Guest Writer Fergus: post WTO comments

Fergus is a guest writer on Glutter presenting an alternative view of the WTO protests. I don’t always agree with him but I like hearing what he has to say.

There has been much discussion in this blog about the incidents in Wanchai the other night and I feel that I must add a few observations about what actually occurred there and what has subsequently happened.

Firstly it seems that there has been an insistence on terming the events of Saturday night a riot but I would like to oppose this view point.  What initially occurred was a demonstration against the WTO which was blocked from continuing along it’s pre-arranged route by the police.  When demonstrators justifiably tried to push through the police lines they were beaten back by truncheons, fire hydrants, water cannons and riot shields.  This undeniably escalated the problems which continues throughout the night.  The demonstrators then tried to approach the conference center from a different route and were again blocked by the police this time they used tear gas and pepper spray to disperse the crowed who were then cordoned off in the road and unable to get out for a number of hours.  Only those with non Korean passports could leave the area, the rest having to wait until they were arrested at around 2.30am on Sunday morning.  It was mentioned that the demonstrators overturned police cars, this is untrue.  As anyone who was there could testify no shops were damaged, indeed there was a Mercedes car cordoned off with the demonstration and it was left untouched.  The only angrier was directed at the police who instead of protecting the citizens of Hong Kong became for the day the WTO police. 

Around 900 people were arrested that night, there are numerous stories coming out of police harassment, use of plastic strips to bind hands, beatings and sexual harassment.  One group of women were made to lift up their bra’s and lower their underpants for inspection in front of a group of male protesters awaiting their own search.  People were not told where they were going and organizations have had great difficultly locating all those arrested.  People were detained for days in holding areas designed for a few hours detention.  It is clear that the Hong Kong police have abused the human rights of those arrested.

14 people are still detained and are facing trial tomorrow, it is clear that they are being detained because of their political beliefs rather than that they personally did any more than the others arrested.  They are therefor political prisoners, something I thought was reserved for the mainland to perpetrate. 

Whether you agree with the demands of those detained I believe no one in Hong Kong can condone the human rights abuses and having political prisoners in the SAR.  And so I ask everyone to come to Jun Tong magistrates court tomorrow at 11am to demonstrate against these issues.