Dissidents decry Hong Kong officers’ presence at World Police and Fire Games in Winnipeg.

[emily]

Dissidents decry Hong Kong officers’ presence at World Police and Fire Games in Winnipeg.

The force has been criticized internationally for its actions in 2019, when it cracked down on widespread demonstrations in Hong Kong by pro-democracy protesters, who were demanding greater autonomy from the Chinese government. In September, 2019, Amnesty International accused Hong Kong police of torture and other abuses during the protests.

Last month, Hong Kong police accused eight self-exiled pro-democracy activists, including prominent Canadian-born dissident Dennis Kwok, of violating the territory’s National Security Law, which was passed in 2020. The force offered rewards of one million Hong Kong dollars, or $168,800, for information leading to their arrests.

“Do we allow the police force of an authoritarian regime to be in Canada this publicly on the street … to promote their brand? I think that is absolutely ridiculous,” said Henry Chan, co-director of the advocacy group Saskatchewan Stands with Hong Kong.

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