Large-Scale Anti-Falun Gong Campaign Triggers Fear of Political Oppression in Hong Kong

Recently, anti-Falun Gong banners can be seen everywhere in Hong Kong. Netizens complain that these banners hurt the city’s appearance and affect road safety. Furthermore, as Falun Gong is a banned religious organisation in Mainland China, the large-scale campaign against the group triggers the fear that freedom of religion and speech is being tightened in Hong Kong.

Overwhelming Number of Anti-Falun Gong Banners
The following is the photo map of anti-Falun Gong banners in Tsim Sha Tsui.

(Click on the triangles to view photos.)

These banners also appear in Causeway Bay and even Tung Chung.

Tung Chung Cable Car Terminal
Causeway Bay

Contents of Anti-Falun Gong Banners

Supported by Beijing


These banners are erected by “Hong Kong Youth Care Association Limited” (香港青年關愛協會). According to the report of Next Magazine (壹週刊) in August,

(*Full article in here)

From the information of Companies Registry, Hong Kong Youth Care Association Limited is registered as a limited company. It has two board members, Lam Kwok-on and Ng Chong-tsang. Its registered address is 1st floor of Yanjing Building in Fanling…

The leader of anti-cult Lam Kwok-on claimed to be a member of DAB earlier in his life…In 2000, when he was the chairman of the Owners’ Coperation of Fanling Wah-ming Estate, he refused to let Democratic Party to post election advertisements in the estate. In recent years, he organises youth services for pro-Beijing parties. He even campaigned for DAB in last year District Council election. Lam is even a specially hired committee member for the government of Jinggangshan city in Jiangxi province…

Besides having lots of “selfless volunteers”, Hong Kong Youth Care Association Limited also gets financial support from a Mainland Chinese big company…The office of Hong Kong Youth Care Association is owned by Yanjing Beer (Hong Kong) Limited…The place is offered by Yanjing Beer for free…

Our reporter further investigated that there is also a branch of Care Association in Shenzhen. The office of the association is in Hongling Lu of Shenzhen. No one was in there. A staff from the office next door brought our reporter to the office of “Anti-cult Association”, which is located on the same floor. “The two associations have the same people. Two door signs. If you want to find them, come here. That side won’t open,” said the staff.

Left Column: Shenzhen Anti-Cult Association
Middle Column: Shenzhen Care Association

In 1999, China outlawed Falun Gong. Next year, China Anti-cult Association and China Care Association were established. On the surface, they are non-governmental organisations. In fact, the authority actively supports the organisations, making them bloom in every province. A new branch has also been established in Hong Kong.

Composed of Thugs

According to the same article above,

New Tang Dynasty Television reporter Leung Chun who always reports news about Falun Gong…told Next Magazine, “People of Hong Kong Youth Care Association Limited were waving knifes. It was extremely intimidating. However, the police said they are fine as long as they haven’t hurt anyone. I think this is unacceptable.”

A member of Hong Kong Youth Care Association Limited was waving a 2-inch long knife to intimidate a reporter of New Tang Dynasty Television. (Source)

Netizens also had serious arguments with people of Hong Kong Youth Care Association Limited.

Lam Kwok-on, the Board Member of Hong Kong Youth Care Association Limited
Other members of Hong Kong Youth Care Association Limited

Protested with British Hong Kong Flags

Some netizens protested in front of these banners with British Hong Kong flags.

“This is Hong Kong, not China. Resist Hong Kong from Becoming Red. Defend Freedom of Speech.”

Netizens’ Comments

Fung: Great, it would be the best to cover all these bad banners with Union Jack and Dragon-and-Lion flag. I’ve complained many times by calling Tsim Sha Tsui Police Station, Highway Department, Home Affairs Department and Food and Environmental Hygiene Department. Yet, they simply refer me to another departments…I think the members of Falun Gong are very quiet and haven’t disturbed others.

Ho: The government outlawed unauthorised banner display. Recently, anti-Falun Gong banners from Hong Kong Youth Care Association Limited were erected all over Nathan Road and Star Ferry Pier, and these banners have no effective date. I am very discontent with the government for allowing this organisation to erect banners unlawfully, destroying the environment of Hong Kong. (Hong Kong Youth Care Association Limited is the Chinese Communist Party basically. It is used to eradicate Falun Gong. This has never happened in Hong Kong.) I’m not a member of Falun Gong and don’t really like its promotion methods.

The following may be the cause of this incident:
1. The government is afraid of the Chinese Communist Party and therefore connives at the offense made by this Care Association.
2. The government and this Care Association conspire together to eradicate Falun Gong.

tbu: Hong Kong Youth Care Association, this rubbish satellite communist terrorist group, started struggle sessions against Falun Gong in Star ferry Pier and Causeway Bay, turning Hong Kong back to the white terror of 1967 Leftist Riot. The most annoying thing is that some banners are written in Cantonese, misleading others into thinking that Hongkongers agree with struggle sessions against Falun Gong. Today, they attack Falun Gong. One day, they can use the same method to attack people who are against national education. In July 1st protest, they can create chaos. I don’t agree with the belief of Falun Gong. However, whether Falun Gong is suppressed has become an index of Hong Kong freedom of speech or Beijing interference of Hong Kong affairs. As a Hongkonger, one must pay attention to this incident.

Two written Cantonese anti-Falun Gong banners near Star Ferry Pier – “Falun Gong members cut up abdomens by themselves so that they can “seek Wheel of Life”. Yet, they tell people that “their organs were stolen”.

In fact, the leader of anti-National Education, Joshua Wong, was intimidated by another radical pro-Beijing group called “Caring Hong Kong Power” (愛護香港力量, 愛港力 in short). One of its member flashed a pair of scissors in front of Wong, who walked past a pro-National Education forum in Mong Kok last month.

A member of “Caring Hong Kong Power” flashed a pair of scissors in front of the leader of anti-National Education, Joshua Wong (in black shirt). Source
“Caring Hong Kong Power” celebrated this year National Day in Mong Kok.

Leung: The Communist thieves are monks with umbrellas – no hair no heaven (*which means “have no regards for law”. You can against Falun Gong. However, you should use legal methods. Hong Kong Youth Care Association Limited doesn’t respect the law of Hong Kong at all. Displaying banners without written permissions is illegal. Telling Falun Gong to get out of Hong Kong? Hong Kong Youth Care Association Limited has no regards for Hong Kong law. Using Cultural Revolution Style struggle sessions to attack Falun Gong is unethical. Therefore, it should be them getting out of Hong Kong.
Could it be that civilisation and respectful of law are opposite to the Communist Party? Why do they have to be uncilivised and disrespectful of law in front of Hongkongers? How to tell people to love to be Chinese?

On Nov 27, according to Oriental Daily, a 40-year-old man was arrested for damaging 17 anti-Falun Gong banners from Hong Kong Youth Care Association Limited. Netizens saluted the man as a hero.

A damaged anti-Falun gong banner in Jordan, Hong Kong.
“Get Out of Hong Kong” was cut out from “Taiwan Falun Gong Get Out of Hong Kong” banner.

As the government refuses to handle road safety and image issues brought by the overwhelming number of anti-Falun Gong banners, citizens destroyed the banners by themselves.

Damaged Anti-Falun Gong Banners on Canton Road. Photo Taken on 20 Dec 2012

20 thoughts on “Large-Scale Anti-Falun Gong Campaign Triggers Fear of Political Oppression in Hong Kong”

  1. Why is that? Hong Kong has several hundred thousand British nationals. The US State of Hawaii incorporate the British flag and the US fought a long war with the British to achieve independence.

    Using the colonial flag simply denotes that Hong Kong’s best times were during the colonial period, which is also when nearly all of Hong Kong’s residents or their ancestors immigrated to Hong Kong.

    Hong Kong, its institutions, its rule of law and ethical environment needs to be preserved for Hong Kong people because once they are lost, they and our freedoms will be lost forever – but if you are pro China, since we know the Communist led Chinese model is not sustainable, then Hong Kong needs to preserve its way of life for a future China that will need to find a sustainable path of governance. I fully support the use of colonial symbols to represent what we hope to preserve and build on in Hong Kong. China has been nothing but a negative influence and a bad experience so far.

    Long Live Hong Kong!

  2. I’ve been wrecking my brains wondering why on earth would any locals from Hong Kong support the CPC and help infiltrate its fascist idealisms into the Hong Kong society. ‘Greed’ is all I can come up with, since these people are being well compensated for their propaganda efforts.

    1. HK Police is a joke. So according to what they say, citizens are allowed to walk about the streets waving 2-inch knives. For what reason did the members need to bring knives in the first place?

  3. To understand the ultra-nationalists, comparisons with chauvinistic movements in other countries is helpful. People attracted to foreign-hating organisations are usually poor, uneducated, unsuccessful in their careers, in sum with an inferiority complex. They attempt to compensate by seeking targets weaker than themselves, and anyone who is even slightly different — the writers, the immigrants, the religious minorities — becomes the scapegoat for their failures. Think office clerk, security guard or wife-beater and you won’t be far wrong.

  5. “…Blame it on the Falun Gong
    They’ve seen the end and it can’t hold on now

    ‘Cause it would take a lot more hate than you
    To end the fascination
    Even with an iron fist
    All they got to rule the nation
    When all I’ve got is precious time…”

  6. The International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, to which HK is a signatory:

    Article 20.2:
    Any advocacy of national, racial or religious hatred that constitutes incitement to discrimination, hostility or violence shall be prohibited by law.

    I’m not about to read thousands of ordinances to see whether Hong Kong actually has a law to that effect, but I’m guessing not, in which case we need one now.

  8. It seems to me that the general sentiment among HK netizens is extreme animosity against both the communists AND Falun Gong, which in my opinion only the former deserve. They condemn the banners for uglifying public space, but not for their assault on freedom of religion.

  10. Dear Sir / Madam,

    WS121120B53061 Inquire about the anti-Falun Gong posters (Case Ref: 1-393615582)

    We have received your enquiry of 20/11/2012.

    I should be grateful if you would provide the following additional information for taking the case forward –

    Please provide the detailed district name, street name, street number & building name.

    Regarding “religious discrimination”, we suggest you to contact the Equal Opportunities Commission. As the Equal Opportunities Commission is not a government department, please contact the organisation direct through the following channels –

    1) Fax: 2511 8142
    2) Email: eoc@eoc.org.hk
    3) Web site: http://www.eoc.org.hk

    If you have any enquiry, please contact us at 1823.

    Regards,
    Cloudy Cheng
    Customer Service Officer
    1823 Call Centre
    ___________________________________________________

    In other words, the government will only deal with the problem on a banner-by-banner basis, and refuses to do anything to actually solve it.

  12. any of you guys aware that Jackie Chan just stated that freedom to demonstrate in HK should be curbed? He stated as such during the promotion of his recent film

  13. Do they have a permit to cover the entire tst ferry terminal? it is outrageous! I’m a local and I think it’s not a good look for tourists to see such a wonderful spot ruined by this silly group.

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