In what has become a daily occurrence in Hong Kong, thousands are marching in Central. This is the fourth month of this movement, and people are still showing up in large numbers. #HongKongProstestspic.twitter.com/x0nk25LnJc
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I spoke too soon! A line with 30 and riot police appeared near wan chai MTR. Literally within 30 seconds the crowd I was with—thousands—disappeared into the side streets. “Be watering”. A young woman came out of a restaurant there and yelled “triads” (gangsters) at them.pic.twitter.com/Faqt3B0xSQ
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The police above were joined by another 100 riot police and maybe five raptors. But everyone here is long gone. The police are also leaving in the other direction. Hong Kong’s political crisis has been outsourced to the police and it’s not really working.
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Hong Kong, the city that doesn’t need any step tracking apps. I end up walking 7 to 10 hours some days as transit shuts down routinely now. (August 31 was the turning point for that.) https://twitter.com/lwcalex/status/1180133651691868161 …
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The attempt to overturn the mask ban in courts has failed. The law goes into effect now: a year in jail for wearing a mask. HK island protests largely dispersed via "be water" but Kowloon still active. (I left as I won't be interviewing under the conditions about to happen).
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A Hong Kong legislator says as of midnight one country, two systems is over. Seeing a lot of commentary to that effect: "Hong Kong has fallen".https://twitter.com/charlesmok/status/1180151078387503104 …
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The mask ban has started. However, they don't really use facial recognition software here (though some protesters mention it as a potential future concern). The threat is about old-fashioned recognition (by humans!) and legal and personal consequences.https://twitter.com/derekbruff/status/1180195754591150080 …
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This morning in Hong Kong the whole subway line (the city runs on it! Normally, it's amazing) and many malls (Hong Kong's quasi-public spaces) are closed. Virtual lock-down, but many protests are scheduled. I suspect many will walk, as usual. https://twitter.com/pakwayne/status/1180282846470012929 …
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A bewilderingly common sentiment among the so-called left. People are marching into live fire in Iraq (dozens dead), protesting IMF austerity in Ecuador, putting everything on the line in Hong Kong and somehow US/UK is behind it (via mind control?).https://twitter.com/DrumEQ/status/1180291644303785985 …
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It's not left to look at people risking so much—their very lives—to fight corruption and authoritarianism and see the NED or UK. It's racist and dehumanizing. Neither Hongkongers nor Iraqis are stupid puppets so easily manipulated to risk their lives because of NED powerpoints.
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An analysis of the government’s gamble that’s underlying the Hong Kong’s mask ban. https://twitter.com/comparativist/status/1180434360702386176 …
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First day of the mask ban in Hong Kong, and the police are tackling a young couple in the middle of Central. I don’t think the ban is even valid people in groups less than 30. The arbitrariness of implementation ans fear may well be the goal. https://twitter.com/lwcalex/status/1180437985747066880 …
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Candidates in Hong Kong (who are allowed to run for what limited seats are elected) are pretty clearly signaling their stance—fight for freedom, stand with Hong Kong. (Yes I’m back for a bit!)pic.twitter.com/N8GeJ6s4Tv
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Tying this mini-thread about Hong Kong’s Lennon walls to the main thread. (Typing while watching protesters help domestic workers in Victoria Park pack up to escape the teargas. Yes, already).https://twitter.com/zeynep/status/1190475183313735682 …
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Hard to put into words what I’m witnessing in Hong Kong. The movement is in its fifth month. Thousands arrested, many facing 10 year sentences. And yet I’m *again* in a sea of thousands of protesters, many wearing masks—telling me they will keep fighting. Tear gas out already.pic.twitter.com/8qmxsrOAVG
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I’ve been interviewing Hong Kong protesters for months now, and today is among the most defiant I’ve heard them. It’s quite remarkable given the escalation in crack down. And it’s clear from the interviews that they realize the risks, but not willing to give up. Also a big crowd.
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Made it to the Edinburg rally, which is legal, with thousands of others who walked around the police blocks. This, too, was a big and defiant crowd, chanting Hong Kong slogans, still asking for universal suffrage. But now the police—well raptors—have arrived so moving on again!
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So I’ve been observing the Hong Kong protesters for months now, and the so-called frontliners don’t looked thinned out or younger to me. At least not today. If anything, even though they still “be water”,l quickly, they are perhaps the least skittish I’ve seen.
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The app
@Apple banned after being criticized by CCP mouthpiece? It’s useful for avoiding surprise tear gas. Medics have been treating these two bystanders caught in tear gas for 20 minutes. At one point she was convulsing. Someone surprised or inexperienced can end gulp a lot.
pic.twitter.com/WtEY6fPQpu
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For example, I just walked out of a restaurant into a surprise cloud of teargas. That’s the kind of thing that the Hong Kong app banned by
@Apple is useful for—not ambushing police like the ridiculous claim since it just isn’t that granular.https://twitter.com/zeynep/status/1190582383348719616 …
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Anyone know what these are? No markings. Fingers for scale!pic.twitter.com/5QQc3v3I2n
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Okay so these are probably the new Chinese ones.https://twitter.com/hongkonghermit/status/1190605331665014785 …
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By the way, still a large police presence around Sheung Wan, and no press around. They were chasing someone a moment ago. (A few medics did go along with the chase).pic.twitter.com/ouAAXIdIy2
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Another question to follow up: Is YouTube disproportionately recommending Chinese government’s false assertions about Hong Kong protesters? Why is it recommended at all? As usual, independent researchers don’t have the full data we’d need.https://twitter.com/jeremybmerrill/status/1190002705793781761 …
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At Sheung Wan, police are arresting a man who had heckled them earlier. (There is one press group filming).pic.twitter.com/CukK4ovLN2
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I’ve seen protesters wash off tear gas from dogs and pigeons. A first for a rat!https://twitter.com/mantaichow/status/1190618535371821057 …
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This is really dangerous. Hong Kong press is reporting a medic it has been hospitalized with serious burn injuries after one of these new Chinese tear gas canisters hit him in the back. I found one (see upthread), it had crumpled upon impact.https://twitter.com/rachel_cheung1/status/1190619209413251073 …
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A video getting shared a lot today. The girl gets caught and yells for the boy to leave. “Go, go.” He doesn’t, steps in between her and the police, and they both get arrested. Hong Kong protest style love.https://twitter.com/crossstreamw/status/1190182045147750402?s=21 …
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Another video making the rounds in Hong Kong. Fireman gets upset with the police for firing at his truck. He does a “WTF” and then police start shoving him around. (HK firemen have been acting quite professionally and are generally respected by protesters) https://twitter.com/galileocheng/status/1190617618190757888 …
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Masks are very common here.

In the Hong Kong island side, it’s only firefighters operating so far, the police have stayed away. (Protesters do start fires but also clear the way for fire engines and applaud them).