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Moments Social Media Took On The Establishment

Written By Unknown on Rabu, 01 Oktober 2014 | 15.00

Social media networks have played a major role in the ongoing pro-democracy demonstrations in Hong Kong. Sky News looks at how they have been used to mobilise the masses across the world in the past decade.

:: Philippines Protests (January 2001)

The ousting of President Joseph Estrada from office quite possibly marked the first time social media was used to help boot a national leader from office.

During his impeachment trial in which he was charged with plunder and perjury, word quickly spread onto the streets of Manila that key evidence would not be used against him following a vote by the Philippine Congress.

Protests were arranged by angry demonstrators through text messages which forced the decision to be reversed, culminating in Mr Estrada's eventual downfall in just days.

:: England Riots (August 2011)

A campaign on Twitter and Facebook encouraged others to get involved in the riots in London and other cities.

However, those who used BlackBerry Messenger to fuel the violence were able to orchestrate the looting across the country through messages which were encrypted and untraceable by police.

It enabled even rival gangs to come together and maximise the terror and carnage which spread from a protest in Tottenham - following the death of Mark Duggan, who was shot dead by armed police - to further areas in the capital, Birmingham, Manchester, Bristol and other cities and towns.

Those angered by the violence and unrest used social to organise the clean-up of their communities afterwards.

:: Russia Protests (2011-2013)

Alexei Navalny, an anti-corruption campaigner, rose to prominence from the mass street protests that preceded President Vladimir Putin's return to power in 2012, via his blog.

Denied access to state media, he harnessed the power of social media instead to reach a new generation of young, politically-minded supporters.

In August 2011, the feminist punk rock protest group Pussy Riot emerged, who used their music videos - which they posted on the internet - to protest against discrimination against women, authoritarianism and Mr Putin's policies.

:: Egypt Uprisings (2011-2013)

From the ousting of Hosni Mubarak in February 2011 - to that of his successor, Mohamed Morsi, in July 2013 - Egyptian activists turned to social media, mainly Facebook, to not only organise rallies and demonstrations, but also to voice their opinions and share updates on the protests.

The movement forced Mr Morsi to turn to social networks like Twitter himself in a last -itch bid to communicate with his discontented citizens, affirm his position and ultimately denounce the army's "military coup" which led to his removal from power.

After the toppling of Mr Mubarak in February 2011, US President Barack Obama highlighted the role of social media in the Egyptian leader's removal at the time, hailing the emergence of "a new generation... that uses their own creativity and talent and technology to call for a government that represented their hopes and not their fears".

:: Venezuela Protests (February 2014)

Both protesters - and the government itself and its supporters - turned to Twitter in a battle to win the hearts and minds of the populace via social media.

As demonstrators marched through Caracas against President Nicolas Maduro's failure to bring down crime, address record staple food shortages and rising inflation, Twitter reported the blocking of images from the protest on its service.

The blockage lasted a day, but in the meantime Twitter offered a workaround for users.

:: Hong Kong Demonstrations (September, 2014)

Pro-democracy protesters in Hong Kong are using FireChat - an app that allows people to chat and send photos to one another, from phone to phone, without the need for the internet or even mobile reception - to highlight their cause to the world.

China's Communist rulers reportedly blocked Instagram on Monday to prevent images of the demonstrations reaching the mainland.

However, FireChart relies on Bluetooth and Wi-Fi to transmit messages between nearby users within a crowd up to 200 feet away - so it cannot be shut down by the authorities.


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Fight Against Islamic State May Extend Into Syria

British forces will "ultimately" need to fight Islamic State militants beyond Iraqi borders, according to Iain Duncan Smith.

Speaking at a fringe meeting at the Conservative conference in Birmingham, the Work and Pensions Secretary said Cabinet ministers believe strikes against Syrian targets will also be necessary.

"I believe ultimately that is exactly what we will have to do ... The Prime Minister believes that. He said as much in his speech," Mr Duncan Smith said.

The UK is supporting Iraqi and Kurdish forces battling Sunni Muslim extremists from IS, which has taken over large parts of Iraq in recent months.

Despite IS also seizing territory in Syria, a vote in Parliament on Friday did not include the authorisation of airstrikes over the country.

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  1. Gallery: The Moment RAF Jet Attacks IS Truck

    The RAF has carried out its first airstrikes against Islamic State targets in Iraq. (All pictures: MoD)

  2. Tornados destroyed a heavy weapon position, which was attacking Kurdish forces, and an armed pick-up truck (pictured). The red circle shows the path of the missile fired at the vehicle

  3. The strikes were the first since MPs voted to support aerial raids in Iraq last Friday

  4. The targets were in the northwest of Iraq

  5. The moment the truck, which had a mounted machine gun, was destroyed by a Brimstone missile

  6. A plume of smoke rose above the area

  7. The strike was successful, according to an initial assessment, said Defence Secretary Michael Fallon

  8. The Tornados safely returned to their base at RAF Akrotiri in Cyprus after the sortie

  9. Six of the GR4 fighter jets are based on the island in the Mediterranean

  10. The aircraft began their combat missions on Saturday

Mr Duncan Smith said: "There was absolute unity around the Cabinet table, including the Liberal Democrats as well, all basically saying the same thing: that the complete package is ultimately having to deal with ISIL [a former name of IS], not ISIL in one place.

"The reality, I have to be honest with you, is that it is a Labour issue, it is an issue for the Labour Party.

"We need to carry the House of Commons on these things and so the answer here is that Labour decided that frankly this was not a step they wanted to take, so it conditions what we are doing."

The comments come after footage was released of the moment an RAF Tornado destroyed an Islamic State truck in the first round of British airstrikes against militants in Iraq.

Video: Tornado Returns From Strike Mission

Two fighter-bombers carried out the aerial raids in support of Kurdish troops who were being attacked by IS insurgents in the northwest of the country.

The Tornados hit a heavy weapons post that was endangering Kurdish forces and also struck an armed pick-up truck in the same area, said Defence Secretary Michael Fallon.

It was the seventh combat mission for the RAF since the Tornado GR4 jets took to the skies on Saturday after the UK Parliament gave the green light for aerial attacks over Iraq a day earlier.

The Tornados identified the truck which had a mounted machine-gun and the vehicle was destroyed using a Brimstone missile. Footage of the strike was released by the Ministry of Defence.

Video: IS Threat: Baghdad 'Crisis Point'

Sky's Chief Correspondent Stuart Ramsay said he believed the UK raids happened in the Iraqi town of Rabia on the border with Syria.

He said the strikes were at the time that the peshmerga were taking the area back.

"It's a very significant town. It's where IS have been moving supplies to their people. There's trade, there's oil," he said.

"I think it's likely it was there because there was a fight taking place which means the RAF were able to identify targets. They were called in by the peshmerga and they were able to destroy them (IS targets)."

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  1. Gallery: RAF Tornados Pictured In Mission Over Iraq

    RAF Tornado GR4s were pictured over Iraq as they began their armed combat mission in support of Operation Shader

  2. The images were taken as the Tornados were being refuelled in mid-air by a RAF Voyager aircraft

  3. The Ministry of Defence says the Tornados are now flying daily over northern Iraq

  4. They are supporting the US military in its efforts to target Islamic State militants

  5. The RAF carried out two sorties over Iraq on Saturday

  6. In both missions the fighter bombers did not use their weapons

  7. But the Ministry of Defence said "invaluable intelligence" had been gathered using the planes' surveillance equipment

  8. Click on to see more photos of the Tornados in action...

The Ministry of Defence said: "Royal Air Force Tornado GR4 aircraft have been in action over Iraq as part of the international coalition's operations to support the democratic Iraqi government in the fight against ISIL.

"In the course of an armed reconnaissance mission from RAF Akrotiri, two Tornados were tasked to assist Kurdish troops in northwest Iraq who were under attack from ISIL terrorists.

"An initial assessment indicates that both precision strikes were successful."


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Hong Kong Protests Hit China's National Day

Pro-democracy protesters in Hong Kong have been gathering for potentially the biggest rallies of their campaign so far - as China celebrates National Day.

There was little sign of momentum flagging on the sixth day of the demonstrations against the Chinese decision to limit voters' choices in the 2017 leadership election.

This was despite fears police may use force to move crowds before the start of events marking the 65th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China in 1949.

The crowds have brought large sections of Hong Kong's financial hub to a standstill, disrupting businesses from banks to jewellers.

Overnight thunder, lightning and heavy rain failed to dampen spirits as protesters sought shelter under covered walkways, while police in raincoats and hats looked on passively.

Beijing says the demonstrations, which began last Friday, are illegal and has called on the protesters to disperse.

Video: Hong Kong Protests Enter Fifth Day

They in turn have called on Hong Kong's chief executive Leung Chun-Ying to stand down.

Riot police used tear gas, pepper spray and baton charges at the weekend to try to quell the unrest but tensions have since eased.

Protests have spread from four main areas to Tsim Sha Tsui, one of the city's most popular shopping areas for mainland Chinese.

Video: 'We Expect Britain To Do More'

Underlining nervousness among some activists, Hong Kong University students made an online appeal not to disturb the flag-raising ceremony that began at 8am.

It went ahead peacefully, although scores of students who ringed the event in Golden Bauhinia Square booed as the national anthem was played and chanted "We want real democracy".

"We hope that all sectors of the community will work with the government in a peaceful, lawful, rational and pragmatic manner," Mr Leung said.

Video: Clegg's 'Dismay' Over Demo Handling

Oscar Lai, a spokesman for the student group Scholarism, said: "We are not celebrating the 65th anniversary of China.

"With the present political turmoil in Hong Kong and the continued persecution of human rights activists in China, I think today is not a day for celebrations, but rather a day of sadness."

Prime Minister David Cameron told Sky News he was "deeply concerned" about the situation in the former British colony and hoped it could be resolved.

Video: China Won't Change Its Mind

Deputy PM Nick Clegg summoned the Chinese ambassador in the UK to express his "dismay and alarm" about the handling of the protests.

"It is essential that the people of Hong Kong have a genuine choice of chief executive in 2017, through universal suffrage," Mr Clegg said.

China, meanwhile, has warned the international community not to "interfere".


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