Leave the late Chan Yin-lam’s family alone
- The latest plan to name a park after the dead girl is part of a fact-free, conspiratorial political campaign that borders on collective insanity
Losing a child is bad enough. Having her death exploited to serve a political goal is even worse. And when the mother speaks up for her family’s right to grieve and be left alone, she is abused and doxxed online, the family’s personal details leaked all over the internet.
Welcome to the ruthless, pitiless and delusional world of anti-government protesters, or at least some of them. Let me say that most peaceful protesters are decent people fighting for what they believe to be a good fight for the future of Hong Kong.
Unfortunately, there is a substantial segment within the movement who have gone way beyond the pale. Their political exploitation of the death of 15-year-old Chan Yin-lam, who committed suicide last September, is just one example, albeit a more outrageous one.
Without a shred of evidence, many in the protest movement have talked themselves into believing she was raped and murdered by police. When her mother publicly accepted the police’s findings and autopsy report, her family was harassed online and by phone; even her identity as the dead girl’s mother was questioned.
Just when you think the conspiracy theory has died a natural death, radical localist members who have gained a majority in the Sai Kung District Council, have prepared a motion to name a park in Tseung Kwan O after Chan.