Christina Chan

Christina Chan (born 25 April 1987) is a political activist in Hong Kong, known for her stand on human rights, democracy and Tibetan independence. She is enrolled in a premaster's degree in philosophy in the University of Hong Kong.[1]

Christina Chan
Christina Chan during the 1 July March
Born (1987-04-25) 25 April 1987
Hong Kong
Alma materHong Kong Baptist University
City University of Hong Kong
University of Hong Kong (BA, MPhil)
Christina Chan
Traditional Chinese陳巧文
Simplified Chinese陈巧文

Early life

Christina was born in Hong Kong, where she attended the True Light Girls' College.[1] She went on to study at Warminster School and Bromsgrove School in the United Kingdom for her secondary education. Afterwards, she returned to Hong Kong and obtained an associate degree in social science in Hong Kong Baptist University and the City University of Hong Kong before studying English and philosophy at the University of Hong Kong, where she was conferred a bachelor's degree with first-class honours in June 2008. She subsequently received a scholarship to continue her studies at HKU's Master of Arts in philosophy.[1]

She was a host on Radio Television Hong Kong's TeenPower programme.[1] She also formerly worked as a part-time model, and was once featured in a Coca-Cola advertisement.[2]

Political activities
Chan's hand-drawn Snow Lion flag

Chan became known by the general public during the Olympics torch relay in Hong Kong where she held the Tibetan snow lion flag, and engaged in a confrontation with the pro-Beijing camp. She was forcibly removed by the Hong Kong Police Force, who claimed it was "for her protection".[3][4][5]

In April 2009, Ayo Chan Yat-ngok (陳一諤), the president of the Hong Kong University Students' Union, made a speech on the issue of the Tiananmen massacre, which provoked widespread student opposition; in response, Christina Chan and four other students started a campaign to impeach him.[6][7] Ayo was deposed after the General Polling.

Chan was arrested on 9 January 2010 over her alleged assault on a policewoman during an anti-Express Rail protest on New Year's Day; she was released on HK$500 bail. She claims that while being held at the station, police officers forced her to lift up her shirt so that they could photograph her tattoo.[8] She was acquitted of the assault in September 2010.[9]

In January 2020, she wrote on Hong Kong Free Press, expressing her support for the ongoing protests in Hong Kong and her criticism of 'unchecked police brutality',[10] and urged the law enforcement and judiciary system to restore impartiality.[11]

Internet and media harassment
Chan's articles on the notice board of the student union in the University of Hong Kong

Soon after coming to public attention in 2008, Chan became the target of harassment. Paparazzi followed her around her university, her personal photos from her Facebook account were published in Oriental Press Group magazine East Week, and her dress sense, body measurements, and relationship with her boyfriend, 27-year-old Australian musician Nick Brazel, became popular topics of discussion in internet forums.[2][12] She was interviewed by TVB News' The Pearl Report and Sunday Report about her suffering from cyber-bullying. The programmes were aired on 21 December 2008 and 22 February 2009 respectively.[13][14]

Following Chan's arrest in January 2010, an anonymous administrator in an online forum for police officers posted rape threats against her.[15] An Oriental Press Group magazine again published private photos of Chan soon after; this time, it was the Oriental Sunday, who plastered their front cover with paparazzi shots of Chan at home in her underwear brushing her teeth. A variety of social groups publicly criticised the Oriental Press Group in response, including the Hong Kong Women's Coalition on Equal Opportunities and The Society For Truth And Light. The Television and Entertainment Licensing Authority received 119 complaints regarding the magazine.[16]

Notes
  1. 陳巧文小檔案, Yazhou Zhoukan (in Chinese), 3 May 2009, retrieved 24 January 2010
  2. "Me in Bikini and Tibet?", The New Paper, 1 May 2008, archived from the original on 23 May 2010, retrieved 24 January 2010
  3. 十萬紅衣夾道 百棒聖火樂傳 紅軍圍橙軍起推撞, Ming Pao (in Chinese), 3 May 2008, retrieved 3 May 2008
  4. "HK Olympic torch relay proceeding smoothly", South China Morning Post, retrieved 2 May 2008
  5. Foreman, William (2 May 2008), Torch relay inspires show of patriotism in Hong Kong, Fox News Channel, retrieved 24 January 2009
  6. Wu, Eva (1 April 2009), "HKU students begin voting on their union's June 4 policy", South China Morning Post, retrieved 24 January 2010
  7. England, Vaudine (1 April 2009), "HK students debate Tiananmen legacy", BBC News
  8. Sin, Daniel; Leung, Ambrose (1 January 2010), "Christina Chan arrested for assaulting police", South China Morning Post, p. 1, archived from the original on 24 February 2012, retrieved 24 January 2010
  9. Flores, Tony (3 September 2010), Activist cleared of police assault, RTHK, retrieved 6 September 2010
  10. Chan, Christina (1 January 2020), "2020 Vision: From the post-80s movement to 'Be Water,' Hongkongers' eyes are now wide open", Hong Kong Free Press, retrieved 13 January 2020
  11. Chan, Christina (1 January 2020), "Injustice erodes the rule of law: Hongkongers will respect the legal system if it respects them", Hong Kong Free Press, retrieved 22 January 2020
  12. "Net users get the measure of protester", The Standard, Hong Kong, 7 May 2008, archived from the original on 4 June 2011, retrieved 16 April 2009
  13. "World Wild Web Cyber Bullying", Pearl Report, TVB, archived from the original on 27 February 2009, retrieved 24 January 2010
  14. 網絡欺凌, Sunday Report (in Chinese), TVB, archived from the original on 1 May 2009, retrieved 24 January 2010
  15. 警察討論區留言恐嚇陳巧文, Apple Daily (in Chinese), 1 January 2010, retrieved 24 January 2010
  16. 偷拍陳巧文 《東方新地》遭投訴, Apple Daily (in Chinese), 2 January 2010, archived from the original on 24 July 2011, retrieved 24 January 2010
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