The Unmasked Protestor ─ Brian Leung's speech at storming of Legislative Council, Hong Kong, July 2019
On July 1st last year, a traditional day of celebration and protest in Hong Kong, pro democracy activists stormed the Legislative Council complex (Leg Co) and broke into the legislative chamber. One protestor, Brian Leung Kai-ping, seized the moment and stood on a desk to deliver a memorable speech calling for solidarity in the protest movement, and for the wider citizenry of Hong Kong to join them in the occupy. It was a speech of such passion and eloquence, the bravest speech we added to Speakola last year. To increase the stakes, Leung removed the mask he had been wearing to reveal his identity to the assembled media, to the Chinese authorities and to the world.
In this episode, Tony chats at length to Brain Leung who talks about the movement, the night of the occupy, the speech, and what has happened since. He also talks to author Antony Dapiran, who released City On Fire: The Fight for Hong Kong this year and who is fantastic at explaining a basic political background, If you're well schooled in Hong Kong politics and want to skip Ant's introduction, Brian Leung starts at 30.00mins.
After the interviews, we play Leung's speech, first in Cantonese, and then with an English overdub. It's the first foreign language speech we've featured on the podcast, and thanks to Melbourne journalist Wing Huang who voiced the English version.
Here is Brian speech with transcript.
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Do You Hear the Hong Kong People Sing? 問誰未發聲
Music by Claude-Michel Schönberg
Lyrics by Herbert Kretzmer
試問誰還未發聲
都捨我其誰衛我城
天生有權還有心可作主
誰要認命噤聲
試問誰能未覺醒
聽真那自由在奏鳴
激起再難違背的那份良知和應
為何美夢仍是個夢
還想等恩賜泡影
為這黑與白這非與是 真與偽來做證
為這世代有未來 要及時擦亮眼睛
試問誰還未發聲
都捨我其誰衛我城
天生有權還有心可作主
誰要認命噤聲
試問誰能未覺醒
聽真那自由在奏鳴
激起再難違背的那份良知和應
無人有權沉默 看著萬家燈火變了色
問我心再用我手 去為選我命途力拼
人既是人 有責任有自由決定遠景
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