the tiananmen square crackdown. hong kong was once the only place on chinese soil that publicly remembered the dead. in recent years, the police threatened to arrest anyone who attempts to mark the day. some are determined. flowers for the dead. a political statement. a disturbance to public order. the police continue to search pedestrians. dozens are taken away for questioning. the police detain anyone in possession of candles or flowers. ronson chan is back
after a confrontation with the police while reporting. the hong kong authorities said the national security law would only affect a small number of people but critics say it s transformed this city into a police state. ronson suspects that he s still under surveillance.
after an hour, ronson emerged. he s charged with obstructing the police. it s technically a minor charge but he could face prison time. since the national security law was introduced, pro democracy media outlets have been raided and closed. it s had a chilling effect on the press. ronson s arrest has put his plans to leave hong kong at risk. he s been granted a prestigious fellowship at oxford university for six months. i ve told the police officer that i plan to leave in 29 of september and i have to stay in england for half a year.
in december 2021, stand news, one of hong kong s last independent media outlets, was raided by the national security police. senior editors were arrested and detained. the charge publishing seditious material. ronson worked there as an editor. on that morning, national security police came to ronson s door. those found guilty of violating the national security law could face life in prison. ronson was taken away for questioning, then released, but his colleagues remain in custody. as chairman of the journalists association, he has long been seen as a possible target.