By Star Chang, posted Sep 25, 2011 at 5:10 PM, 1,771 views,

Protesters Greet Hong Kong Apple Store During Opening (Video)

Local protesters had given some greeting to Hong Kong first Apple Store. At about 11am on the opening day, two hours after the official opening, 20 or so protesters from a non-profit advocacy group which known as ‘ Students and Scholars Against Corporate Misbehaviour ‘ (Sacom), unfurled a banner at the new shop reading: “No More iSlave”. The 6-meter tall banner was designed in an iPhone shape, and it was hanging from the balcony on the second floor of the shopping mall, where the upper floor of the Apple Store is. The group was protesting against the labour practices of Foxconn factory, the company that makes Apple products in China. The incident has somehow weaken the festive mood among fans of the iconic gadgetry …

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Security guards scuffled briefly with protesters after the iPhone banner was hang outside the new Apple store. Security officers tried to pull the banner back from the balcony, and a short struggle lasted for about five minutes. For some unknown reason, the guards were unable to control the situation, and the “No More iSlave” banner was allowed to hang out again for more then half an hour. Other protesters were gathered outside the entrance of the store, holding sign board and shouted out protest slogan by using wireless megaphone, angered by what they see as violations of workers’ rights by the company that makes iPhones and iPads for Apple.

A group of loacl police officer came to the scene, and they had question the person in charge. After examine the incident, the police did not made any clearance on the protestion. Some of the Apple store management has approached the police officer to discuss about the matter, but no further action was taken. The police and the security from the shopping mall had somehow given the speech of freedom to the protesters. The protestion last for another half an hour, and dismissed peacefully. During the protestion, the management from the Apple store were not so happy for the local media to take their picture and video.

We believe everyone, including the management from Apple store, did not expect such an interlude to take place during the new store openeing. Lucky it was not a emotional, large scale protestion, but the 6-meter tall banner has really made Apple embarrassed. The ‘Sacom’ protester group had already shown up during last year Foxconn Hong Kong shareholders meeting. They accused Apple and Foxconn for their poor corporate ethics after a recent spate of suicides at Shenzhen factory. In future, Hong Kong Apple store might still face similar protestion when there is new product on sale. Apple really have to solve out the low wages and unsafe working conditions on Foxconn workers.

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