Hong Kong’s Joshua Wong leads calls for global support for Thai pro-democracy protests
- The group of 10 activists chanted slogans outside the Thai consulate building in Admiralty and flashed the Hunger Games salute in solidarity with the protesters
- Thailand has launched a crackdown on demonstrators and the media, as calls grow for the monarchy to be reformed and for the prime minister to resign
Thailand protests: how Hong Kong inspired the revolution of Thais
Wong and the group of about 10 people had planned to go up to the eighth floor of the Fairmont House in Admiralty, where the Thai consulate was located, to submit a petition. But they were prevented from entering the building and could only chant slogans outside the premises.
“Hong Kong people are standing with the people of Thailand now, just like how the Thais were standing with Hong Kong in 2019,” Wong said outside the building. “A greater crackdown will result in greater resistance.”
01:32
Hong Kong activists including Joshua Wong rally in support of Thai pro-democracy protests
Thai protesters defy government’s emergency decree banning large gatherings
The police on Monday said four news outlets were being investigated under the emergency laws imposed last week by Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha’s government, which included a ban on news said to affect national security.
Thailand’s digital ministry had sought court orders to remove the content by the four media outlets and a protest group on Facebook.
Charles Santiago, chairman of the Asean Parliamentarians for Human Rights, said in a statement: “Targeting and censoring the media for their coverage of the recent pro-democracy protests is a monumental threat to press freedom and a clear abuse of power by the authorities.”
04:40
Thailand protests: How it all started
The city’s police on Monday warned the activists that they could be fined for violating social distancing rules limiting public gatherings to a maximum of four people, but no fines were eventually given.
Ted Hui Chi-fung, a Democratic Party lawmaker often seen on the front line of Hong Kong’s protests, said on Monday that the images of the Thai protests had reminded him of Hongkongers’ fight.
“It broke our hearts to see that many young Thais have been injured or arrested arbitrarily,” Hui said. “We ask for the immediate release of the detainees and dissidents.”
