Hundreds of thousands vote in Hong Kong's opposition primaries amid threat of new security law
12 July 2020
Organizers say more than 500,000 Hong Kong residents have voted in primary elections held by pro-democracy opposition groups on Saturday and Sunday, despite fears of a government crackdown under Beijing's draconian new national security law, Reuters reports.
Why it matters: The primaries, which aren't part of the city's official political process, are intended to whittle down the field of pro-democracy candidates in order to avoid splitting the vote against pro-China ruling politicians in September's legislative elections.
- One government official said the vote may violate the national security law's ban on secession, subversion and collusion, leading to fears that candidates could be disqualified from the general election.
- But the larger-than-expected turnout suggests that support for the pro-democracy movement, which has drawn hundreds of thousands of protesters and led to a sweeping victory in district council elections last year, remains strong.
What they're saying: "One day more for our last free election, our new target will be 500,000, which amounts to 30% of votes in pro-democracy camp and 10% of the total registered voter in #Hongkong," tweeted activist Joshua Wong.
- "With 500,000 HKers casting their ballots amid #Beijing’s threats and sweeping #nationalsecuritylaw, our determination would send a strong message to the world: #Hongkongers will not surrender. No matter how repressive the regime goes against us, we will not bow to tyranny."
Transcripts show George Floyd told police "I can't breathe" over 20 times
Section2Newly released transcripts of bodycam footage from the Minneapolis Police Department show that George Floyd told officers he could not breathe more than 20 times in the moments leading up to his death.
Why it matters: Floyd's killing sparked a national wave of Black Lives Matter protests and an ongoing reckoning over systemic racism in the United States. The transcripts "offer one the most thorough and dramatic accounts" before Floyd's death, The New York Times writes.
The state of play: The transcripts were released as former officer Thomas Lane seeks to have the charges that he aided in Floyd's death thrown out in court, per the Times. He is one of four officers who have been charged.
- The filings also include a 60-page transcript of an interview with Lane. He said he "felt maybe that something was going on" when asked if he believed that Floyd was having a medical emergency at the time.
What the transcripts say:
- Floyd told the officers he was claustrophobic as they tried to get him into the squad car.
- The transcripts also show Floyd saying, "Momma, I love you. Tell my kids I love them. I'm dead."
- Former officer Derek Chauvin, who had his knee on Floyd's neck for over eight minutes, told Floyd, "Then stop talking, stop yelling, it takes a heck of a lot of oxygen to talk."
Read the transcripts via DocumentCloud.