Tensions have no place here

EDITORIAL: The sighting of a car displaying decals of a Chinese security agency is an important story because it is instructive of how the tense situation in Hong Kong is playing out even here on the streets of Hobart.

ON its own, the story we tell today of a ute decked out with the decals of a Chinese security agency doing drive-bys of the Hobart residences of people from Hong Kong might appear pretty harmless.

After all, we still don’t know the motivations of those driving the car that bore the insignia of the Chengguan urban law enforcement bureau — and Tasmanian police say they are still investigating.

But this is an important story because it is instructive of how the tense situation in Hong Kong is playing out even here on the streets of Hobart.

FEARS OVER FAKE CHINESE POLICE CAR

Remember it was only a few weeks ago that the University of Tasmania had to respond after incidents between pro-Beijing students and those who want to show their support for democracy and free speech in Hong Kong. But that’s only the start of the story.

The Chinese Government is a regime so sensitive to criticism that it is known to use facial recognition technology to identify exactly which of their citizens attend pro-democracy protests. Those UTAS students exercising their right to free speech in Australia by showing their support for democracy for Hong Kong fear what might happen to their families back home should their actions here become known by the Chinese Government. For anyone who has grown up in Australia, this is all hard to imagine. But it’s the reality for those from Hong Kong and mainland China.

So, for the former Hong Kong resident who shared the video after being approached by the Mercury yesterday, the drive-by invoked fear: “I saw the text on the side of the ute and I was pretty frightened. [The Chengguan] are known for silencing pro-democratic supporters, human rights activists, lawyers, journalists.”

You see, China is also a place where a visit from the local police is not always welcome — and certainly not from the Chengguan, the urban police force whose name has literally become synonymous with violence.

And so the Hobart man said he was in no doubt about the intent behind the vehicle’s appearance: “The purpose was to incite fear. I have a lot of friends and family members fighting for democracy, fighting for freedom and fighting for justice in Hong Kong. I feel like I have a responsibility to report this.”

Even now, a full week on, he is still too scared for us to use his name publicly — despite nothing more happening to him than, he says, the car stopping for two minutes outside his Hobart apartment block.

And that should tell you something.

Greens leader Cassy O’Connor notes that “it’s hard to escape the conclusion this is another intimidation tactic being used against supporters of the Hong Kong protesters. Why else would you dress up a civilian car as a law enforcement vehicle from an oppressive, autocratic regime?”

She has a point. Let’s hope Tasmanian police get to the bottom of this case quickly. If they find the purpose was indeed to intimidate, let’s hope also they remind those responsible that their actions are unacceptable in the great democracy of Australia — where the principle of free speech is valued and respected.

Because that’s the point. This is not about race. Many thousands of people of Chinese descent who value our democracy proudly call Tasmania home. We should all continue to respect them, the students who study here, and the tourists who visit.