Major Protests on Hong Kong Island

[gelatoni fan]

Anyone currently in Hong Kong, be aware that the protests on Hong Kong Island have affected transportation services. Police are searching people at random at MTR stations.
Additionally, expect further DDOS attacks from China and communications jamming (my own internet was unstable yesterday afternoon). It is advised to stay away from Admiralty, Central and other parts of Hong Kong Island where tear gas is being used.

Australia has issued a travel warning for Hong Kong. Protests are expected to continue through at least next week when the legislature is expected to vote on the extradition bill (subject to change based on the political environment).

 

[Chuck9543]

Anyone currently in Hong Kong, be aware that the protests on Hong Kong Island have affected transportation services. Police are searching people at random at MTR stations.
Additionally, expect further DDOS attacks from China and communications jamming (my own internet was unstable yesterday afternoon). It is advised to stay away from Admiralty, Central and other parts of Hong Kong Island where tear gas is being used.

Australia has issued a travel warning for Hong Kong. Protests are expected to continue through at least next week when the legislature is expected to vote on the extradition bill (subject to change based on the political environment).

Where is Eisner on this? He threatens to stop doing business in GA due to their pro-life law, but is content to work in China and has nothing to say publicly about the violence being used to extend control and take away freedom in Hong Kong.

 

[gelatoni fan]

Update on the protests. Things have escalated again yesterday after the chief executive failed to respond to the 2 million person peaceful march.

Yesterday, police were firing their "less lethal" shotguns at protestors who eventually broke into the legislative council. The government issued a red alert and evacuated the area. At night, police used tear gas and conducted random searches including roadblocks on major roads. Police have accused protestors of using "toxic powder" in response to protestors being beaten by batons.

Most foreign consulates have issued travel advisories of some sort. Again, try to avoid going to Hong Kong Island when there's any protest activity happening. People have been held up by police for simply carrying multiple bottles of water so avoid purchasing or carrying large quantities of water, umbrellas, eggs, face masks, helmets and medical supplies.

 

[littlejen22]

OMG. I haven’t been following this. Crazy. We aren’t coming y til January but if it’s still happening we might need to stay somewhere else because we usually stay at the JW Marriott with our kids.

 

[indoshakespeare]

OMG. I haven’t been following this. Crazy. We aren’t coming y til January but if it’s still happening we might need to stay somewhere else because we usually stay at the JW Marriott with our kids.

The airport hotel is a Marriott hotel so that could be an alternative

Hong Kong SkyCity Marriott Hotel

 

[littlejen22]

The airport hotel is a Marriott hotel so that could be an alternative

Hong Kong SkyCity Marriott Hotel

That’s where we would likely go, we spent a night there after Thailand the last time we were there but the JW is an amazing hotel with an incredible lounge and co convenient but not worth being teargassed or shot.

 

[gelatoni fan]

Just pay attention to the news. Since the UK revoked export licenses for crowd control stuff to Hong Kong, police have used a lot less tear gas but they are using a lot more pepper spray and hitting people with batons. Over the weekend, shoppers in Sha Tin got stuck as the police forced protestors into shopping malls and then blocked off all exits. Protestors have started to respond to police brutality by occasionally assaulting and beating police officers.

It will be a terrible failure on the part of the HK government if things don't die down by January. Weekdays tend to be calm but pay special attention on the weekends/evenings when tensions tend to escalate.

 

[gelatoni fan]

Violence continues to escalate this weekend. Police made their largest seizure of homemade explosives in Hong Kong history which bomb squad detonated on Saturday. The explosives were being manufactured by people who police suspect to be involved with anti-extradition protests.

Today, police fired gas in residential areas and protestors are responded by throwing glass bottles (also possibly setting a fire and smoke bomb). A group wearing white shirts beat protestors, pro-democracy lawmakers, reporters and civilians with metal + wooden rods as they exited subway stations. Some people suspect that they were sent by the government because the police did not respond to emergency calls until after they had all escaped and a pro-government lawmaker was seen shaking hands with them earlier in the evening.

 

[MaxMaC]

fyi about wt happened in Yuen Long subway station

 

[gelatoni fan]

China has delivered additional riot control supplies to the Hong Kong Police so it seems like there is no end in sight. The police are now firing large amounts of tear gas again and have started using sponge grenades. If you are traveling through Hong Kong to other areas be aware that:

1. Starting last Sunday, there have been reports of people subject to full strip searches at the Hong Kong/Shenzhen border.
2. On Friday, a group of air traffic controllers issued a letter threatening to go on strike. If additional protests happen at the airport or aviation staff goes on strike, expect delays flying to/from Hong Kong.
3. The ferry buildings are routinely deemed unfit for service and ferries between Macau/Hong Kong are often unavailable on the weekend.
4. MTR disruptions have happened sporadically this past week and on protest days, stations are often closed. When the police start beating protesters, MTR has also started removing payment controls in some stations to allow people to leave more quickly. People entering at a station where controls have been removed but exiting from a station where controls are still enforced should either grab a free single journey ticket before entering the station or sort out payment at the service counter when exiting.

Pay attention to the news and avoid protest areas if you don't want to get hurt/arrested. If public transit to a certain area is down, it's likely because police or protest actions are happening. Since emergency service call centers have been receiving a large volume of calls, if you are involved in any situation that is dangerous but not life-threatening, you are likely to have more success working with your embassy/consulate rather than local authorities.

As long as you aren't going to protest or gang controlled areas, the chance of being affected by tear gas or violence is low although transportation disruptions are always possible.

 

[gelatoni fan]

I guess this is becoming a weekly update thread from me... lol.

So this past week, "spontaneous" protests have become more common, often springing up whenever there is police action. Police have been firing tear gas and pepper projectiles at or in residential buildings often angering residents causing them to take to the streets. Since people have become very angry at police, any police station can suddenly become a protest site. Police have shown no restraint, firing tear gas and pepper spray without warning at tourists and passerby. Protesters generally keep violence aimed at police, often throwing objects at them but counter-protesters have launched fireworks/firecrackers into crowds and attacked people with knives.

In addition to avoiding protest sites, try to book hotels as far away as possible from police stations.

 

[indoshakespeare]

I hope it doesnt come anywhere near Disneyland

 

[gelatoni fan]

One of my favorite dancers was attacked by police and arrested in Mong Kok on Saturday. He was returning home from work when police chased him and beat him after he tripped.

On Monday (August 5th) from noon to 5PM the Hong Kong Disneyland Cast Member Union will hold a protest in front of the whale fountain. I'm in the US right now but I really wish I could be there supporting the CMs.

Update: It seems like Mystic Manor, Big Grizzly Mountain Runaway Mine Cars, It's a Small World, Moana: A Homecoming Celebration, Mickey and the Wondrous Book and many character greetings closed in the afternoon due to understaffing + low attendance.

 

[ChrisFL]

It seems to be getting worse and worse

1.5 months until I'm supposed to visit and I'm seriously considering changing plans

 

[corrie563]

Yikes, we still have 6 weeks, but am starting to worry.

 

[gelatoni fan]

Monday was the most intense day of protests: 8 out of 11 of the MTR lines got disrupted, hundreds of flights cancelled and delayed, tunnels temporarily blocked. Gangs attacked protesters in 2 districts and police used 800 tear gas rounds, 140 rubber bullets, and 20 sponge bullets.

A number of countries have increased their travel advisory levels after the Monday protests. These countries include the US, Australia, Singapore and the UK. For countries which have a rating system, Hong Kong is at the second level (2 - Exercise Increased Caution for the US out of 4 different levels) equivalent to countries like Italy, France, Israel, Brazil and Mexico. Some countries such as Canada have not yet changed their travel advisories.

If you are planning to visit Disneyland, I strongly advise staying at a Disney hotel rather than in the city. Go into the city after finding out where protests may be happening and avoid police stations at night. If you happen to stay in the city and a protest breaks out near your hotel, you may be trapped due to roadblocks and may have to deal with tear gas. If police actions are happening, there is a chance of getting beaten or arrested by police. Therefore, I would advise having extra money to book last minute accommodations in the unlikely chance that a protest breaks out near your original accommodations.

On Tuesday night a student was arrested for possession of offensive weapons because he purchased 10 laser pointers. That inspired some pretty cool Star Wars themed posters for a protest on Sunday in the district where he was arrested:

 

[Lesley Wake]

Thanks @gelatoni fan for keeping this up to date! I've been following along with people on twitter for updates but you are certainly giving more detailed information!

I will be headed to HK Disney in late October and I have no clue if there will be resolution or not. I wasn't planning on doing Hong Kong itself (no time), so am sticking to Disneyland and staying at a Disney hotel; I think the biggest impact would come at the airport and if a strike happens which shuts down part of the park. But I honestly care more about HK's future and worry about its people.

 

[indoshakespeare]

Wait times at 18.20 today. Kinda sad especially in the middle of summer.

 

[gelatoni fan]

So Hong Kong just had its first tear gas free weekend in a long time. Protesters were more cautious about people who provoke violence because it could be an undercover cop trying to get more people arrested. Thunderstorms are another possible reason that tear gas was not deployed because rain makes it ineffective. But I think overall, we're moving towards a more peaceful phase of the protests. But if peaceful means aren't getting a government response, we could see things escalate again. Starting Thursday night, people have been withdrawing large amounts of cash and I personally have seen 2 ATMs completely out of cash and banks running out of USD. If the exchange rate becomes unsustainable, it could become cheaper to visit Hong Kong in the future.

If you've been on Twitter lately, you may have seen #boycottmulan. Here's the story:

On Aug 13, people went to protest at the airport but for some reason, protesters started to apprehend spies. The first guy apprehended is suspected to be a cop from Shenzhen because his name matched a cop database. The last character in his name is quite unique and directories showed no other people with that name in Shenzhen. The second guy was in a Press vest taking fishy pictures of the protesters. When protesters apprehended him, he said in English that he was a "tourist". Digging through his bag, protesters found an "I <3 HK Police" shirt. He said the famous line "I support Hong Kong Police, you can hit me now". Many people in China, some suspected to be paid by the government, began to spread that quote saying that protesters in Hong Kong were excessively violent. Later, Global Times, a Chinese government backed newspaper said this guy was one of their journalists.

Liu Yi Fei, the actress portraying Mulan in the live action remake slated for next year, posted that quote as well on Weibo, a SNS in China. People began to call for boycotting Mulan because she is seen as supporting an oppressive regime.

 

[gelatoni fan]

After 9 tear gas free days, HK is becoming dangerous again. There have been protests ending in arrests every night outside Sham Shui Po police station and almost every night outside Wong Tai Sin police station. Gangs have beat people in Sheung Shui and Tsuen Wan while there are isolated incidents of pro-democracy people being attacked in Tseung Kwan O and Sham Shui Po. The police have started using water cannon trucks and armored vehicles to suppress protesters. Cyanide has been detected in the air due to expired tear gas.

Searches and detentions for supporting protests have extended to the Macau border and flights into cities in mainland China. People detained have been regularly denied consular protection, lawyers and have been beaten by police. Arrested women have been groped by male officers and strip searched. A senior citizen beaten by police and arrested on August 11 has not been seen since then and Hong Kong students traveling in Tibet have been arrested. At this point, I would generally advise avoiding Hong Kong, Macao and mainland China entirely. The likelihood of things happening is low if your main priority is Disneyland but if you happen to be affected, the situation can be very bad.

Note that there is a chance of a general strike on September 2 and 3. If that happens, it is highly likely there will be significant disruption to transportation and Disneyland may not have sufficient staff to operate.