Four people were arrested on Thursday in relation to Spark Alliance, a non-profit group that raises money to provide financial aid to Hong Kong protesters. Police arrested three men and one woman – aged between 17 and 50 – for alleged money laundering offences, and froze around HK$70 million in funds and insurance products.
Spark Alliance have greatly helped arrested protestors with legal aid. Such action brought out so much impacts to both the group and many other Hong Kong protesters:
> It directly repressed the supporting chain for protesters with financial difficulties, as all of the funds (almost $9m in USD) have been freezed.
> Not only the arrested (They’re released on bail right now), but anyone who had received funds AND anyone who had donated, can possibly face investigations even arrested by HK police using their so-called charge of “money laundering” in the future.
> Usually, ICAC as Hong Kong’s specific agency for deal with corruption should get involve in such issues. Yet ICAC was nowhere to found in this arrest, whether the agency was involved in it was unknown . This only raise more doubts the intention of HK police, also the function of ICAC. (Worth to note: ICAC is directly accountable to the HK Chief Executive, i.e. Carrie Lam who connived police brutality and disregarded citizens’ demands of democracy and justice)
Economic freedom, even one of Hong Kong’s most prideful value, is being provoked and torn down by HK police, and HK government behind, and eventually, the Chinese government that keeps trying to eliminate us who merely fighting for freedom and justice.
