{"id":230250,"date":"2021-04-15T09:39:08","date_gmt":"2021-04-15T16:39:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/chinadigitaltimes.net\/?p=230250"},"modified":"2021-04-16T18:16:29","modified_gmt":"2021-04-17T01:16:29","slug":"on-national-security-education-day-hong-kong-celebrates-police-brutality","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/chinadigitaltimes.net\/2021\/04\/on-national-security-education-day-hong-kong-celebrates-police-brutality\/","title":{"rendered":"On National Security Education Day, Hong Kong Celebrates Police Brutality"},"content":{"rendered":"

After weeks of wall-to-wall advertising, the Hong Kong government celebrated its newly created “National Security Education Day” on Thursday. The New York Times’ Vivian Wang described how the day unfolded:<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n

Teddy bears clad in black police riot gear, on sale for more than $60 apiece. Schoolchildren\u2019s messages of gratitude to the authorities, pasted onto the walls of their schools. Uniformed police officers goose-stepping in formation, accompanied by a counterterrorism drill complete with a helicopter and hostage simulation.<\/p>\n

[\u2026] The full day of activities was designed to inculcate young and old with the importance of national security. It had been promoted extensively through street-side banners, front-page advertisements in the city\u2019s newspapers, and even a scrolling digital display on one of Hong Kong\u2019s downtown skyscrapers, among the government\u2019s most concentrated propaganda efforts since the law was enacted last June.<\/p>\n

[\u2026] \u201cI especially thank the Hong Kong people,\u201d said Zheng Yanxiong, the security office head. \u201cFrom being unfamiliar with, guessing about, and waiting and watching for the national security law, they have arrived through a very natural and reasonable process at acceptance, welcoming and support.\u201d<\/p>\n

[\u2026] If memories of the counterterrorism demonstration weren\u2019t enough to take home, there were souvenirs available for sale. They included the riot-gear-clad teddy bear, a pair of zip ties strapped to its chest ($62); key chains engraved with crowd-control phrases like \u201cDisperse or we fire\u201d and \u201cWarning: Tear smoke\u201d ($4 each); and a set of 18 three-inch figurines, clutching rifles and shields and bearing police warning flags about illegal assembly (\u201cfestive special offer\u201d: $114). [Source<\/strong><\/a>]<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

\n

Almost like a ritual, HK gov splashed front page ads on most newspapers in HK – except @appledaily_hk<\/a> – for the national security education day. pic.twitter.com\/VgkVcbvqtB<\/a><\/p>\n

— Xinqi Su \u8607\u6615\u742a (@XinqiSu) April 15, 2021<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n