Hong Kong Watch hosts panel discussion and Q&A in Manchester
As part of Hong Kong Watch’s political and civic engagement series for BNOs, we co-hosted a panel discussion and Q&A in Manchester on the anniversary of the National Security Law (NSL) to discuss the safety of Hongkongers in Manchester.
Hong Kong Watch partnered with Trafford Hongkongers CIC for this event, which included participation from Kate Green, the Deputy Mayor of Greater Manchester for Police, Crime, Criminal Justice and Fire; Alex Mak the Director of Trafford Hongkongers; and Councillor Mishal Saeed, the Executive Support Member for Social Care and Mental Health at Salford City Council.
After the attack on a Hong Kong protestor by Chinese Consulate officials in Manchester last October, safety and security has become a key cause for concern for all Hongkongers living in the region and beyond.
Another recent attack on protestors in Southampton following a 12 June anniversary rally has further highlighted that more must be done to protect Hongkongers living in the UK.
Credit: Jeffrey Ybanez.
The event was chaired by Benedict Rogers, Hong Kong Watch’s Chief Executive. Following the panel discussion, there was a Q&A with the audience.
During the event, panellists discussed the role of the Police and Crime Commissioner, how police forces are structured in the UK, how Hongkongers can get assistance if they are victims of crime, how the legal process works, and how Hongkongers can access their local elected representatives to seek support and flag issues.
Deputy Mayor Kate Green highlighted the importance of gathering local intelligence, and emphasised Greater Manchester Police’s (GMP) move towards a neighbourhood policing model, inviting Hongkongers to come forward and share any information with the police.
A new app called ‘Bee in the Loop’ was flagged, a GMP initiative to tell local residents what’s going on in their neighbourhood. Any anonymous report of crime, the panellists said, could be reported through Crime Stoppers.
Credit: Jeffrey Ybanez.
In addition, Councillor Mishal Saeed encouraged residents to write to their local councillors with any reports, as councillors can collate these and send directly to the police.
Alex Mak stressed the importance of letting the authorities know what is happening in the area.
This was the 10th event in Hong Kong Watch’s civic and political education programme, which aims to help the Hong Kong BNO community better understand the UK’s political system, how they can engage with it, what their rights are and what its impact and relevance is.
Panel speakers:
Kate Green, Deputy Mayor of Greater Manchester, Police, Crime, Criminal Justice and Fire – lead for Safer and Stronger Communities at the Greater Manchester Combined Authority. She previously served as the Labour MP for Stretford and Urmston between 2010 and 2022, holding several opposition front-bench positions.
Councillor Mishal Saeed, Representing the people of Higher Irlam and Peel Green, and Executive Support Member for Social Care and Mental Health at Salford City Council.
Alex Mak, Director of Trafford Hongkongers, and Employment Coordinator & Regional Outreach Coordinator (NW England) for Hongkongers in Britain.
香港監察研討會回應居英港人被襲擊事件 曼城副市長及市議員教路保障港人安全
《國安法》實施三週年當日，香港監察聯同港人組織Trafford Hongkongers CIC在曼徹斯特舉辦BNO公民及政治參與系列研討會及問答環節，探討曼城港人的安全議題。
活動由香港監察行政總監羅傑斯主持，講者包括大曼徹斯特警察及犯罪事務副市長Kate Green、索爾福德市政府社會關懷及精神健康行政支援人員、市議員Mishal Saeed和Trafford Hongkongers董事Alex Mak。
去年10月中國駐曼徹斯特領事館官員毆打香港示威者事件發生後，居住在曼城及英國其他地區的香港人極為關注安全和治安問題。6.12四週年修咸頓集會後再有香港示威者被襲擊，進一步突顯英國當局必須採取更多措施保護居英港人。
講者討論了警察及犯罪事務委員（Police and Crime Commissioner）的角色、英國警隊的結構、罪行受害者獲得援助的途徑、法律程序的運作模式，以及港人向當地民選代表尋求支援和舉報問題的方式。
副市長Kate Green強調收集當地情報的重要性，並重申大曼城警察局轉用鄰里警務（neighbourhood policing）模式，邀請香港人站出來向警方提供任何資訊。
講者介紹了名為「Bee in the Loop」的新應用程式，指大曼城警察局經此平台告訴當地居民社區正在發生甚麼事情，並表示可透過Crime Stoppers匿名舉報任何罪行。
市議員Mishal Saeed鼓勵居民寫信給當地市議員並附上報告，指議員會整理這些報告並直接傳送給警方。Alex Mak則強調，港人須告知當局當地正在發生的事情。
今次研討會為香港監察公民及政治參與系列的第十項活動，計劃旨在協助香港BNO社群更深入了解英國政治制度、BNO人士如何參與其中、有甚麼權利及其影響和意義。
研討會講者：
Kate Green，大曼徹斯特警察及犯罪事務副市長、大曼徹斯特聯合事務處社區安全穩健計劃決策人
Mishal Saeed市議員，Higher Irlam and Peel Green地區代表、索爾福德市政府社會關懷及精神健康行政支援人員
Alex Mak，Trafford Hongkongers董事、英國港僑協會就業主任暨地區外展主任（英格蘭西北）
