Exclusive: victims in hiding after attacks involving physical assault, attempted arson and the use of firearms

cross-posted from: https://lemmy.world/post/42007815

cross-posted from: https://mander.xyz/post/46002541

Britain has helped French forces seize a sanctioned Russian oil tanker in the Mediterranean.

In an operation led by the French navy, soldiers descended onto the deck of a sanctioned Russian oil tanker in the Mediterranean from two military helicopters.

The French authorities said the mission was “conducted in co-operation with our allies”, including the British.

...

The tanker, Grinch, is sanctioned by the UK, US and EU. It was travelling from the Arctic port of Murmansk, loaded with Russian oil.

It is flying the African flag of Comoros, but the International Maritime Organisation labels it as a “falsely-flagged” vessel. This means it can be considered stateless and without any international protection, opening legal avenues for it to be seized.

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The [UK] government approved China's proposal to redevelop the former Royal Mint site [in London] into a vast 215,300 sq ft (20,000 sq m) UK headquarters, despite opposition from politicians and campaigners.

About 200 people live in Royal Mint Court, a complex of flats on the site, with many fearing a loss of privacy, disruption caused by protests and eviction.

[...]

On Tuesday evening, Royal Mint Court Resident's Association announced they had reached their target of £145,000 in donations, jumping from £35,000 12 hours earlier.

Campaigners say they will challenge the legality of the government's decision and believe there could be several grounds on which to bring their case.

These could include whether the government had a predetermined view on the development and whether redactions were made by the Chinese when they were asked to reveal detailed plans.

Planning law specialist Lord Charles Banner KC has been instructed to act for the association, they added.

[...]

Royal Mint Court resident and treasurer for the group, Mark Nygate, said they had received donations from people across the UK.

"We are humbled that so many of those persecuted by the CCP (Chinese Communist Party), together with ordinary Brits up and down the country, have placed their faith in us, and stood by residents.

"We won't waste a single penny in ensuring that this embassy plan crashes on the solid rock of our judicial system."

The residents' campaign has the support of the Inter-Parliamentary Alliance on China (IPAC), a group set up to hold China to account on democracy and human rights issues.

Luke de Pulford, from the group, said: "The blistering speed with which this crowdfunder has reached its target is a clear indication of the sheer unpopularity of this mega-embassy.

"It remains to be seen if the world's second superpower is a match for UK planning law."

[...]

The embassy would be the biggest of its kind in Europe and would sit in close proximity with the financial district as well as fibre optic cables carrying sensitive information.

Opponents have warned it could serve as a base for spying and pose security risks.

[...]

RNIB research uncovers high anxiety around rail travel with some having fallen into gaps or been trapped in doors

MPs called for the ‘urgent’ rebuilding of the health visitor workforce amid the findings

Sir Ben Wallace said he was surprised that MPs on the defence committee were not informed about the Afghan data breach

https://reclaimthenet.org/discord-expands-age-verification-id-system-to-more-regions

Discord’s push to verify users through government ids shows how safety mandates can quietly turn into systems of surveillance

TSSA transport union leader moves to de-recognise GMB for doing its job — representing staff.

cross-posted from: https://lazysoci.al/post/41421260

The UK government, MPs, organisations and public figures are discussing whether there should be stronger rules about children's access to social media - including an Australia-style ban for under-16s.

A Hong Kong activist said she fears she and other dissidents could be “interrogated or even tortured” in secret rooms at the new Chinese embassy, after her British neighbours were offered a cash reward to hand her over.

Carmen Lau, a former Hong Kong councillor with a HK$1 million (£95,000) bounty on her head from China, warned that if dissidents were dragged into the embassy there would be no way to rescue them.

Plans for the so-called mega-embassy, which was approved on Tuesday despite MI5 acknowledging it would not be possible to eliminate every security risk, include 208 “secret” rooms that were redacted from publicly available plans.

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Lau said the Chinese government had refused British requests to reveal the purpose of the rooms, raising concerns from democracy activists that they could be used to repress Hongkongers and dissidents within the UK.

Since leaving Hong Kong for Britain in 2021, Lau said, she has been followed on the streets by suspected Chinese agents, received threats online and been targeted with sexualised deepfake images sent to her neighbours in an apparent attempt to humiliate her into silence. She said she had received little assistance from police and was even offered a Chinese-made doorbell camera and a security system managed by a Chinese tech company by way of attempts to keep her safe.

Other letters sent to her neighbours last year urged them to “take her” to the embassy or inform Chinese authorities of her whereabouts, promising the HK$1 million bounty to anyone who did so.

It read: “[Lau] is wanted on suspicion of a range of national security-related offences, including incitement to secession and collusion with a foreign country to endanger national security.”

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Citing her work for the Hong Kong Democracy Council, it accused her of “giving speeches”, publishing social media posts and calling for figures involved in the repression of Hong Kong to be sanctioned. It promised: “A reward of HK$1 million is being offered by Hong Kong police to any member of the public who can provide information on this wanted person or take her to the Chinese embassy.”

Lau said: “As a person having letters sent to my neighbours, encouraging them to turn me into the Chinese embassy, it was natural for me to imagine what those rooms would be used for: for interrogation, for intelligence and, even worse, for torture. If activists or dissidents are really being dragged into the embassy, there isn’t any way to rescue us.”

Lau reported the abuse she has faced to the police but said little had been done. Other Hongkongers have described similar experiences and Lau said the embassy plans had raised fears the community would face more intensive persecution from China.

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She has repeatedly reported the threats to her safety to police, who drew up a memorandum of understanding for her to sign with a list of advice on ways she could protect herself. Its suggestions included “to refrain from attending public gathering and to lay low on social media”, she said. “I read it as to self-censor myself. I tried to push back, but I felt pressured to sign it.”

Officers from Thames Valley police later came to her house, offering the doorbell camera and security system. “But that doorbell camera they offered was actually from a Chinese company and the online system was also managed by a Chinese tech company,” she said.

When she first touched down in Britain, Lau believed she would be free from the repression she faced in Hong Kong. “I thought that I was in a safe country, where people would be supportive to our cause,” she said. “After the series of decisions the government has made, sadly now I can’t say that is true.”

...

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In a related article:

New China mega-embassy ‘not without risk’, says MI5 -- [Archive link]

Ministers have ruled that the diplomatic mission next to the Tower of London should go ahead in spite of widespread concerns ...

The decision is expected to smooth the way for a visit to China by Sir Keir Starmer later this year, which ministers hope will boost British exports to China in areas such as food and pharmaceuticals ...