The government has dropped charges against 11 of the 14 alleged protesters that were originally charged with unlawful assembly. I am not a lawyer, but this leaves me thinking, whether they should have been charged with assault against the police or similar charges. At the same time, shouldn’t the police have been quicker in arresting those protesters that actually attacked them at the teim instead of rounding people up later and then relying on video evidence? That is, if a protester attacks a policeman with a stick, the police grab the proteseter straight away and use all reasonable force necessary to make such an arrest.

At the same time, I don’t want to second guess the police in what was a difficult situation – maybe the situation did not make this possible. After all, I woud just like to see those responsible for attacking the police getting their just desserts. Note: The protesters are presumed innocent until proven guilty and it is up to the police to prove that their case.

We held a small afternoon tea event to support free trade and the police actions with regards to these protests. This includes a statement of moral disapproval of the protesters and their apologists. I will post details of the event later along with some interesting photos. The press release is below:

Afternoon Tea At Kwun Tong Law Courts

Capitalist Solutions Shows Moral Disapproval of Anti-Free Trade Hunger Strikers

[Hong Kong – 10 January 2006] Capitalist Solutions today held an afternoon tea event outside the Kwun Tong Magistracy as anti-free trade protesters started their hunger strike. The afternoon tea event follows on from earlier events in December 2005 by Capitalist Solutions under the banner of “We Love Hong Kong, We Love Free Trade”.

Simon Patkin, Director of Capitalist Solutions a locally based think tank that organized the afternoon tea said, “We held this activity to show strong moral disapproval of the anti-free trade protesters, both during the WTO meeting and after their subsequent arrest.”

Mr. Patkin noted that anti-free trade activists by their actions had clearly ignored calls for rationality during the WTO Trade meeting in Hong Kong. He said, “The anti-free trade protesters as a mob acted irrationally during the WTO meetings and those responsible should for any rioting should be prosecuted.” He added,  “If found guilty, they should be punished accordingly.”

Mr. Patkin also noted media reports of threats to send 1000 South Korean farmers to Hong Kong if the protesters charged were not released. Mr. Patkin said, “This is an insult to Hong Kong’s legal system and rule of law. Just as some countries have procedures for dealing with soccer hooligans, the government should review entry procedures for Korean farmers into Hong Kong in the near future. ”

At the same time, Mr. Patkin believed the South Korean farmers were not representative of the people of their country and the local protesters were not representative of Hong Kong. He said, “There were many good things about South Korea including their advanced electronic and motor industries. It is such a pity that a minority of protesters detract from all the good things about South Korea.” He added, “Why do consumers in South Korea have to pay 400% more for their rice and why do taxpayers subsidize these farmers so they can come to Hong Kong to protest? It just does not make any sense.”

Mr. Patkin is available for media interviews.

About Capitalist Solutions

Capitalist Solutions is a free enterprise think tank promoting the philosophy of rational self-interest in Hong Kong. For more information please go to www.capitalist-solutions.com.

For WTO updates please go to www.hkcapitalist.com

# # # END # # #

The police heroes came first over the Korean farmers in this year’s RTHK Backchat’s Person Of The Year Award. Congratulations to the police, it is a recognition of their hard work and heroism. Unfortunately a significant minority voted for the South Korean farmers, their supporters and apologists. These farmers were the same people that attacked Hong Kong police women with large sticks. (BTW these girls were not wall flowers, they stood their ground.)

What is telling is that the Korean farmers wanted to keep their subsidies and tariffs, whilst a lot of the other anti-WTO protesters wanted to see these kinds of agricultural subsidies lifted. I can never understand why they invited the farmers, they were diametrically opposed to free markets. Those who voted for the farmers are guilty of moral relativism including two of their apologists who were blabbing their mouths away on Backchat.

Anyway, let’s hope the police will go ahead with the trials against the Korean farmers that have been arrested. Of course, in line with the principles of justice, the police need to provide the official evidence against the farmers for judgement in a court of law. I am confident they will.

Once again congratulations to the Hong Kong Police. Their victory today was a victory for justice.

Just when you thought the WTO had taken a small step forward this happens. According to the SCMP:

The United States will impose preliminary anti-dumping duties on diamond saw blades from China and South Korea. China is also facing several anti-dumping investigations by the European Union on tungsten electrodes, plastic bags and shoes

According to the SCMP Catholic Bishop Joseph Zen has judged the Korean rioters innocent even before a trial. It appears he has also saved his critisisms for the police, not the rioters. From my own experience newspapers have a tendency to misquote, I am putting this quote in from Zen, but leave it open to clarification by him or his spokesmen. From the SCMP Zen is quoted about the rioters:

"They are children of the Catholic family, I hope their appearance in court today will run smoothly, because they have not committed any offence," the bishop said yesterday, after visiting three Koreans and a Japanese suspect held at Wong Tai Sin Police Station

Zen is also apparently offering accomodation:

Mr Clancey said Bishop Joseph Zen Ze-kiun would provide accommodation and surety to 12 detainees, though not a Taiwanese student and a mainland designer.

He also clarified previous critisisms of the police. Again the SCMP says:

But he clarified an earlier remark about police treatment of the protesters.

"The press may have mistaken my meaning as criticising frontline officers. I was not, I appreciated them very much and expressed my sympathy to them. It is the high-ranking ones who are confused and irresponsible. I repeat, they are very irresponsible and incompetent."

It appears that Mr. Zen is critisizing the good and rewarding and making excuses for the bad.

Mr. Zen, the police including the high-ranking officers all acted responsibly. They handled a difficult situation well. Your remarks and actions are an inversion of the idea of justice.

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The cartoon in today’s Hong Kong Standard sums up the week pretty well. (They could have also put something about poor countries with highly regulated economies too.) The link is here.

There has been some limited agreement amongst WTO members to end agricultural subsidies by 2013, the date delayed until then by French insistence on a later date. However there are still final gaps remaining and trade ministers need to fill these in before they can go ahead. According to the WTO website:

Hong Kong’s Commerce, Industry and Technology Secretary John Tsang, who chaired the conference, outlined the achievements in the declaration: “We have secured an end date for all export subsidies in agriculture, even if it is not in a form to everybody’s liking. “We have an agreement on cotton. “We have a very solid duty-free, quota-free access for the 32 least-developed country members. “In agriculture and NAMA (non-agricultural market access), we have fleshed out a significant framework for full modalities. “And in services, we now have an agreed text that points positively to the way forward.”

This is a step forward but a very small step and there is so much further to go.

At the same time all countries should realize that they don’t really need to get concessions from other countries to develop their own markets. They just need a free market and the rule of law. This worked for Hong Kong so well.

As to the protesters, they were a true disgrace and so were the press that encouraged them. At least one of their gang had the common sense to apologize for their actions.The SCMP reports one said :

"We’re so sorry for what happened that night and the troubles caused, " the 45-year-old peasant said, stressing the point repeatedly. "

Indeed despite insistence by some in Hong Kong, the Korean farmers realized quickly that their actions were disgusting to those of us living in Hong Kong. The post goes on to report:

"But what worried them most was whether Hong Kong people disliked them after the protests. … The farmers said they believed they had achieved their aims of letting Hong Kong people and the world know of the hardship they faced. "

What these hooligans don’t remember is that Hong Kongers grew up with hardship during the 50’s and 60’s to grow into a world class economy. I doubt they will get too much sympathy.

Meanwhile organizations like the Asian Human Rights Commission put out a statement which includes the following:

Due to this excessive reaction, it was reported that some protesters removed some wooden fences on the streets, resulting in minor clashes between the protesters and the police. Despite the protesters being unarmed, the Hong Kong police Commissioner declared the peaceful demonstration as a violent riot against Hong Kong law and pledged to take serious action against the protesters.

Of course this organization is not the only one to say the clashes were minor and I belive their statement above about clashes being minor is wrong. My thoughts are, if the AHRC calls the visible violent demonstrations by the Korean nihilists as minor, what else are they getting wrong? Can they be believed about anything – especially when they are reporting on brutal regimes within the region.

I just made this post on the Hong Kong People’s Alliance on WTO blog. It is in response to their shameful appeal for support of the Korean farmers’ disgraceful actions. It is awaiting moderation on their site.

"You and your people are an absolute disgrace to Hong Kong. I believe the police acted with proper restraint in protecting their lives and property. At the same time it detracts from the WTO where people in poor countries have a chance to improve their lives with less tariffs and subsidies – in the developed and less developed world. People coming to Hong Kong should ask why has this city gone from a small fishing village to a world class economy – entirely because there are virtually no tariffs and virtually no subsidies. We have the rule of law – and it is working to arrest the troublemakers that were invited to Hong Kong (Did your organization bring them.) For the sake of our prosperity I strongly urge you to end these protests and put pressure instead on ALL countries to end tariffs and subsidies. Urge governments to open up their markets and to set up systems that are built on the rule of law, not the rule of man. I.e. Capitalism!"

There are conflicting reports coming out of the WTO negotiations. Developing countries say that a deal is near whilst EU representatives say that it is not the case. It would be great if even one developing nation just turned around and said – we want to be like Hong Kong, we will lift all tariffs and subsidies.

Meanwhile, according to RTHK police have finally finally formally arrest hundreds of anti-free trade nihilists. Hopefully the police will throw the book at them and then quickly deport them out of this fair city.

Some quotes from reporters at curbside at WTO found via simonworld:

• ‘Tomorrow my byline will fill the screen,’ a cameraman holding a DV recorder said happily.
• These guys are awesome,’ a photographer said after seeing the protesters breaking the road block.
• ‘Damn it! My flash guy is out of order’, said a photographer’Ah Wah, are you in the office? Get me a flash gun right now!’ the reporter said.

Not all reporters were so blatant, but these kinds of comments do reflect badly on the motives of such people. Let’s end with a quote attributed to the police:

‘Be careful, there are reporters on the other side,’ shouted a policeman.

It appears there is now a standoff between the police and the ugly protesters in Hong Kong’s Wan Chai district. The police have the protesters boxed in on four sides. A government press release was put out today with comments by Secretary For Security Ambrose Lee:

"This afternoon, the WTO demonstrators have shown their true colours by resorting to violence, breaking our law and order and disobeying the instructions of our Police officers. I condemn such illegal behaviour and I think the Hong Kong community will join me in condemning such irresponsible behaviour," Mr Lee said.