Hong Kong High Court bans posting police officers info on social media

In a recent effort to clamp down on Hong Kong's demonstrations, the authorities were able to win a temporary court order where they banned anyone from posting personal details or photos of police officers online without their consent. The law prohibits “intimidating, molesting, harassing, threatening, pestering or interfering” with the police officials or their relatives. It further also prohibits unlawfully “publishing, communicating or disclosing” officers details in any social media accounts. The law will reportedly be in effect until November 8, however it still remains unclear how the order will be put into force and whether it will restrict the journalists. 

The move comes after the police officers complained about having their personal information leaked on social media sites. At a rally last week it was also reported that some demonstrators jeered and cursed several police officers in an event organized by Medical workers to oppose “violent repression” by police in response to protesters. The officers also claim that their family members were harassed. A Hong Kong-based lawyer also described the situation as an alarming development in a tweet. 

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Quiet weekend of protests

Hong Kong protests will continue over the coming weekend. However, protests will be comparatively more peaceful than the previous ones. The protesters continue to demand greater democracy as there seem to be no signs of the activists settling down without the government meeting their demands. On October 24, the anti-government protesters organized a mass demonstration asking for a separate Catalonia, raising the concerns which are anathema to the Beijing ruler. The protesters carried Catalan flags and placards urging ‘a fight for freedom together’.

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Protests that created a political crisis

It's been five months of Hong Kong protest. The protest is considered to create a massive political crisis and has also caused economic turmoil. The international media reported that “Medical Workers Resisting Tyranny”, a dissent is scheduled on October 26, which will be held at the Chater Garden in the heart of the financial center along with “Fight Against Police Brutality, Stand with Muslims, Citizens, and Journalists,” another protest which will take place on October 27 in the Kowloon district. 

(With AP inputs)

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