Pro-hong Kong democracy: Owner of a Canadian restaurant vandalised has received death threats

The Richmond One restaurant in Canada has been vandalized for Posting a postcard supporting Democracy in Hong Kong. The restaurant’s owner has also received death threats in Canada and on Chinese social networking sites. The threats of sabotage were seen as an attempt to silence Canadians sympathetic to Hong Kong.

According to a press release issued today (December 15) by Canada-Hong Kong Link, a Canada-Hong Kong website, Pepper Wok, a restaurant in Richmond Hill, Ontario, Canada, was vandalised after Posting a postcard supporting the Hong Kong democracy movement last week. Death threats have been made against the restaurant’s owner in Canada and on Chinese social networking sites. The restaurant’s Windows were painted and a warning letter was posted on the Windows, pretending that the restaurant’s supplier “may be suspected of violating the Ontario Human Rights Act, the Consumer Protection Act, and other applicable federal and provincial laws.”

On social media platforms, posts encouraged people to complain to the local city government, falsely claiming that the restaurant owner discriminated against mainland China. They also incited the restaurant to issue false orders, engage in further vandalism, break Windows with guns, release cockroaches and rats in the restaurant, or kill the owner of the restaurant.

The article did not say who was behind the threat of a beating against Hong Kong democracy supporters, but said it was an attempt to escalate the threat by intimidation and silence Canadians sympathetic to Hong Kong’s pro-democracy camp.

The press release also said that on the same social media platforms, students from the Chinese mainland had been mobilized to intimidate and harass a rally in Support of Hong Kong in Canada on August 17, 2019.

Canada-hong Kong Link issued a notice to the media saying it would show a video at the news conference, including footage of the restaurant being damaged and threatening online posts. The restaurant’s owner Wyman Chan will share with the media how the vandalism and harassment has affected her and her employees. Mr Fung, president of Canada-Hong Kong Link, will analyse the escalating campaign of intimidation and recommend action to prevent similar incidents from happening again.