A woman who took part in a protest against China‘s new ‘mega-embassy’ in London has claimed the regime’s security police retaliated with dawn raids on her family in Hong Kong.
Carmen Lau, 30, a former politician who fled her native Hong Kong five years ago, joined 3,000 others at a rally in February against plans to build the 5.5-acre complex near Tower Bridge.
In a speech, the activist argued that allowing Beijing to build such a large embassy sends out the ‘wrong message’ that Britain welcomes authoritarian regimes.
But within 48 hours her elderly aunt and uncle in Hong Kong were arrested in dawn raids on their homes by the national security police and taken into custody, where they were questioned about Ms Lau for six hours.
The development came after leaflets were posted through the letterboxes of Ms Lau’s neighbours in Berkshire, purporting to be from Hong Kong police.
They offered one million Hong Kong dollars, or almost £100,000, for information about Ms Lau or to anyone who could lure her inside the current Chinese embassy in Marylebone, central London.
Ms Lau said that after being arrested her relatives were questioned about the links she still has to the former British colony.
Carmen Lau, 30, a former politician who fled her native Hong Kong five years ago, joined 3,000 others at a rally in February against plans to build the 5.5-acre complex near Tower Bridge
In a speech, the activist argued that allowing Beijing to build such a large embassy sends out the ‘wrong message’ that Britain welcomes authoritarian regimes. Pictured: A demonstrator holds up a flag with the message ‘No Chinese mega embassy’ in February
Ms Lau said she took part in the rally in February as she believes the mega-embassy will become a hub for ‘transnational repression’ by China in the heart of London
She told The Mail on Sunday: ‘They wanted to know about financial relationships I had with others in Hong Kong, and were interested in my family tree – the other relatives I have in Hong Kong.’
Although her two relatives were released, Ms Lau believes the police used information they gleaned to arrest another aunt a week later and question her for hours as well.
She claims the harassment is the regime’s method of getting her to stop her ‘anti-Chinese’ activities in the UK.
Ms Lau was a former councillor in Hong Kong who fled the region and sought refuge in Britain after the Chinese authorities put her under surveillance for being a democracy advocate.
She said she had undercover police officers parked outside her apartment and was being followed wherever she went, as well as being harassed by both security personnel and the state media.
Although her two relatives were released, Ms Lau believes the police used information they gleaned to arrest another aunt a week later and question her for hours as well
The development came after leaflets were posted through the letterboxes of Ms Lau’s neighbours in Berkshire, purporting to be from Hong Kong police
Ms Lau said she took part in the rally in February as she believes the mega-embassy will become a hub for ‘transnational repression’ by China in the heart of London.
There are particular concerns about underground rooms the new embassy will contain, which The Mail on Sunday exclusively revealed last month, with their exact purpose redacted on plans for ‘security reasons’.
Ms Lau said: ‘These rooms could be used for interrogations and locking up people like us. They could be used to torture us.’
She said the Metropolitan Police had advised her not to attend public gatherings as she could be attacked and her relatives back home could be put in danger.
