Cafés and retail shops that publicly supported secessionists in Hong Kong are now playing it safe by making a clear break from the separatist forces, after the national security law for the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) was passed on Tuesday morning.
Lung Mun Café on Tuesday afternoon announced on Facebook that it was quitting the “yellow economy circle,” which refers to businesses that support the protesters in Hong Kong.
“The arrival of the ‘national security law’ made us rethink our path in the last year… we decided to quit the ‘yellow economy circle’,” read the statement from the café, adding that it has been criticized not only by pro-government “blue ribbons” and “netizens,” but also other shops in the “yellow economy.”
During the turmoil in 2019, the Lung Mun Café provided free food to protesters and cheered them on, media reports said.
Glory Café, another “yellow restaurant” in Mongkok, was also clearing away the posters related to “Hong Kong independence” and protesting the national security law for Hong Kong on Tuesday afternoon, hk01.com reported.
A branch of children’s clothing chain Chickeeduck in Hong Kong’s D Park shopping mall was told to move out within three weeks on Monday, after the mall rejected its application to renew its tenancy, the Stand News reported.
The shop is known for a 2-meter-tall statue of a protester wearing a gas mask and holding a “revolution” flag, which was put up earlier this month. The mall had asked the owner of the shop to remove the statue before but did not success.
Hong Kong residents that the Global Times interviewed said they saw “yellow shops” begin to clear away “yellow” banners, showing they were staying away from the secessionists.
Photos posted by netizens showed cafés and shops in Hong Kong clearing away stickers or posters expressing “Hong Kong independence” and protests against the national security law.
Netizens from the Hong Kong and the Chinese mainland mocked the “yellow economy circle’s” rapid response.
“You use the national security law to ‘whitewash’ yourself. Facing your misfortune, you only care about profits. Disgusting,” said a Facebook user, expressing his outrage over Lung Mun Café under its statement.
“They are all liars and actors to deceive Hong Kong people. Now they are almost busted,” a Sina Weibo user said.
“Such cowards. Retracting their heads faster than turtles,” said another.
Divisions appeared within Hong Kong secessionist groups right after the passing of the law on Tuesday. Leaders of the groups – including Joshua Wong, Nathan Law and Agnes Chow – announced their withdrawal from anti-government group Demosisto.
“The leaders’ public statement might disappoint many of their followers, which could trigger a chain reaction that splits the protester group,” Lau Siu-kai, a vice-president of the Chinese Association of Hong Kong and Macao Studies, told the Global Times.
A view of Hong Kong Photo: VCG
