當全世界的注意力都集中在冠狀病毒的大流行抗疫，香港街頭抗爭沉寂，中國和香港當局加大力度，打擊本地的民主運動。
短短5天內，本港的立法機關、司法機關、法律制度和公民社會均受到威脅。
上周二，北京港澳辦公室和香港中聯辦點名立法會議員郭榮鏗和其他民主黨人為拖延選舉立法內會主席，可能違反了他們的誓言，並犯有公職人員行為不當，暗示應取消民主派議員的資格。中聯辦駁斥說，兩辦事處不受《基本法》第22條的限制，妨礙它們干涉香港事務；香港政府發布新聞稿，改變了立場3次，最終接受了中聯辦的立場。
路透社在同一天報道，引用了3名匿名高級法官的話，指北京的干預威脅到香港的司法獨立和法治。
上周三，中聯辦主任駱惠寧再次呼籲香港政府加大力度，通過加強立法和執法來維護國家安全。
作為回應，親北京的人士呼籲立《基本法》23條，要求香港政府頒布法律，禁止叛國，分裂國家，煽動叛亂和顛覆國家的行為。
上周六，有15位知名的民運領袖和民運人士因涉嫌在去年8月至10月間組織和參與各種未經授權的集會而被捕。
包括現年81歲的民主黨的創辦人李柱銘、72歲的公民黨中委員吳靄儀、民主黨前任主席何俊仁、工黨的李卓人和傳媒大亨黎智英。
被指控的未經授權集會是「無領袖」的反送中運動的一部分。截至3月中，與大規模抗爭運動有關的活動共逮捕了逾7800人，並起訴了逾1200人，警方發射逾16000枚催淚彈。
香港「一國兩制」危在旦夕。逮捕事件引起了人權組織，國際領導人和觀察員的強烈批評。
由於冠狀病毒大流行，全民抗疫，已沉寂數月的抗爭，終於再激活。
今日中環上班族重啟「和你Lunch」活動，在有香港地標之稱的國際金融中心商場（IFC Mall），以快閃方式示威抗議，主題「反送中、反惡法、堅決反對23條立法、捍衛香港新聞自由、還香港人真雙普選」。
下午1時逾百人在IFC Mall中庭分别在三層聚集，有人舉起「光復香港 時代革命」和「爭取自由 與香港並肩」黑旗，高唱《願榮光歸香港》等抗爭歌曲，並高呼「五大訴求 缺一不可」，大批人圍觀。有人穿着「叮噹」服裝前來支持並向抗爭者分發瓶裝飲料。
With world’s attention focused on the coronavirus pandemic and protesters off the streets, Chinese and Hong Kong authorities stepped up their efforts to crack down on the city’s pro-democracy movement.
Over a span of 5 days, the city saw its legislature, judiciary, legal system and civil society come under threat.
Last Tuesday, Beijing’s Hong Kong and Macao Affairs Office and the Hong Kong Liaison Office named the legislator Dennis Kwok and other democrats, for delaying the election of the chairman of the internal House Committee, may be in breach their oaths and committing misconduct in public office, implying that the democrat lawmakers should be disqualified. The Liaison Office refuted that the two offices were not subject to Article 22 of the Basic Law which prevents them in interfering in Hong Kong affairs; the Hong Kong Government issued press releases and changed its position 3 times and finally accepted the position of the Liaison Office.
On the same day, Reuters reported that Hong Kong’s judicial independence and rule of law had been threatened by Beijing’s interference, citing 3 anonymous senior judges.
Last Wednesday, Luo Huining, Director of the China Liaison Office renewed his call for the Hong Kong government to step up its efforts to safeguard national security by strengthening legislation and enforcement.
In response, pro-Beijing figures called for the implementation of Article 23 of the Basic Law, which requires the Hong Kong government to enact laws to prohibit acts of treason, secession, sedition and subversion against Beijing.
Last Saturday, 15 high-profile pro-democracy politicians, and activists were arrested on suspicion of organising and participating in various unauthorised assemblies between August and October last year.
Martin Lee, 81, founder of Democratic Party, Margaret Ng, 72, Civic Party ExComm member, former chair of Democratic Party Albert Ho, Labour Party’s Lee Cheuk-yan and media tycoon Jimmy Lai were among those rounded-up.
The accused unauthorised assemblies were part of “leaderless” movement since last June against the China extradition laws that the government was forced to withdraw. As of mid-March, over 7,800 were arrested and over 1,200 prosecuted in connection with the mass protests and over 16,000 tear gas rounds fired.
Hong Kong’s “One Country,Two Systems” is in jeopardy. The arrests drew strong criticism from human rights groups, international leaders and observers.
Owing to the coronavirus pandemic, the protests that had been subdued for several months and now finally reactivated.
Today’s office workers in Central restarted the “With You Lunch” event with a flashmob protest at the IFC Mall, a landmark of Hong Kong, to defend Hong Kong’s press freedom, and return Hong Kong people to universal suffrage.
At 1pm, more than 100 people gathered in the atrium of the IFC Mall at 3 levels. Some people raised the black flag of “Free Hong Kong, Revolution of Our Time” and “Fight for Freedom, Stand with Hong Kong”, sang “Glory to Hong Kong” and other protest songs, and chanted “5 Demands, Not 1 Less.” Someone in Doramon costume came to support and distributed bottled drinks to protesters.
