(Clearwisdom.net) Apple Daily reported the following on December 23, 2002:

On December 22, 2002, about 20 representatives of the HK Democratic Party brought over 20,000 signatures protesting the implementation of Article 23 and marched to the Hong Kong SAR main government compound, stopping at the rally in favor of Article 23 that was held at Victoria Park.

These democratic party members wore gloves with "Terror" written on them, covered their mouths with respirators, and tangled their bodies with chains, indicating that the enactment of Article 23 will bring white terror to Hong Kong. After they marched to the government compound, they walked backwards, meaning that the enactment of Article 23 is equivalent to a regression of human rights and freedom in Hong Kong.

On the same day, the European Chapter of the Global Coalition Against Article 23 Legislation also held large-scale rallies in various countries in Europe to show their support for the resolution by the European Union against Article 23, and they also issued statements declaring their firm stand in opposing the Article 23 legislation.

Hao-Chieh Chang, an assistant professor of the School of Journalism and Communications at the Chinese University of Hong Kong, did a telephone survey last month. He randomly selected 853 citizens who are over 15 years of age and asked their opinions about Article 23. Nearly 15% of those surveyed said that if Article 23 was enacted, they would go out to demonstrate; 45% said they would express their opposition by signing petitions; 47% said they were against the implementation of Article 23, and over 50% said the government wants to expand their authority and narrow the Hong Kong people's freedoms and human rights.

2002-12-23