He's back: the rapid return of 'Radio Stephen Shiu'
Online broadcaster with a political mission follows shock closure with shock new online station - and an end to party financing
Just weeks after suddenly closing one of the city's biggest prodemocracy radio stations, Stephen Shiu Yeuk-yuen revealed he is to launch a new one in June to carry on his fight for political freedom.
Shiu, who vowed not to support any political party financially in the future, also endorsed the Occupy Central movement which had been at the heart of the conflict that led to his shock decision last month to close down Hong Kong Reporter.
He said at the time that he was "disappointed" with People Power members, including lawmaker Wong Yuk-man. It followed Wong's vague stance towards the possibility of aggressive behaviour during the planned Occupy Central protest. He has said that violence could not be "ruled out".
The Occupy Central movement, spearheaded by law academic Benny Tai Yiu-ting, has triggered intense debate over its call for at least 10,000 people to block traffic in the heart of the city in July next year unless the government delivers an acceptable proposal for universal suffrage.
Now, in an interview with the South China Morning Post, Shiu has made it clear he supports the movement and Tai's stance that the civil disobedience involved in taking over the streets would be "absolutely non-violent".
Shui, who founded the defunct Chinese-language news portal Cyber Daily with Wong, also questioned whether People Power was actually prepared to participate in the movement, which is expected to take centre stage in local politics in the months ahead.
"If you listen to what Wong … has been saying about Occupy Central in the past weeks, [Wong and his supporters] are strongly opposing it, and attacking those in support of it," he said.