For some the 10th anniversary of the Handover will be business as usual, for others it’s a time for serious action: like marches, banners and burning the flag! Burning the flag? Isn’t that illegal? Well, if you don’t like what has happened here in the last 10 years what can – or can’t – you do? bc wanted to find out, remembering that according to Article 27: “Hong Kong residents shall have freedom of speech, of the press and of publication; freedom of association, of assembly, of procession and of demonstration; and the right and freedom to form any trade unions and to strike.”

Desecrate the Flags
Burning the flag in the US might be okay but try it here and this is how Donald Tsang’s gang may retaliate: “A person who desecrates the regional flag or regional emblem by publicly and wilfully burning, mutilating, scrawling on, defiling or trampling on it commits an offence and is liable – (a) on conviction on indictment to a fine at level 5 [ie $50,000] and to imprisonment for 3 years; and (b) on summary conviction to a fine at level 3 [ie $10,000] and to imprisonment for 1 year.”
That is probably why no one since Ng Kung Siu and Lee Kin Yun in 1998 has meddled with the flag. For daubing black ink and the Chinese character for ‘shame’ all over the Chinese
flag, the two had to pay a $2,000 bond for each of two charges and had to ‘keep the peace’ for 12 months. It could have been worse.

Burn an Effigy
You could opt for something less scandalous – make and burn an effigy at HK’s hottest sites: the Chinese embassy and government headquarters, to name two. What to burn? Anything tickling your rebel instincts but be aware that part 105.029 of the Constitutional Law says: “Freedom of expression is not an absolute right” Doesn’t that contradict Hong Kong’s guarantee of personal liberty for all citizens? And go against Article 27? Now how would burning an effigy work out in court – if it ever got that far?

Join the July 1 March – Or Stage A New One!
Organized by the Civil Humans Right Front, the July 1 March 2007 is predicted to attract 50,000 keen (and angry) activists. Its banners boast: “No Levy No Wage Cut”, “Down Down WTO”, “Peoples Power (sic.)”. So if you’re up for it, “Use your sweat and footsteps to walk the Hong Kong spirit.” The march, restricted to three hours, starts at 3pm from Victoria Park soccer pitch and goes to government headquarters in Central. As one of the banners encourages: “See you at Victoria Park.”

Or stage something new. But be aware, according to the Public Order Ordinance, you must apply for permission to the Commissioner of Police seven days prior to the procession. He could issue a Notice of Objection if he feels “the interests of national security or public safety, public order or the protection of the rights and freedoms of others could be met by the imposition of conditions.” Would he seriously object because a march for freedom violates freedom? Luckily, “Any person aggrieved by the decision of the Commissioner of Police may appeal to an independent appeal board chaired by a retired judge or ex-magistrate.” But which time, July 1, 2007, will probably be just a noisy memory.

Do it the Kwok Hung Way
How does one use, shall we say, ‘exotic’ ways to make a point to the government? Leung Kwok Hung got innovative – try some of these for tasters: he turned up to the Chief Executive elections this year in a pig’s outfit. And, in response to Donald Tsang’s inability to introduce universal suffrage and a minimum wage in 2006, Leung used a paper duck inscribed with the word “Heartless”. In 2005, he wore an extended fake rubber nose to show his disgust for the lies the Hong Kong officials were spinning. Develop your own ‘style’, pull some media stunts and make your point.

Peaceful Protests
If you can’t get to the July 1 march, nor create your own, gather a group of co-workers and stage a peace mutiny! According to the Public Order Ordinance, a public procession that “consist(s) of no more than 30 persons does not require notification to the Commissioner of Police”. Some suggestions: in 2005, pro-democratic demonstrators organized a candlelight vigil in front of the LegCo Building. On December 14, 2006, protestors congregated around the Star Ferry and Queen’s Pier with candles to stop the demolition process. But stay peaceful! Anything overly aggressive and those “obstructing public officers” can be arrested; don’t ‘accidentally’ set fire to anything unless you want to be detained for disrupting public safety.

Write a Letter or Blog
To be frank, do better. According to the Hong Kong Basic Law, “Hong Kong residents shall have freedom of speech… and of publication.” But when has the government taken notice of or published the community’s letters? Start a website or forum? Even those need a permanent audience to catch the government’s eye. Not that they don’t exist, but tie the government in a very yeah-they-could-do-better-but-oh-well manner. Try out www.interlocals.net. Still too subtle, too surreptitious.

It’s the 10th anniversary, don’t plump for toujours-discrète, let’s go for toujours-outrageous on July 1. Without sounding touchy-feely, it is, after all, a decade; let’s treat it like it’s more than just a holiday.