bc magazine

Gay Games 11 Announces New Dates

It’s Official! The revised dates for the eleventh Gay Games in Hong Kong are 3-11 November 2023.

The organising committee announced the new dates, a new logo and website, www.gghk2023.com. But said that the #UnityInDiversity message remains the same as they want to make the Gay Games in Asia the most diverse and inclusive ever.

The updated logo sees the six colours of the pride rainbow on the iconic Sampan joined by the additional colours of Black, Brown, Pink, Baby Blue and White. “Inspired by Daniel Quasar’s Progress Pride Flag, the new colours represent the marginalised communities of people of colour, trans individuals, those living with HIV/AIDS and those who have been lost; their inclusion into our icon reflects our genuine hope to celebrate diversity, inclusion and community in the widest possible sense.”

The 9-day events program for 2023 remains the same and features 36 Sport Events, an Arts & Culture programme, a Festival Village and the Opening/Closing Ceremonies.

The games are open to all adults over 18, regardless of gender, race, sexual orientation, nationality, or ability.

Gay Games Hong Kong 2023
Date: 3-11 November, 2023
Venue: Hong Kong
Tickets: Free

Lunar New Year Fireworks Cancelled

Home Affairs Secretary Lau Kong-wah announced that the fireworks display in Victoria Harbour, traditionally held on the second day of the Lunar New Year has been cancelled for security reasons.

It appears that the government is unable to exert enough control on the HK Police to ensure public safety. And that more video of police beating and arresting random people will further erode the tourism industry.

A mainland visitor, when asked if she was afraid of coming to Hong Kong, answered: “I’m afraid of being attacked or arrested for no reason”.

Police Use Warrant For Their Own Premises, to Search Protestors Phones

Judicial review application by photographer Lee Wing Ho reveals police abuse of warrants to illegally search phones.

//there was something not quite right about the warrants. First, Lee wasn’t served with them. Second, the warrants authorized the police to search the 22nd floor of police headquarters. Why would the police seek a warrant to search their own premises?

….

Lawyers representing Lee therefore inferred that the police “having arrested and confiscated a large number of smartphones and electronic devices from a number of suspects on different occasions and having brought them to the 22/f of Police Headquarters” sought two warrants “to access all of them without conditions or limitations.”//

Read the full article by Mary Hui here: hong-kong-police-use-vague-warrants-to-crack-into-phones

當荒謬成為日常 / When Absurdity Becomes Everyday

當荒謬成為日常

手腳被綁，膠袋套頭被指為自殺。
街上出現腰部斷為兩截的屍體。
墜樓身亡，卻沒有任何巨響和鮮血。
海上出現雙手被綁口封膠紙的浮屍。
⋯⋯ 他們不是一堆無可疑的數字。

當荒謬成為日常，請拒絕麻木，
麻木只會令歪理變常理。
.
若從天而降一具具的屍體，你會怎樣？
.
(靈感來自Rene Magritte的作品Golconda)

image @pon.seed

Hands and feet were tied and plastic bags were alleged to have committed suicide.
Two corpses with broken waists appeared on the street.
He fell and died without any loud noises or blood.
A floating body with seams sealed in both hands appeared at sea.
…They are not a bunch of unquestionable numbers.

When absurdity becomes everyday, please refuse to be numb, Numbness can only make a fallacy common sense. What would happen to a dead body from heaven?

(Inspired by Rene Magritte’s Golconda, translation google translate)

Five Demands, Not One Less! January Protest Schedule

bc magazine does not support or condone violent protest!

This schedule is provided for reference and guidance only, as things change on a daily/hourly basis.

Stay Safe!

Image: unknown

Danzmocrazy – 5 Demands Not One Less

A group of Hong Kong University of Science & Technology (HKUST) alumni have crafted a video that uses dance to tell the story of the protests so far…

The dancers come from different industries and are among the anonymous millions who have worked to ensure Hong Kong has continued to be one of the world’s greatest cities – despite the incompetent and corrupt leaders foisted upon the SAR by Beijing.

As one dancer puts it “Not only we all have stayed in Hong Kong, we also have [a] strong will in making our city great again”.

‘In 2019, we are all awakened from our usual lives. Our city, our identity, our culture & values, our freedom are being nibbled by the regime. Time has chosen us and it is time for Hong Kong people to stand and safeguard our city. We wish to use our passion in dancing and in our city to reunite everyone and to invite the world to stand with Hong Kong, fight for Hong Kong against absolute power and authority.”

Credits:
Production: Greatest Salute & Epic Cut
Choreography: Brilliant & Powerful
Music (rearrangement & cover): Perfect & Impactful Voices
Venue: Comfy & Private
Artwork: Abaddon
Helpers: Pedestrian A ,B & C &…
Props & Costumes: Everywhere

www.twitter.com/danzmocrazy
www.facebook.com/danzmocrazy

In Hong Kong Crackdown, Police Repeatedly Broke Their Own Rules — and Faced No Consequences

Leaked law-enforcement manuals contain guidelines often ignored in confrontations with protesters.

As violence escalated in Hong Kong over recent months, senior officials repeatedly ruled out a full inquiry into increasingly aggressive police tactics toward pro-democracy demonstrators.

Independent scrutiny would be an “injustice” and a “tool for inciting hatred” against the force, commissioner Chris Tang said recently, echoing the refusal of Carrie Lam, the city’s Beijing-appointed leader, to meet one of protesters’ key demands. A police spokesman emphasized that the force is adhering to “strict” guidelines in policing the protests, “benchmarked against international standards.”

A review of more than 100 pages of police guidelines and training manuals obtained by The Washington Post details these protocols surrounding use of force. The guidelines, however, were often ignored by police, who have misused chemical agents and used excessive force against protesters not resisting, according to experts in policing who examined dozens of incidents in consultation with Post journalists and in comparison with the police protocols.

Read the full article here, including a response from the HK Police

In Hong Kong Crackdown, Police Repeatedly Broke Their Own Rules — and Faced No Consequences

Merry Christmas

Merry Christmas from bc magazine
Please spare a moment of your day to remember the thousands arrested and beaten by the HK police who are separated from their families.