Exclusive | Occupy co-founder Benny Tai calls on Hongkongers to defy ‘sugar-coated authoritarianism’
HKU academic also claims undermining of city’s free speech a worrying sign
“The power of an authoritarian system lies in forcing people to accept their fate and obey through threats and lies,” Tai said in an exclusive interview with the Post. “We have to respond with no fear, expose their lies and stay persistent in our fight.”
Campaign to oust me akin to Cultural Revolution: Occupy co-founder Benny Tai
The University of Hong Kong associate professor of law is expected to attend a pre-trial hearing on Tuesday. He and fellow Occupy Central co-founders Reverend Chu Yiu-ming and Chinese University associate professor of sociology Dr Chan Kin-man face three charges relating to public nuisance over their roles in the civil disobedience movement of 2014. Each charge carries a maximum sentence of seven years in prison.
Petition to oust Occupy co-founder Benny Tai from university post attracts 80,000 signatures
“They just want to create a chilling effect,” Tai said of the campaign, half-joking he would draw inspiration from martial artist Bruce Lee and be “water” to his critics. The academic claimed he was prepared for the worst and would set up an organisation to continue teaching if he were unable to continue at HKU.