Then they came for the senior citizens and stopped a book fair from taking place...!

  

The senior citizen waving the Union Jack is "Grandma Wong"

 

Since 2019, a saying one hears often being uttered in Hong Kong is that "Being young is a crime in Hong Kong".  This is because it's often assumed by opponents of pro-democracy protestors, including the police, (and also certain "helicopter journalists" who only have a cursory knowledge of Hong Kong) that the vast majority, if not all, of Hong Kong's pro-democracy protestors are youthful university and secondary school students.  

 

To be sure, Hong Kong has (had) its fair share of young political activists -- including 20something year olds like Joshua Wong (who's currently behind bars), Tiffany Yuen (ditto), Lester Shum (ditto), Nathan Law (now in exile) and Agnes Chow (released from prison but seemingly still silenced, like 31-year-old Edward Leung Ting-kei).  But anyone who took part in the Umbrella Movement, and the once annual July 1st and October 1st protest marches as well as extradition bill protests -- not to mention the June 4th candlelight vigil, which is particularly known for drawing older crowds -- will be able to attest, there are many gray- and silver-haired folks among Hong Kong's pro-democracy protestors and activists too.

 

Just consider the not inconsiderable of older folks who have been arrested for on charges to do with protesting (ranging from taking part in "unauthorized assemblies" to those covered by the draconian national security law).  Among the more well known are: Jimmy Lai (aged 74 years and currently behind bars); 84-year-old Martin Lee and 74-year-old Margaret Ng (who were handed out suspended sentences); and 90-year-old Cardinal Joseph Zen (arrested in May (along with others including -- again! -- Margaret Ng, and whose trial has not yet concluded). 

 

And joining Joshua Wong, Tiffany Yuen, Lester Shum, Jimmy Lai and co behind bars in recent days are two more senior citizens.  Yesterday saw 76-year-old, stage four cancer sufferer Koo Sze-yiu sentenced to nine months imprisonment for his having planned to stage a non-violent protest against the Beijing Olympics in Hong Kong (so, yes, several thousands of kilometers away from any of the Olympic sites) after "the principal magistrate ruled that the offence Koo committed amounted to endangering national security".  

 

Then today saw 66-year-old Alexandra Wong (who's often called "Grandma Wong" as a term of respect by younger pro-democracy protestors and known for her love of the Union Jack) sentenced to eight months jail for "participating in two unlawful assemblies on August 11, 2019 and shouting “offensive words”" in another case where the punishment really seems far more severe than is befitting of the "crimes" committed.         

 

You know the "Captain, it's only Wednesday" meme?  And yes, well, it really is only Wednesday.  Adding to this week's and today's sense of gloom: News came this afternoon that an alternative book fair planned for publishers banned from taking part in this year's Hong Kong Book Fair has had to cancel the day before it was due to take place after the venue owner decided to disallow the use of his venue for it.  Among the planned book fair's organizers and participants was Hillway Culture, whose stall at last year's Hong Kong Book Fair included advertising for, and copies for sale of, a bilingual graphic novel version of George Orwell's Animal Farm with illustrations by now exiled cartoonist VA Wong Sir.          

As far as I know, George Orwell's books are still available for sale in many a Hong Kong bookstore. But, truly, it's small consolation for increasingly feeling like one is living in a real life version Animal Farm meets 1984 with doses of works by Kafka, and other dystopian tales thrown in for good measure, though!  And this even when/though one hasn't been arrested, charged with some ridiculous crime and thrown in jail -- touch wood/yet!