Hong Kong activists behind Tiananmen vigils sentenced to 4.5 months in jail
PBS NewsHourDec 23, 2022
The Facts
On Sunday, a group of 100 people staged Hong Kong's first authorized protest since Beijing enacted a sweeping national security law in 2020.
Under a heavy police presence, protesters marched against a proposed land reclamation and garbage processing project in the eastern district of Tseung Kwan O.
The Spin
Anti-China narrative
Hong Kong's national security law was designed to squash dissent, weaken the region's autonomy within the PRC, and erode the residents' right to freedom and expression. Hong Kong is a signatory to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and is under obligation to keep human rights prioritized. The draconian law was passed without consultation with Hong Kong's public and must be immediately repealed.
Pro-China narrative
The national security law is consistent with Hong Kong's mini-constitution. It guarantees and protects Hong Kong residents' freedom of speech and peaceful assembly. The 2019 protests caused severe threats to law and order as well as lives and properties and plunged Asia's world city into a cauldron of tyranny. Due to Beijing's actions — and Beijing is ultimately responsible for Hong Kong's security — peace, public safety, and business confidence have returned to Hong Kong.