Everything About the Protest in HK Airport Whereby Protestors ‘Educate’ Tourists About the Demonstrations

Singapore might have a protest yesterday that involves police officers with sub machine-guns…

…but lest you’re not aware, there are more protests in the other Asian Tiger, Hong Kong.

While Singaporeans are protesting about a certain $54 phone that somehow evaporated into thin air while kept in many retail shops, leading many to go “Hualauwei!”, people in Hong Kong are protesting about things of less importance, like their democracy or their country’s leader.

While Huawei did the unthinkable by closing their outlets and calling the cops to help manage the crowd, Hong Kong unfortunately can’t just close their airport.

And while protestors against Huawei merely crowd around the outlets, demanding for an answer for the results of Singapore’s national pastime, protestors in Hong Kong took the high road: they went over to their airport and educate visitors about what they’re doing.

Here’s what happened.

Hong Kong Protestors Rally in Hong Kong Airport

Just like Singapore, Hong Kong has only one international airport which is uncreatively named Hong Kong International Airport. While our dear Changi Airport is the best-est in the world, it isn’t the busiest in the world, ranking at 19th worldwide with 65 million passengers in 2018.

Hong Kong International Airport ranks at number 8 worldwide, with well over 74 million passengers in 2018.

Needless to say, it’s crowded AF.

And with the protestors, you might want to bring your own oxygen tank when you’re there.

Hong Kong Airport

According to reports, the Hong Kong protests have now spilt over to the airport, as hundreds of protestors held a rally in the airport’s arrival hall yesterday (26 July 2019) to “educate” visitors about the demonstrations and protests they’ve been holding since a few months back.

Imagine this: you’ve just arrived in Hong Kong and are looking to take a taxi when you see hundreds of people in black chanting anti-government slogans and holding banners with Chinese words that you couldn’t make out.

Then someone passed you a flyer, and you took a look because you thought it’s a transport company offering a trip to a place you want to visit for a low price, but the flyer was explaining why people are protesting in the country.

So, you might be wondering: why are they doing this? Can tourists make a difference? Could they be protesting against Huawei’s $54 phone as well?

Nope. It’s about information warfare—again.

If you’ve come to our app daily, which you should, there were apparently fake news being circulated in the country.

And the protestors want tourists to see Hong Kong the way they want them to see it.

According to a flight attendant who joined the protest immediately after landing from a flight, she said, “It’s important to come to the airport and tell foreigners what’s happening in Hong Kong…They have no idea at all, they only get information from one side, they think everyone… coming to a protest, to a rally, are all rioters, or promoting Hong Kong independence.”

And with this, the Singapore authorities have also issued an advisory for people travelling to Hong Kong, because unless you’ve an Iron Man suit, the airport is most likely your first stop during your vacation to the world of dim sum.

Singapore Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ Advisory

Yesterday early morning, as reports of an upcoming protest in the Hong Kong airport surfaced, the MFA issued an advisory:

Because I’m lazy to summarise it (but more of scared of getting the info wrong), here’s a full reproduction of their advisory:

Travel Advisory for Hong Kong

Following reports of an upcoming protest at the Hong Kong International Airport commencing at 1 pm on 26 July 2019, and at Yuen Long in the New Territories on 27 July 2019, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs would advise Singaporeans to avoid these locations at these times.

In recent weeks, several large-scale protests have taken place at multiple venues in Hong Kong. Although mostly peaceful and orderly, cases of localised clashes following these protests were reported. Protests which are meant to be peaceful may still have the potential to turn violent with little or no notice.

If you are already in Hong Kong, you should take all necessary precautions to ensure your personal safety. You are advised to stay vigilant, monitor developments through the local news, and heed the instructions of the local authorities. You may wish to follow the Hong Kong Police Force on their social media accounts (https://www.facebook.com/hongkongpoliceforce and https://twitter.com/hkpoliceforce) for latest updates. You should avoid protests and large public gatherings, and stay in touch with your family and friends so that they know you are safe.

Singaporeans in Hong Kong are encouraged to eRegister with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs at https://eregister.mfa.gov.sg/ to enable us to contact you should the need arise.

Those who require consular assistance can contact the Singapore Consulate-General in Hong Kong, or the MFA Duty Office (24hrs) at:

Singapore Consulate-General in Hong Kong
Tel: +852-2527-2212 or +852-9466-1251 (after office hours)
Fax: +852-2861-3595
Email: [email protected]

Ministry of Foreign Affairs Duty Office (24 hours)
Tanglin, Singapore 248163
Telephone: +65 6379 8800 / 8855
Email: [email protected]

In the meantime, I’m just curious: has any other country issued a travel advisory for Singapore? I mean, protests against Huawei are just as serious—have you seen how cute those elderly are?

Their disappointed faces can kill, man.