What is happening in Hong Kong? Does the end of a pro-democracy tabloid mean the end of Hong Kong democracy?
Apple Daily, a pro-democracy tabloid that has been printing in Hong Kong for 26 years is to shut down immediately after midnight tonight. Its last paper will be available in print on Thursday. This comes after a police raid targeted it last week when five executives were arrested.
On Wednesday morning, a chief opinion writer was arrested under the national security law. It told the Guardian: “Apple Daily thanks its readers, subscribers, advertisers and Hongkongers for their love and support in the past 26 years. Farewell and take care."
This story is splashed across headlines all over the world. Am I the only person who thinks this is absolutely crazy? Coming from a country where society is slowly progressing forward, and I mean slowly, I understand what it's like to be treated like a crazy person for being a woman with ambitions, for being vegan, or for being a non-citizen who just wants to be treated like she belongs.
But democracy, well that's something that seems to be fading everywhere. Not just here in Italy. Just look at the UK. And look at the celebration of "One Britain One Nation Day". Despite the fact that we're living through a catastrophic pandemic, and companies have rainbows pasted across their social media for this entire month — collaboration between countries is disappearing fast. And teamwork within countries? Not sure that's a thing anymore either.
I was lucky enough to get to go home to Italy for a month. I took a flight from Heathrow yesterday, and it was really smooth — leaving aside the pushy Italians in the queue for passport control on the other end (but hey, that's never going to change).
Not only am I lucky enough to have my family one flight away from the UK — and a permanent residency in Italy, which allows me to come back despite COVID-19, but I'm lucky to have been given an Irish passport from birth. Well, I thought that anyway until walking through Heathrow security yesterday evening.
"Hello, I'm from the ONS and I'm required to ask every ten people a few questions, is that alright?" A smiley middle-aged lady came up to me. I wasn't in a hurry so I said yes.
The questions were fine — a little personal, like "how much money have you spent in the UK since you arrived?, but that was okay — but boy was she patronising. My hoodie, which read "Manchester United" with the team colours and everything was clearly not mine, because you know, how could a girl enjoy watching football? My course? Journalism? How did I manage to get myself a job already — "good for you!!" she beamed at me. And my passport and hometown, well those were enough for her to call me a "true European".
"I love to see that!" she said. As she proceeded to ask me why I was returning to the UK, and whether I thought I'd spent enough money while living here.
Don't worry lady, I'll give all my loans back soon.
Anyway, I've strayed away from the point here. I guess what I'm trying to say is, when did we stop just being people? When did we start putting up borders, and why did a global pandemic not make us realise that we work a lot better as a world — not as small dictatorships? I love having friends all over the world for the pure fact that I know that I'll have a home no matter where I go.
It makes me sad that a symbol like HK's Apple Daily has had to cease existing because it goes against some people's agendas. But it makes me sadder that while it was existing, people's lives were in danger. We shouldn't ever have to live in fear of other people, especially doing the things we love.