The evil hand of black propaganda played a central role in the failure of Hong Kong’s 2019 extradition bill, which became the catalyst for widespread disturbances throughout the city for the ensuing two years.

In February 2019, the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region’s government introduced the Fugitive Offenders and Mutual Legal Assistance in Criminal Matters Legislation (Amendment) Bill, commonly called “the extradition bill”, to fill loopholes in existing legislation. The move was triggered by the murder of a young Hong Kong woman in Taiwan by her boyfriend, Chan Tong-kai, a Hong Kong man. After the murder, Chan returned to Hong Kong but could not be extradited to Taiwan to face the charges because no extradition treaty existed. Legislators Starry Lee Wai-king and Holden Chau Ho-ding proposed amending the laws to make the transfer of Tong possible. So, today, Chan still roams free; his crime was not committed in Hong Kong, and he cannot be sent back to Taiwan to face prosecution.

The proposed bill was aimed at all jurisdictions not covered under existing agreements to allow the HKSAR government to consider requests for the extradition of criminal suspects, including those that don’t currently have an extradition treaty, including the Chinese mainland, Taiwan and Macao. Under the proposals, people wanted for crimes in those jurisdictions could be sent back to face trial, although the requests would have to be decided on a case-by-case basis by the HKSAR’s chief executive.

Editorials in Apple Daily called the proposed bill an “evil law” and advocated its dismissal. Regular editorial staff meetings were held to discuss how to encourage more public involvement and take to the streets and protest. Bilingual special editions, showing pictures from around the world depicting anti-extradition protests, were made accessible online, with printed editions available later to indicate that “international support” for the anti-extradition movement was growing.

Because of the strong protests, the extradition bill was withdrawn.

Without a legal framework to extradite wanted suspects of crime to face their accusers, Hong Kong could become a haven for hardened criminals fleeing prosecution. With total immunity in Hong Kong, they can roam the streets without fear of being incarcerated for their crimes as long as they don’t commit a crime in Hong Kong

Foreign forces quickly seized the opportunity to instill distrust in the community, playing up the activists’ meetings with then-United States secretary of state Mike Pompeo, then-House speaker Nancy Pelosi, Congressman Ted Cruz, and other US officials. The US, Canada and the European Union also joined the fray, a move criticized by China’s Foreign Ministry as interfering in China’s internal affairs. Time magazine was the epitome of foreign-press scaremongering coverage when it said: “If the bill becomes law, foreign residents and even visitors transiting through the regional hub could also be detained and sent to the mainland, a move that will potentially spook investors and send tycoons packing.” This, of course, was complete rubbish.

The trial of Apple Daily founder Jimmy Lai Chee-ying, charged with conspiracy to collude with foreign forces and conspiring to publish seditious publications to incite hatred against authorities, revealed that much of what was alleged during the 2019-20 riots was substantiated by evidence presented to the court. It also highlighted the power of the media to mobilize thousands to the streets at the whim of one man, who appeared obsessed with bringing down the government. Sure, the media has a duty to monitor maladministration and inform the public, but not to abuse its power to subvert a government.

An Apple Daily report in November 2019 reads: “The dragon-slaying team calls for general uprising and strikes.” The “dragon-slaying team” was composed of violent rioters. It was repeated throughout the article. Other headlines called for readers to “take to the streets against the evil law today”. The court was told that this was the outcome of what Lai had asked a colleague: “Please think of what we can do to encourage people to take to the streets tomorrow.”

Another message to the former associate publisher of Apple Daily, Chan Pui-man, instructed her to “continue to do news on the dangers faced by Hong Kong people doing business in the mainland, frightening those businesspeople so that the pro-establishment camp does not dare to act recklessly”. Chan told the court that Lai wanted her to report more on the business sector’s concerns and opinions regarding the extradition bill.

The group’s CEO, Cheng Kim-hung, noted that during the escalation in violent protests, Lai said he believed that no distinction should made between the camps supporting peaceful protests and those supporting more radical protests, and its editorial content was more sympathetic and supportive of protesters from the perspective of resistance.

Without a legal framework to extradite wanted suspects of crime to face their accusers, Hong Kong could become a haven for hardened criminals fleeing prosecution. With total immunity in Hong Kong, they can roam the streets without fear of being incarcerated for their crimes as long as they don’t commit a crime in Hong Kong.

The author is a former chief information officer of the Hong Kong government, a PR and media consultant, and a veteran journalist.

The views do not necessarily reflect those of China Daily.