HK Protests Update: The Messaging Floodgates Are Open

Sept. 11

It’s the first week of school, and Hong Kong University is jam-packed, as usual.  Gone are the lazy days of summer break when you could have half the library to yourself.  Now the common areas on campus are full of people rushing about.  And the Democracy Movement activities have stepped up their game.  Immediately upon leaving the MTR you’re greeted by a sandwich board man with photos.  Another student is standing there handing out a “Humanitarian crisis in HK” flier, complete with a HKPROTEST1001 bingo game.  (“It’s a global battle for universal values.  Join us, or the threat of authoritarian force will loom over the world.”).  All of a sudden you realize the struggle has shifted onto another plane.  It’s not simply physical action, the constant cat-and-mouse shock mob actions that we saw all summer.  It’s now about messaging.

China of course has already been in high gear with getting its messages out.  On top of the spin treatment for its Xinjiang policies (https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/2166632/china-tries-spin-positive-message-counter-criticism-xinjiang), it has added this new crisis (https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3026465/why-china-went-global-media-blitz-over-hong-kong-protests-and) to its diplomats’ to-do lists.  So far they appear to be playing catch-up.  The Hong Kong government has spent big on advertisements  to reassure investors overseas investors (https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3025915/after-extradition-bill-withdrawal-hong-kong-launches-global-ad).  The government points to its efforts to launch a  “cross-sector dialogue to talk through differences and look for common ground.”  And ultra-capitalist folk hero Li Kai Shing urged restraint during a Buddhist ceremony last Sunday (https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3026437/hong-kong-tycoon-li-ka-shing-calls-those-power-show).  It’s the season of competing messages.

And misinformation.  Demo Movement sites LIHK and Telegram warned readers about possible efforts to cause trouble and blame it on the democracy campaign, planned for today, Sept., 11.  They then announced the following:  “In remembrance of the September 11 attacks, and in solidarity against terrorism, all forms of protest in Hong Kong will be suspended on 11 Sept. (HKT) apart from poet nail singing and chanting.”