Funding dissent in China: Hong Kong Free Press accepts Bitcoin

Hong Kong Free Press, a leading independent publication relied upon for its impartial coverage of the Hong Kong protests, now accepts donations in Bitcoin and Bitcoin Cash.

“We've seen a flurry of donations today! Help us pay for freelancers, safety gear, overtime, insurance etc,” writes u/mod89, a Redditor who says he is the paper’s editor-in-chief.

HKFP touts itself as the link between English and Chinese reporting, and an independent voice among a slew of papers many see as corrupted by the influence of the Chinese government.

The paper currently accepts donations through BitPay, a service many regard as slow, which the paper has acknowledged. “When I can get my head around this, after the protests settle, we'll fix it,” writes the editor.

Since March, the city of Hong Kong has been thrown into tumult. Protests center around a bill, pushed by China, that would allow criminals to be expedited from Hong Kong to China. As the government debates the bill, peaceful protests, which railed against China’s encroachment into the territory, have been met with force by Hong Kong police, including rubber bullets, batons, and tear gas.

The protestors now have five demands: the withdrawal of the extradition bill; the resignation of the Chief Executive, Carrie Lam; government recognition of the protests as protests, rather than riots; an independent investigation into the police; and the release of everyone detained due to protests.

Since the protest started, over 600 people have been arrested.

HKFP’s acceptance of Bitcoin and Bitcoin cash is not the first time crypto has been to support non-profits. Binance, Coinbase, and Ripple recently raised millions through their charity funds. The UN also uses crypto remittances in Jordanian refugee camps.