Latest news with #CarmenLau
The Irish Sun
24-05-2025
- Politics
- The Irish Sun
I have a £100k bounty on my head – I'm always looking over my shoulder as ruthless regime snatchers hunt me down
ON CHRISTMAS Eve last year, Carmen Lau woke up to find she had a £100k bounty on her head set by China. The former Hong Kong district councillor, who now lives in the UK, was one of six pro-democracy activists wanted by the Hong Kong police for HK$1 million. 12 Carmen Lau speaks exclusively to The Sun Credit: The Sun 12 A poster detailing the bounty on Carmen Credit: Twitter 12 Protesters burn the Chinese flag at a rally outside the Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office in 2022 12 Demonstrators throw tear gas canisters towards riot police during a protest in the Yuen Long district of the New Territories in Hong Kong, China, on Saturday, July 27, 2019 Credit: Getty 12 Protestors wave flags saying Hong Kong independence during a demonstration Credit: Getty In the months since then, Carmen has faced intense intimidation and harassment - which even led to her neighbours receiving letters detailing her bounty. She described being stalked through London by suspected Chinese agents - and spoke of her shock in realising that the regime had worked out her address in the UK. Carmen lived in fear thinking her home could raided - and that trackers may have been placed on her car. She called on the UK to do more to take on China, and urged Keir Starmer not be cowed by Beijing for economic gains. read more on china The 30-year-old has spoken exclusively to The Sun to share her experience of life on the run from the Hong Kong police. "After the bounty, there was a lot of physical and psychological intimidation targeting myself and also the other individuals who are on the same bounty list as well," she said. "I've been putting extra caution in protecting myself, while I still wish to continue to advocate for the Hong Kong cause." Shortly after her bounty was posted, Carmen was walking through the streets of London when she noticed she was being stalked by strangers. Most read in The US Sun "I had no idea who they were," she said. "Maybe they were just bounty hunters. Or maybe they were actually Chinese agents." But this pressure was only amplified when her neighbours received letters outlining the price on her head. Inside dystopian Chinese megacity of 32 million where workers 'don't see sunlight' & Big Brother is always watching These messages included a UK phone number to contact alongside the offer of HK$1 million for information leading to her being handed over to the Chinese Embassy. The letters, which Carmen shared on social media, claimed she was wanted for "incitement to secession" and "collusion with a foreign country". Carmen said: "I was quite stressed at that moment because I wasn't at home and I didn't know whether my home was actually being raided or someone actually put cameras or trackers on my car or nearby. "So I was I was quite scared when I was told." She added that the "most concerning part" was knowing that the people targeting her had worked out her address and personal details in Britain. "If it could happen to me, it could actually happen to anyone who is still in the movement or who are still eager to push for democracy for Hong Kong," Carmen said. Lau was one of six Hong Kong pro-democracy activists who were targeted by pro-Beijing authorities last December. But far more figures have found themselves under fire in a sustained crackdown over the past half decade, which has seen pro-democracy activists jailed under a Beijing-imposed National Security Law . Mass protests erupted in Hong Kong in 2019 after a draft extradition bill was put forward by regional authorities - that would have allowed mainland China to extradite suspects. Millions of Hong Kongers took to the streets of their city in spite of a muscular response from the Hong Kong police - who used water cannons and tear gas en masse in attempts to disperse the crowds. The bill was shelved in the wake of these demonstrations, but protests continued into the following year when the contentious National Security Law was introduced to a similarly fierce backlash. Pro-democracy activists argued this law, which the region's authorities argue is needed to guard against dissent, would fatally undermine the region's civil liberties. Hong Kong was a British colony for more than 150 years before it was handed over to China in 1997. The handover deal set out that Hong Kong would have a firm degree of autonomy from Beijing, but pro-democracy activists argue these freedoms have been steadily eroded over the years. "We saw a lot of hope, and we saw a potential pathway to achieve our cause," Carmen said. 12 Carmen Lau speaking at a rally in 2022 12 Protesters in Hong Kong Credit: Alamy Carmen was elected as a district councillor in Hong Kong in 2019 and became Secretary-General of the Civic Party, one of the largest pro-democracy parties, the following year. Her party has since been forcibly dissolved, and she fled the mounting repressing in Hong Kong in 2021. "After the National Security Law it was a overnight oppression," Carmen said. "That's not only the political sphere, but also the whole society. "Even the air around Hong Kong, has become different. And gradually everyone was being silenced and civil society dismantled." While many Hong Kongers have fled the territory since China's crackdown, many activists continue to be targeted overseas in what is known as "transnational repression". This is when vocal dissident figures are persecuted by repressive authorities outside of their home country - a fate faced by many critics of the Chinese government around the world. Transnational repression does not only include the targeting of individuals, but can also see their friends and families at home coerced or suppressed in retaliation. Carmen told The Sun that this persecution isn't just felt by outspoken activists, but also by ordinary Hong Kongers who have moved abroad since 2020. She said: "A lot of Hong Kongers in the UK who may not be an activist, or as activists... could possibly face harassment day by day, being photographed by some suspected China supporters claiming that they would send it back to China. "I think this daily micro-aggressive harassment is something that people should also be aware of." This repression is not limited to the Hong Kong diaspora, with Uyghur Muslims and Tibetan Buddhists also facing persecution from China around the world. Many members of these communities have become afraid to speak out or protest - even from democratic countries - out of fear of reprisal from Beijing. Thousands of Hong Kongers have come to the UK under the BN(O) visa pathway, which gives them a bespoke pathway to residency - and eventually citizenship - in Britain. More than 150,000 people have moved from Hong Kong under the scheme since its 2021 introduction. Carmen described this visa scheme as "protective umbrella" for Hong Kongers, but stressed the need for further safeguards against Chinese retalliation. If China were to cancel the passport of any Hong Kong activist, it could leave them stateless - and ineligible for UK consular services unless they had been in the country long enough to get citizenship. It comes as Keir Starmer continues to face intense scrutiny over the government's drive to warm relations with China. Starmer became the first British PM in more than half a decade to meet his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping when they shook hands at last year's G20 summit. 12 British Prime Minister Keir Starmer attends a bilateral meeting with President Xi Jinping of China Credit: Reuters 12 Protesters hold placards during a demonstration outside the Royal Mint Court, the proposed site of the new Chinese Embassy redevelopment Credit: Times Media Ltd 12 Students and others gather during a demonstration at Edinburgh Place in Hong Kong, Thursday, Aug. 22, 2019 Credit: AP:Associated Press This came after years of frosty relations with Beijing, which saw the British government order equipment from Chinese telecoms giant Huawei to be removed from its 5G network over security fears. "The current government uses economic interest or economic growth of the United Kingdom as a reason to re-establish relationship with China," Carmen told The Sun. "And it seems that it has disproportionately given up... some human rights and democratic values that the British cherished for years to trade off with some very minor economic interests." Carmen also raised concerns about China's planned new embassy in London - which would be the largest diplomatic outpost in Europe if built as planned. But activists have repeatedly raised fears about the project, with Carmen saying the "mega-embassy" could be used as a base for transnational repression. China denies human rights abuses and insists it is only targeting threats to its national security. But Carmen said: "With the letters being sent to my neighbours encouraging them to place me in the Chinese Embassy "You could imagine how it would be once if I got put it in that new site. Who knows what will happen." Carmen added that China is "collaborating" with other authoritarian regimes, making it "more essential than ever" that democratic nations work together in response. Shortly before Russia's invasion of Ukraine in 2022, Xi Jinping and Vladimir Putin pledged a "no limits" partnership between their brutal regimes. "I do think that they already realise the problematic threats. But we need assertive and decisive action right now," Carmen said. "Otherwise the world order would shift, and then there will no longer be a place for democracy." 12 Riot police fire tear gas towards protesters in the district of Yuen Long on July 27, 2019 in Hong Kong Credit: Getty 12 Hong Kong activists and supporters march with a banner which reads ' Unite now in solidarity with the Hong Kong 47 and other political prisoners' during a protest commemorating the 10th anniversary of the 2014 umbrella movement Credit: AP
Scottish Sun
24-05-2025
- Politics
- Scottish Sun
I have a £100k bounty on my head – I'm always looking over my shoulder as ruthless regime snatchers hunt me down
ON CHRISTMAS Eve last year, Carmen Lau woke up to find she had a £100k bounty on her head set by China. The former Hong Kong district councillor, who now lives in the UK, was one of six pro-democracy activists wanted by the Hong Kong police for HK$1 million. 12 Carmen Lau speaks exclusively to The Sun Credit: The Sun 12 A poster detailing the bounty on Carmen Credit: Twitter 12 Protesters burn the Chinese flag at a rally outside the Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office in 2022 12 Demonstrators throw tear gas canisters towards riot police during a protest in the Yuen Long district of the New Territories in Hong Kong, China, on Saturday, July 27, 2019 Credit: Getty 12 Protestors wave flags saying Hong Kong independence during a demonstration Credit: Getty In the months since then, Carmen has faced intense intimidation and harassment - which even led to her neighbours receiving letters detailing her bounty. She described being stalked through London by suspected Chinese agents - and spoke of her shock in realising that the regime had worked out her address in the UK. Carmen lived in fear thinking her home could raided - and that trackers may have been placed on her car. She called on the UK to do more to take on China, and urged Keir Starmer not be cowed by Beijing for economic gains. read more on china MOTHER OF DEATH Terrifying secret Chinese drone mothership that launches AI killer swarms The 30-year-old has spoken exclusively to The Sun to share her experience of life on the run from the Hong Kong police. "After the bounty, there was a lot of physical and psychological intimidation targeting myself and also the other individuals who are on the same bounty list as well," she said. "I've been putting extra caution in protecting myself, while I still wish to continue to advocate for the Hong Kong cause." Shortly after her bounty was posted, Carmen was walking through the streets of London when she noticed she was being stalked by strangers. "I had no idea who they were," she said. "Maybe they were just bounty hunters. Or maybe they were actually Chinese agents." But this pressure was only amplified when her neighbours received letters outlining the price on her head. Inside dystopian Chinese megacity of 32 million where workers 'don't see sunlight' & Big Brother is always watching These messages included a UK phone number to contact alongside the offer of HK$1 million for information leading to her being handed over to the Chinese Embassy. The letters, which Carmen shared on social media, claimed she was wanted for "incitement to secession" and "collusion with a foreign country". Carmen said: "I was quite stressed at that moment because I wasn't at home and I didn't know whether my home was actually being raided or someone actually put cameras or trackers on my car or nearby. "So I was I was quite scared when I was told." She added that the "most concerning part" was knowing that the people targeting her had worked out her address and personal details in Britain. "If it could happen to me, it could actually happen to anyone who is still in the movement or who are still eager to push for democracy for Hong Kong," Carmen said. Lau was one of six Hong Kong pro-democracy activists who were targeted by pro-Beijing authorities last December. But far more figures have found themselves under fire in a sustained crackdown over the past half decade, which has seen pro-democracy activists jailed under a Beijing-imposed National Security Law. Mass protests erupted in Hong Kong in 2019 after a draft extradition bill was put forward by regional authorities - that would have allowed mainland China to extradite suspects. Millions of Hong Kongers took to the streets of their city in spite of a muscular response from the Hong Kong police - who used water cannons and tear gas en masse in attempts to disperse the crowds. The bill was shelved in the wake of these demonstrations, but protests continued into the following year when the contentious National Security Law was introduced to a similarly fierce backlash. Pro-democracy activists argued this law, which the region's authorities argue is needed to guard against dissent, would fatally undermine the region's civil liberties. Hong Kong was a British colony for more than 150 years before it was handed over to China in 1997. The handover deal set out that Hong Kong would have a firm degree of autonomy from Beijing, but pro-democracy activists argue these freedoms have been steadily eroded over the years. "We saw a lot of hope, and we saw a potential pathway to achieve our cause," Carmen said. 12 Carmen Lau speaking at a rally in 2022 12 Protesters in Hong Kong Credit: Alamy Carmen was elected as a district councillor in Hong Kong in 2019 and became Secretary-General of the Civic Party, one of the largest pro-democracy parties, the following year. Her party has since been forcibly dissolved, and she fled the mounting repressing in Hong Kong in 2021. "After the National Security Law it was a overnight oppression," Carmen said. "That's not only the political sphere, but also the whole society. "Even the air around Hong Kong, has become different. And gradually everyone was being silenced and civil society dismantled." While many Hong Kongers have fled the territory since China's crackdown, many activists continue to be targeted overseas in what is known as "transnational repression". This is when vocal dissident figures are persecuted by repressive authorities outside of their home country - a fate faced by many critics of the Chinese government around the world. Transnational repression does not only include the targeting of individuals, but can also see their friends and families at home coerced or suppressed in retaliation. Carmen told The Sun that this persecution isn't just felt by outspoken activists, but also by ordinary Hong Kongers who have moved abroad since 2020. She said: "A lot of Hong Kongers in the UK who may not be an activist, or as activists... could possibly face harassment day by day, being photographed by some suspected China supporters claiming that they would send it back to China. "I think this daily micro-aggressive harassment is something that people should also be aware of." This repression is not limited to the Hong Kong diaspora, with Uyghur Muslims and Tibetan Buddhists also facing persecution from China around the world. Many members of these communities have become afraid to speak out or protest - even from democratic countries - out of fear of reprisal from Beijing. Thousands of Hong Kongers have come to the UK under the BN(O) visa pathway, which gives them a bespoke pathway to residency - and eventually citizenship - in Britain. More than 150,000 people have moved from Hong Kong under the scheme since its 2021 introduction. Carmen described this visa scheme as "protective umbrella" for Hong Kongers, but stressed the need for further safeguards against Chinese retalliation. If China were to cancel the passport of any Hong Kong activist, it could leave them stateless - and ineligible for UK consular services unless they had been in the country long enough to get citizenship. It comes as Keir Starmer continues to face intense scrutiny over the government's drive to warm relations with China. Starmer became the first British PM in more than half a decade to meet his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping when they shook hands at last year's G20 summit. 12 British Prime Minister Keir Starmer attends a bilateral meeting with President Xi Jinping of China Credit: Reuters 12 Protesters hold placards during a demonstration outside the Royal Mint Court, the proposed site of the new Chinese Embassy redevelopment Credit: Times Media Ltd 12 Students and others gather during a demonstration at Edinburgh Place in Hong Kong, Thursday, Aug. 22, 2019 Credit: AP:Associated Press This came after years of frosty relations with Beijing, which saw the British government order equipment from Chinese telecoms giant Huawei to be removed from its 5G network over security fears. "The current government uses economic interest or economic growth of the United Kingdom as a reason to re-establish relationship with China," Carmen told The Sun. "And it seems that it has disproportionately given up... some human rights and democratic values that the British cherished for years to trade off with some very minor economic interests." Carmen also raised concerns about China's planned new embassy in London - which would be the largest diplomatic outpost in Europe if built as planned. But activists have repeatedly raised fears about the project, with Carmen saying the "mega-embassy" could be used as a base for transnational repression. China denies human rights abuses and insists it is only targeting threats to its national security. But Carmen said: "With the letters being sent to my neighbours encouraging them to place me in the Chinese Embassy "You could imagine how it would be once if I got put it in that new site. Who knows what will happen." Carmen added that China is "collaborating" with other authoritarian regimes, making it "more essential than ever" that democratic nations work together in response. Shortly before Russia's invasion of Ukraine in 2022, Xi Jinping and Vladimir Putin pledged a "no limits" partnership between their brutal regimes. "I do think that they already realise the problematic threats. But we need assertive and decisive action right now," Carmen said. "Otherwise the world order would shift, and then there will no longer be a place for democracy." 12 Riot police fire tear gas towards protesters in the district of Yuen Long on July 27, 2019 in Hong Kong Credit: Getty
The Sun
24-05-2025
- Politics
- The Sun
I have a £100k bounty on my head – I'm always looking over my shoulder as ruthless regime snatchers hunt me down
ON CHRISTMAS Eve last year, Carmen Lau woke up to find she had a £100k bounty on her head set by China. The former Hong Kong district councillor, who now lives in the UK, was one of six pro-democracy activists wanted by the Hong Kong police for HK$1 million. 12 12 12 12 In the months since then, Carmen has faced intense intimidation and harassment - which even led to her neighbours receiving letters detailing her bounty. She described being stalked through London by suspected Chinese agents - and spoke of her shock in realising that the regime had worked out her address in the UK. Carmen lived in fear thinking her home could raided - and that trackers may have been placed on her car. She called on the UK to do more to take on China, and urged Keir Starmer not be cowed by Beijing for economic gains. The 30-year-old has spoken exclusively to The Sun to share her experience of life on the run from the Hong Kong police. "After the bounty, there was a lot of physical and psychological intimidation targeting myself and also the other individuals who are on the same bounty list as well," she said. "I've been putting extra caution in protecting myself, while I still wish to continue to advocate for the Hong Kong cause." Shortly after her bounty was posted, Carmen was walking through the streets of London when she noticed she was being stalked by strangers. "I had no idea who they were," she said. "Maybe they were just bounty hunters. Or maybe they were actually Chinese agents." But this pressure was only amplified when her neighbours received letters outlining the price on her head. Inside dystopian Chinese megacity of 32 million where workers 'don't see sunlight' & Big Brother is always watching These messages included a UK phone number to contact alongside the offer of HK$1 million for information leading to her being handed over to the Chinese Embassy. The letters, which Carmen shared on social media, claimed she was wanted for "incitement to secession" and "collusion with a foreign country". Carmen said: "I was quite stressed at that moment because I wasn't at home and I didn't know whether my home was actually being raided or someone actually put cameras or trackers on my car or nearby. "So I was I was quite scared when I was told." She added that the "most concerning part" was knowing that the people targeting her had worked out her address and personal details in Britain. "If it could happen to me, it could actually happen to anyone who is still in the movement or who are still eager to push for democracy for Hong Kong," Carmen said. Lau was one of six Hong Kong pro-democracy activists who were targeted by pro-Beijing authorities last December. But far more figures have found themselves under fire in a sustained crackdown over the past half decade, which has seen pro-democracy activists jailed under a Beijing-imposed National Security Law. Mass protests erupted in Hong Kong in 2019 after a draft extradition bill was put forward by regional authorities - that would have allowed mainland China to extradite suspects. Millions of Hong Kongers took to the streets of their city in spite of a muscular response from the Hong Kong police - who used water cannons and tear gas en masse in attempts to disperse the crowds. The bill was shelved in the wake of these demonstrations, but protests continued into the following year when the contentious National Security Law was introduced to a similarly fierce backlash. Pro-democracy activists argued this law, which the region's authorities argue is needed to guard against dissent, would fatally undermine the region's civil liberties. Hong Kong was a British colony for more than 150 years before it was handed over to China in 1997. The handover deal set out that Hong Kong would have a firm degree of autonomy from Beijing, but pro-democracy activists argue these freedoms have been steadily eroded over the years. "We saw a lot of hope, and we saw a potential pathway to achieve our cause," Carmen said. 12 12 Carmen was elected as a district councillor in Hong Kong in 2019 and became Secretary-General of the Civic Party, one of the largest pro-democracy parties, the following year. Her party has since been forcibly dissolved, and she fled the mounting repressing in Hong Kong in 2021. "After the National Security Law it was a overnight oppression," Carmen said. "That's not only the political sphere, but also the whole society. "Even the air around Hong Kong, has become different. And gradually everyone was being silenced and civil society dismantled." While many Hong Kongers have fled the territory since China's crackdown, many activists continue to be targeted overseas in what is known as "transnational repression". This is when vocal dissident figures are persecuted by repressive authorities outside of their home country - a fate faced by many critics of the Chinese government around the world. Transnational repression does not only include the targeting of individuals, but can also see their friends and families at home coerced or suppressed in retaliation. Carmen told The Sun that this persecution isn't just felt by outspoken activists, but also by ordinary Hong Kongers who have moved abroad since 2020. She said: "A lot of Hong Kongers in the UK who may not be an activist, or as activists... could possibly face harassment day by day, being photographed by some suspected China supporters claiming that they would send it back to China. "I think this daily micro-aggressive harassment is something that people should also be aware of." This repression is not limited to the Hong Kong diaspora, with Uyghur Muslims and Tibetan Buddhists also facing persecution from China around the world. Many members of these communities have become afraid to speak out or protest - even from democratic countries - out of fear of reprisal from Beijing. Thousands of Hong Kongers have come to the UK under the BN(O) visa pathway, which gives them a bespoke pathway to residency - and eventually citizenship - in Britain. More than 150,000 people have moved from Hong Kong under the scheme since its 2021 introduction. Carmen described this visa scheme as "protective umbrella" for Hong Kongers, but stressed the need for further safeguards against Chinese retalliation. If China were to cancel the passport of any Hong Kong activist, it could leave them stateless - and ineligible for UK consular services unless they had been in the country long enough to get citizenship. It comes as Keir Starmer continues to face intense scrutiny over the government's drive to warm relations with China. Starmer became the first British PM in more than half a decade to meet his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping when they shook hands at last year's G20 summit. 12 12 This came after years of frosty relations with Beijing, which saw the British government order equipment from Chinese telecoms giant Huawei to be removed from its 5G network over security fears. "The current government uses economic interest or economic growth of the United Kingdom as a reason to re-establish relationship with China," Carmen told The Sun. "And it seems that it has disproportionately given up... some human rights and democratic values that the British cherished for years to trade off with some very minor economic interests." Carmen also raised concerns about China's planned new embassy in London - which would be the largest diplomatic outpost in Europe if built as planned. But activists have repeatedly raised fears about the project, with Carmen saying the "mega-embassy" could be used as a base for transnational repression. China denies human rights abuses and insists it is only targeting threats to its national security. But Carmen said: "With the letters being sent to my neighbours encouraging them to place me in the Chinese Embassy "You could imagine how it would be once if I got put it in that new site. Who knows what will happen." Carmen added that China is "collaborating" with other authoritarian regimes, making it "more essential than ever" that democratic nations work together in response. Shortly before Russia's invasion of Ukraine in 2022, Xi Jinping and Vladimir Putin pledged a "no limits" partnership between their brutal regimes. "I do think that they already realise the problematic threats. But we need assertive and decisive action right now," Carmen said. "Otherwise the world order would shift, and then there will no longer be a place for democracy." 12 12
Yahoo
04-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
China arrests family of dissident who protested against regime's ‘mega-embassy' in London
Chinese authorities arrested relatives of a former Hong Kong politician who protested against the Communist regime's new 'mega-embassy' in London. Carmen Lau, 30, fled her native Hong Kong five years ago and joined 3,000 others at a rally in February against plans to build the 5.5-acre complex near Tower Bridge. In a speech at the event, the activist said allowing China to build the large diplomatic mission sends the 'wrong message' that Britain welcomes authoritarian regimes. However, within 48 hours of her remarks, Chinese national security police arrested her elderly aunt and uncle in Hong Kong. They were detained in morning raids on their homes and questioned for six hours before being released. Ms Lau said her relatives were questioned about the links she still has to the former British colony. 'They wanted to know about financial relationships I had with others in Hong Kong and were interested in my family tree - the other relatives I have in Hong Kong,' she told The Mail on Sunday. Ms Lau then believes police used the information they got to arrest another aunt a week later and questioned her for several hours as well. The activist claims the harassment is the Chinese regime's method of getting her to stop her 'anti-Chinese' activities in the UK. Ms Lau was Deputy Secretary-General of the Civic Party, Hong Kong's second-largest pro-democracy party, which was forcibly dissolved. She was also a district councillor. She resigned her councillor role in 2021, fled the former British colony and sought refuge in the UK after the Chinese authorities put her under surveillance. She claimed she had undercover police officers parked outside her apartment and was being followed. She said she was also being harassed by security personnel and the state media. Hong Kong authorities placed her and five overseas activists on a wanted list in December. In February, the campaigner's neighbours in Berkshire received a bounty note offering more than £100,000 for information about Ms Lau or anyone who could lure her to the current Chinese embassy in Marylebone in central London. The note also accused her of inciting protests and colluding with a foreign power against Beijing. If approved, the new mega-embassy would be 10 times bigger than the current Chinese embassy and the country's largest diplomatic mission in Europe. The site at the former Royal Mint Court in east London would include offices, 225 homes and a 'cultural exchange' building. China bought the site for more than £255 million in 2018, but Tower Hamlets Borough Council rejected plans for the embassy in 2022. They did not appeal against the decision amid speculation that the Conservative government at the time would have backed the council's decision. However, they resubmitted mostly unchanged plans just weeks after Labour won last year's general election. However, Ms Lau raised concerns about underground rooms which the new embassy will contain. Their exact purpose was redacted on the plans for 'security reasons'. Ms Lau added: 'These rooms could be used for interrogations and locking up people like us. They could be used to torture us.' During the February protests, chants of 'Fight for freedom, stand with Hong Kong' and 'Mega embassy, mega no' reverberated through the crowds. Protesters came from as far as Scotland, Liverpool, Reading, and Manchester. Ms Lau said she believes the mega-embassy would become a hub for 'transnational repression' by China in central London. She also said the Metropolitan Police had advised her not to attend public gatherings as she could be attacked and her relatives back home could be put in danger.
Telegraph
04-05-2025
- Politics
- Telegraph
China arrests family of dissident who protested against regime's ‘mega-embassy' in London
Chinese authorities arrested relatives of a former Hong Kong politician who protested against the Communist regime's new 'mega-embassy' in London. Carmen Lau, 30, fled her native Hong Kong five years ago and joined 3,000 others at a rally in February against plans to build the 5.5-acre complex near Tower Bridge. In a speech at the event, the activist said allowing China to build the large diplomatic mission sends the 'wrong message' that Britain welcomes authoritarian regimes. However, within 48 hours of her remarks, Chinese national security police arrested her elderly aunt and uncle in Hong Kong. They were detained in morning raids on their homes and questioned for six hours before being released. Ms Lau said her relatives were questioned about the links she still has to the former British colony. 'They wanted to know about financial relationships I had with others in Hong Kong and were interested in my family tree - the other relatives I have in Hong Kong,' she told The Mail on Sunday. Harassment Ms Lau then believes police used the information they got to arrest another aunt a week later and questioned her for several hours as well. The activist claims the harassment is the Chinese regime's method of getting her to stop her 'anti-Chinese' activities in the UK. Ms Lau was Deputy Secretary-General of the Civic Party, Hong Kong's second-largest pro-democracy party, which was forcibly dissolved. She was also a district councillor. She resigned her councillor role in 2021, fled the former British colony and sought refuge in the UK after the Chinese authorities put her under surveillance. She claimed she had undercover police officers parked outside her apartment and was being followed. She said she was also being harassed by security personnel and the state media. Hong Kong authorities placed her and five overseas activists on a wanted list in December. In February, the campaigner's neighbours in Berkshire received a bounty note offering more than £100,000 for information about Ms Lau or anyone who could lure her to the current Chinese embassy in Marylebone in central London. The note also accused her of inciting protests and colluding with a foreign power against Beijing. If approved, the new mega-embassy would be 10 times bigger than the current Chinese embassy and the country's largest diplomatic mission in Europe. The site at the former Royal Mint Court in east London would include offices, 225 homes and a 'cultural exchange' building. China bought the site for more than £255 million in 2018, but Tower Hamlets Borough Council rejected plans for the embassy in 2022. They did not appeal against the decision amid speculation that the Conservative government at the time would have backed the council's decision. However, they resubmitted mostly unchanged plans just weeks after Labour won last year's general election. Underground rooms However, Ms Lau raised concerns about underground rooms which the new embassy will contain. Their exact purpose was redacted on the plans for 'security reasons'. Ms Lau added: 'These rooms could be used for interrogations and locking up people like us. They could be used to torture us.' During the February protests, chants of 'Fight for freedom, stand with Hong Kong' and 'Mega embassy, mega no' reverberated through the crowds. Protesters came from as far as Scotland, Liverpool, Reading, and Manchester. Ms Lau said she believes the mega-embassy would become a hub for 'transnational repression' by China in central London. She also said the Metropolitan Police had advised her not to attend public gatherings as she could be attacked and her relatives back home could be put in danger.
