New security law begins to break Hong Kong’s pro-democracy economy

HONG KONG (Reuters) – As soon as Hong Kong’s new national security law went into effect last week, Ivan Ng removed all protest-themed paintings, posters and flags from the list of items for sale at his print shop. Onestep.

Sandra Leung at Wefund.hk, which sells protest-themed artwork and accessories, said she has suspended sales of protective gear worn by protesters, flags with the slogan “Free Hong Kong” and other items bearing chants. popular.

Jeffrey Cheong, owner of Hair Guys Salon, said he closed his store for a few days last week to remove decorations for democracy.

Ng, Leung and Cheong are three of the approximately 4,500 small businesses in Hong Kong’s “yellow economy”, which supports pro-democracy protesters and vice versa. That circle of support shows signs of weakening against the new law.

“We removed all products related to the protest right after the law was implemented, because the law has no very clear limits on (what constitutes) subversion,” Ng said. Last week, he said his total sales have dropped as much as 80%.

Leung said he had removed items for sale that he described as “sensitive,” such as the gas masks used by protesters and items with anti-police slogans.

The new law prohibits what China broadly describes as secession, subversion, terrorism, and collusion with foreign forces, with up to life in prison for criminals. It went into effect last Tuesday, about an hour before the 23rd anniversary of China regaining control of the former British colony.

The Hong Kong government went further on Friday, declaring the popular protest slogan “Free Hong Kong! Revolution of our times” illegal. Public libraries have begun to review books written by pro-democracy activists to see if they violate the new law.

LENNON WALLS GO

Authorities in Hong Kong and Beijing insist that the city retains a “high degree of autonomy,” but critics say the law effectively puts Hong Kong under the control of the Communist Party of China and violates China’s promise to safeguard the Hong Kong freedom for 50 years after the 1997 surrender.

Some companies told local media that the police had visited them and warned them that decorations for democracy were against the new law. Hong Kong police declined to disclose details of such visits. In a statement to Reuters, a police representative said the goal of any enforcement action was not to target flags or slogans, but “to intercept people’s behavior by inciting and / or inciting others for the secession commission or subversion”.

With or without police visits, many stores run by supporters of democracy have in the past week taken down their so-called Lennon Walls, the colored sticky note mosaics with protest messages from customers, named after the John Lennon Wall in controlled Prague by the Communists it was covered with Beatles lyrics and political grievance messages.

The absence of these striking features will make it more difficult to detect which stores support the pro-democracy movement. The same is true on the web.

An online platform called “Eat With You” that compiles lists of yellow stores and blue stores, whose owners consider themselves pro-Beijing, went offline last week. Another, hkshoplist.com, has removed the reasons why it listed the stores as yellow.

Some are finding new ways to stay in touch with their pro-democracy clients, such as placing blank post-it tiles and replacing posters with A4 sheets of paper.

A store that sells ice cream and drinks has removed protest-themed decorations and updated its menu with fake patriotic slogans, hoping customers will appreciate the satire. “We must drink for the members of the Communist Party and the people who love our country!” and “Special drinks for socialism with Chinese characteristics!” They are two examples.

“National security law is suppressing our freedom of expression,” said Selina Leung, 26, manager of the store called Talk 2 DeCream. “Instead of breaking the law, we are trying to have fun during this difficulty.”