Following last week’s arrest of five Apple Daily executives on national security charges and the freezing of the company’s bank accounts, Hong Kong’s last pro-democracy newspaper published its final issue early Thursday morning with a million copy run, before shutting down its social media accounts. Ryan Law, the chief editor, and Cheung Kim-hung, the CEO of parent company Next Digital, have been denied bail, and the founder Jimmy Lai is currently in jail and faces additional national security charges. An op-ed writer for the paper, Yeung Ching-Kei—who wrote under the pen name Li Ping—was detained Wednesday “on suspicion of conspiracy to collude with foreign forces.” The New York Times’ Austin Ramzy and Tiffany May report on the paper’s enforced closure:
The forced closure of Apple Daily struck a blow to the unique character of the city itself. The paper churned out stories on celebrity gossip and lurid scandals, as well as hard-hitting political news and analysis, always with a decidedly antigovernment slant and an irreverence antithetical to what the Communist Party would allow in the mainland. Even in the face of advertising boycotts, assaults on its journalists and firebomb attacks, the paper persevered and thrived, remaining one of the most widely read newspapers in the city, living proof of the freedoms Hong Kong enjoyed despite its return to Chinese rule in 1997.
When antigovernment protests erupted in Hong Kong in 2019, posing the greatest political challenge to Beijing in decades, Apple Daily was an unabashed supporter of the movement, even printing placards for demonstrators. But when Beijing moved to quash resistance to its rule in the city with a powerful and sweeping national security law that squeezed space for dissent, Apple Daily quickly became a key target.
“Apple Daily showed we have a vibrant society, with freedom of expression and freedom of the press,” said Emily Lau, a former pro-democracy lawmaker. “But after tomorrow, Apple Daily will be no more.”
“It shows that when the Chinese government decides to act, it can be very swift and sometimes exceedingly brutal,” Ms. Lau said. [Source]
Supporters of the paper and of press freedom more generally marked the moment at local newsstands, at the Apple Daily offices, and on social media.
Breaking: @appledaily_hk announced that they will shut down after midnight on Wednesday and the paper on Thursday will be their final edition. End of an era in #HongKong and an uncertain future for press freedom in the city.
— William Yang (@WilliamYang120) June 23, 2021
2/ The embattled pro-democracy daily is printing a million copies overnight after it was forced to close, unable to pay staff following an assets freeze. Full story: https://t.co/1iw3sp8smg pic.twitter.com/SFFdGktYnm
— Hong Kong Free Press HKFP (@hkfp) June 23, 2021
4/ Team members posed for group photos, as snacks and cards from readers were dotted around the office.
Outside, supporters shouted slogans and waved their phone lights. A staffer promised them a souvenir copy of the paper. pic.twitter.com/GcHDijjPuZ
— Hong Kong Free Press HKFP (@hkfp) June 23, 2021
2. The parent company of Apple Daily, Next Digital Limited, is a listed company. The govt forced a listed company to close itself in a matter of days, though signs have been there for months.
— Nathan Law 羅冠聰 (@nathanlawkc) June 23, 2021
4. Apple Daily is a popular newspaper. It ranked 3rd most credible newspaper in the latest poll by a university research institute. People supporting democracy support them as well. Apple daily is murdered by an authoritarian regime, with the latest weaponized legal state. pic.twitter.com/oEBw7mH4z3
— Nathan Law 羅冠聰 (@nathanlawkc) June 23, 2021
In a dark rainy night in HK, a supporter is waving her phone with torch light on in silence to @appledaily_hk and staff in the building wave back.
At her back, some other supporters shout from time to time “Support Apple Daily, Till the Last!”
“Stay safe!” the staff shout. pic.twitter.com/lOti1UetZc
— Xinqi Su 蘇昕琪 (@XinqiSu) June 23, 2021
Here's an early look at the last ever front page of Hong Kong's @appledaily_hk pic.twitter.com/HN4FuNe9QY
— Joyu Wang (@joyuwang) June 23, 2021
Final copy of Apple Daily is out for the public pic.twitter.com/YuFtxMyEAn
— Kris Cheng (@krislc) June 23, 2021
A team of @appledaily_hk staff including reporters, came out to thank their supporters shortly after midnight #HK pic.twitter.com/h0qJIkSSv0
— Joanne Wong (@JOceanW) June 23, 2021
On this very sad night of the end of #HongKong’s #PressFreedom, the staff of pro-democracy newspaper #AppleDaily responds to a curtain call, and cheers and applause from supporters resound through the media building.#StandWithHongKong
Photo credits: @StandNewsHK pic.twitter.com/JVLzsRd3IE— Eileen Chang 😷⛑🥽🌂🧤🇭🇰 (@EileenEChang) June 23, 2021
Every person waving a last little point of light, on Apple Daily’s final night https://t.co/t3t4LHRYlj
— Alice Su (@aliceysu) June 23, 2021
Heartbreaking out of Hong Kong. Another dark day in a year of them for the city. The last issue of the last truly independent paper in the city has been sent to the presses. Crazy to think of Hong Kong without Apple Daily. https://t.co/Y5OL59DAwU
— Paul Mozur 孟建國 (@paulmozur) June 23, 2021
Big round of applause inside Apple Daily newsroom as executive editor-in-chief Lam Man-chung sent off all pages to the printing press for the last time. For @SCMPNews pic.twitter.com/0lXPjercYf
— Phila Siu (Bobby) (@phila_siu) June 23, 2021
the last issue of apple daily hk goes out today. i’m still not really processing this; it’s been around for almost as long as i’ve been alive. i’ve grown accustomed to thinking it’s supposed to exist forever, reliable and untouchable, but i guess nothing is anymore
— karen cheung (@karenklcheung) June 23, 2021
As midnight approaches, scores have arrived at the headquarters of Hong Kong’s Apple Daily @appledaily_hk, a popular pro-democracy newspaper that is forced to fold due to political pressure after 26 years, in the hope to show tribute to the paper. pic.twitter.com/sGHmu9SJSV
— Ezra Cheung (@ezracheungtoto) June 23, 2021
Long queues already at the first stop for the final edition of @appledaily_hk hard copy – papers due to arrive around 1:30 am. #HongKong pic.twitter.com/1BTbXPby1I
— Kevin Yam 任建峰 (@kevinkfyam) June 23, 2021
The last hour https://t.co/FnCzZykCh2
— Emily Feng 冯哲芸 (@EmilyZFeng) June 23, 2021
Some 30 people are already queuing at a newspaper stand in Mong Kok waiting to get the last copies of @appledaily_hk pic.twitter.com/srCpNGXBFY
— Xinqi Su 蘇昕琪 (@XinqiSu) June 23, 2021
Finally police appeared to clear crowd outside Apple Daily pic.twitter.com/q2PxX2nUSe
— Kris Cheng (@krislc) June 23, 2021
“Apple will grow into a big tree!” pic.twitter.com/BDVrFgaZDO
— Grace Tsoi (@gracehw) June 23, 2021
Just now, outside Apple Daily’s HQ, a woman named Pan left a sunflower and card for staff at the paper.
“Although the Apple is about to be picked off the tree, the spirit and perseverance of Apple Daily people will forever stay in our hearts.” pic.twitter.com/3EC16iWAD3
— Karina Tsui 徐敏姿 (@karina_tsui) June 23, 2021
if the apple daily site *does* go down in 3ish hours please immediately start backing up @StandNewsHK — between this & RTHK videos i'm not trusting *ANYTHING* to not get potentially memory-holed in the upcoming weeks.
best-case scenario they get a free mirror/backup.
— Jasnah Kholin – 8964 – ACAB – 💉💉 (@wanderer_jasnah) June 23, 2021
Reporters from different sections recalled their experiences working for Apple Daily, as the newspaper published its last edition tomorrow. "You will see the light if you persist in seeking the truth," wrote the investigative team. https://t.co/berHaGyMuw
— Rachel Cheung (@rachel_cheung1) June 23, 2021
International human rights and press freedom groups spoke out in defense of Apple Daily and of free speech, including the Foreign Correspondents’ Club of Hong Kong, the Committee to Protect Journalists—which also announced it will honor imprisoned founder Jimmy Lai with the Gwen Ifill Press Freedom Award—Human Rights Watch, and PEN International, which called the closure “a death knell for independent media.”
The closure of Hong Kong’s Apple Daily newspaper is “a chilling blow to freedom,” says US @DeputySecState @wendyrsherman. The National Security Law “is not bringing public order… it is creating disorder in a community in Hong Kong which is used to freedom of expression.” pic.twitter.com/7wWuSC1m8S
— Christiane Amanpour (@camanpour) June 23, 2021
The forced closure of @AppleDaily_HK by Hong Kong authorities is a chilling demonstration of their campaign to silence all opposition voices.
It is clearer than ever that the NSL is being used to curtail freedom & punish dissent. https://t.co/Y08LrmIInD
— Dominic Raab (@DominicRaab) June 23, 2021
Holding heads up high even in the worst of times, that is the most admirable spirit of Hong Kong people.@appledaily_hk
👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽 https://t.co/UAhbFW40WK
— Denise Ho (@hoccgoomusic) June 23, 2021
Apple Daily shines til the end. Thank you @appledaily_hk https://t.co/bj0fLhuvUV
— Bao Choy (@Baochoy) June 23, 2021
#蘋果日報 pic.twitter.com/Ib3t4Oaolv
— 虫合麒麟 (@haqilin) June 23, 2021
Support #AppleDaily#FreedomOfSpeech pic.twitter.com/TgP4XeEGm1
— moonfish (@Moonfish2020) June 23, 2021
Read past coverage of Apple Daily, via CDT.
