Agent
I've seen vids of EM Ts being denied access to the affected MTR stations. Some pleaded to be let through to treat the civilians, which I understood was denied. Don't know if it worked out.
"Exit muna si Polgas. Ang kailangan dito ay si Dobermaxx!"
Here is a Twitter video of some of the violence at MTR stations. As you can see, the police have lost it.
Edited by TheWildWestPyro on Sep 1st 2019 at 3:13:09 AM
Beijing accuses critical thinking class in Hong Kong of radicalizing students.
Dictatorships 101, everybody. No critical thinking allowed.
Edited by TheWildWestPyro on Sep 1st 2019 at 4:30:40 AM
That is a good amount of projection, isnt?.
"My Name is Bolt, Bolt Crank and I dont care if you believe or not"
Organized Canine Bureau Special Agent
Someone got a subbed video of the HKPF explaining what went down in Prince Edward:
https://www.reddit.com/r/HongKong/comments/cyejzb/hong_kong_mtr_closes_airport_and_tung_chung_lines/
Hi-rest image of someone smacking the ticket machine.
https://www.reddit.com/r/HongKong/comments/cy67d4/paramedic_begging_to_enter_the_metro_station_to/
Not sure if it's subbed accurately, but this is the vid that I mentioned regarding paramedics being held up initially outside PE.
"Exit muna si Polgas. Ang kailangan dito ay si Dobermaxx!"
My Hair Provides Affordable Healthcare
Thanks for the update.
A planned march by the Civil Human Rights Front (CHRF) on the 31st has been banned, and Jimmy Sham of the CHRF has been attacked by thugs. Andy Chan of the right-wing localist and pro-independence National Party has also been arrested. Joshua Wong and Agnes Chow have been arrested. KP Chung, who was present at the Yuen Long march, has been attacked.
Hong Kong's already becoming an authoritarian police state, day by day. Some would say it already has.
Edited by TheWildWestPyro on Aug 29th 2019 at 9:46:11 AM