Journalist fellow Emily Chan traveled to London this weekend with fellows from Guatemala, Ghana, India and Finland this weekend to attend a rally in London for Hong Kong press freedom.

Over a thousand champions of press freedom gathered in London this weekend to show their support for embattled journalists in Hong Kong.

Chanting slogans like, “Fight for Hong Kong press freedom” and “release arrested Hong Kong reporters” the crowd marched from Piccadilly Circus to Hong Kong Economic Trade Office in London on Saturday afternoon. Many had brought protest signs with them. Many wore yellow face masks to symbolise their support for the pro-democratic movement.

Benedict Rogers, co-founder and chief executive of Hong Kong Watch, spoke at the rally. “If Apple Daily closing down represented the death of Hong Kong press freedom, I am sorry to tell you that the closing down of Stand News and Citizen News represents the burial of Hong Kong press freedom,” he told the crowd. “Of course, we’ve seen what happened at RTHK and many other media outlets as well.

Benedict Rogers addresses the crowed at Piccadilly Circus. (Photograph: Emily Chan)

“We must not allow the press freedom in Hong Kong to be buried without making as loud a noise as possible around the world.”

Hong Kong’s National Security Law was passed in 2020 and gives the government power to arrest dissidents. Since then, at least three media outlets that were critical of the government have been closed and 10 journalists have been arrested. Most recently, the former chief editor of Stand News, Chung Pui Kuen. and acting chief editor Patrick Lam were arrested.

Among the protesters was a woman who gave her name as Miss Fong. She said she remains concerned about the Hong Kong situation even though she immigrated to the UK over 30 years ago. In the past, she said she kept herself updated by listening to RTHK news and reading Hong Kong newspapers. After the 2019 anti-government movement, many mainstream Hong Kong news outlets came under government control. Now, Miss Fong said, she doesn’t feel she can believe mainstream media reporting and has no way to know the real situation in Hong Kong. Without reliable media, she said she was worried that the international community would get the wrong idea that Hong Kong autonomy has remained unchanged under National Security Law.

A protestor hides his face from cameras*. (Photograph: Emily Chan)*

One man, who gave his name only as Perry, said he was a new immigrant to the UK who came to the march to show his appreciation for the role Hong Kong journalists play in monitoring the government. He learnt of violence used against the 2019 protestors, he said, because of the work of the press.

Kirsi-Marja Takala, our journalist fellow from Finland, said she was surprised by how many people at the rally took steps to hide their faces for fear of reprisal. “One of the people at the rally told me: freedom of press is like air, you only know it's important when it's gone,” she said.

Claudia Cruz, our Guatemalan journalist fellow, attended Saturday's march because freedom of press is threatened in a similar way in Latin America, particularly in Central America. She has seen growing attacks on the press in Nicaragua, and threats of attacks in El Salvador and Guatemala. “When one media outlet or journalist is at risk, we all are,” she said.

Mehraj D Lone, our fellow from Kashmir, said: “Press freedom is to accountability and the democratic ideal what language is to thought: it's hard to conceive of one without the other. It's a freedom worth fighting for in Hong Kong, in Kashmir, in Britain… everywhere! That's why I joined this protest.”

Gideon Sarpong, our journalist fellow from Ghana, said erosion of press freedom in Hong Kong should be a concern for every journalist around the world today who is interested in guarding the public interest and holding public officials accountable. “China’s emergence as an economic powerhouse demands that it must operate according to international norms and principles which allows journalists to freely discharge their responsibilities without fear of harm,” he said.

Signs reference the closure of Apple Daily. (Photograph: Emily Chan)

“I joined the protest in London to add my voice to those of journalists who have been silenced as a result of repressive laws introduced in Hong Kong. Press freedom everywhere, including in Hong Kong, should remain non-negotiable.”

There were Hong Kong journalists at the protest too, but they chose to keep a low profile. “P” is a veteran Hong Kong journalist who moved to the UK last year. She said the Hong Kong journalists she knew had worked hard to build credibility and gain trust, but that their work had been destroyed by the government who spread rumours and accusations about journalists critical of the regime.

Despite moving to the UK, she said she was still worried about her safety and concerned the government would use articles she had published in the past to bring charges under the National Security Law. Aside from living in fear, she said she also felt sorrow seeing former colleagues arrested and anger about the situation.

S.B Yu, who is a journalist from Hong Kong stationed in the UK, said he felt so grateful for the concern and support being shown during these protests because he saw it as proof that Hong Kongers appreciate the work being done by journalists. At the same time, he said, the support made him feel powerless: “Despite thousands turning out to show their support,” he said, he knew it wouldn’t change the situation in Hong Kong or stop the government from eliminating independent news media outlets.

The protest last Saturday at central London was not the only protest held by UK Hong Kongers. Over the weekend of the past three weeks, UK Hong Kongers used different methods and activities in different UK cities to show their support to Hong Kong journalists.

「捍衞香港新聞自由！釋放所有新聞工作者」的口號，在剛過去的周末下午，響遍倫敦的中心地帶，繁體字的橫額和井井有條的人海等港式遊行常見的場面，再度出現，但地點由香港街頭變成英國的倫敦。多個關注香港事務的在英港人團體，發起「還我新聞自由」集會，支持香港新聞界，逾千在英港人參與。有參與遊行人士表示，尋求真相非常重要，香港人在《港區國安法》下無法遊行表達訴求，在英港人有責任接力，為香港發聲。

集會由倫敦市中心piccadilly circus舉行，大會安排香港新聞從業員和關注香港團體代表發言，再遊行至香港駐倫敦經濟貿易辦事處，以一人一信的方式，要求香港政府停止打壓新聞自由。

不少參與集會和遊行的人士帶備自製的標語到場，表達對香港新聞界的支持。