HONG KONG — Many civilians in Hong Kong rushed overnight to buy a copy of the nation’s Apple Daily pro-democracy newspaper’s last-ever edition, closing its final chapter on June 24.
As queues of customers stretched outside newsstands across Hong Kong, a round of applause erupted in the Apple Daily newsroom at 11.45 pm to mark executive editor-in-chief Lam Man-Chung, sending off the last issue of the newspaper to the printing press.
“Keep it up, Apple Daily! Keep it up, Hong Kong!” staff chanted as the paper’s followers outside its Tseung Kwan O headquarters whistled and clapped in support.
Several offices in the building could be seen descending into darkness as the media operation wound down for good. In a nod to the 2019 unrest, some outside were wearing black and shouting “Liberate Hong Kong; the revolution of our times,” a slogan popular with anti-government protesters.
The chants soon fell silent.
“Most of you may not understand how dreadful the closure of Apple Daily means to Hong Kong,” tweeted Nathan Law, a pro-democracy Hong Kong activist.
“Not only to its journalistic landscape but also to the people and the city itself. This is their last day. They are going to print 1 million copies tomorrow to commemorate the fight.”
In Mong Kok, hundreds of supporters started queuing as early as 10 pm to get their hands on Apple Daily’s swansong issue, which eventually arrived at newspaper stands at about 12.55 am. By midnight, dozens of people were queuing at a newsstand on Argyle Street.
On June 23, Apple Daily announced it would shut its operations earlier than expected and stop publishing online from midnight. Instead, its management decided to run its last print edition.
The directors of Next Digital, the 26-year-old tabloid-style newspaper’s parent company, had decided the newspaper would cease all forms of publication by June 26 at the latest.
The moves come after another of its journalists was arrested under the National Security Law.
On June 23, Hong Kong’s national security police detained the paper’s lead editorial writer on suspicion of conspiracy to collude with foreign forces, the first such arrest under the Beijing-imposed legislation.
Since the arrest of five of its top executives, Apple Daily has lost nearly half its workforce. But those remaining vowed to carry on through the end.
The European Union said the closure of Apple Daily operations clearly showed the national security law — which bans acts of subversion, secession, terrorism, and collusion with foreign forces — was being used to “stifle freedom of the press and the free expression of opinions.”
“It’s closing seriously undermines media freedom and pluralism, which are essential for any open and free society. The erosion of press freedom is also counter to Hong Kong’s aspirations as an international business hub,” said a spokeswoman of the European Union.
Last week, police raided Apple Daily’s headquarters and arrested five executives. Lai had launched Next magazine as part of his Next Media group, now known as Next Digital.
(With inputs from ANI)
(Edited by Amrita Das and Saptak Datta. Map by Urvashi Makwana)
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