Christina Chan

Early life

Christina was born in Hong Kong, where she attended the True Light Girls' College. She went on to study at Warminster School and Bromsgrove School in the United Kingdom for her secondary education. Afterwards, she returned to Hong Kong and obtained an associate degree in social science in Hong Kong Baptist University and the City University of Hong Kong before studying English and philosophy at the University of Hong Kong, where she was conferred a bachelor's degree with first class honour in June 2008. She subsequently received a scholarship to continue her studies at HKU's Master of Arts in philosophy.

She was a host on Radio Television Hong Kong's TeenPower programme. She also formerly worked as a part-time model, and was once featured in a Coca-Cola advertisement.

Political activities

Chan became known by the general public during the Olympics torch relay in Hong Kong where she held the Tibetan snow lion flag, and engaged in a confrontation with the pro-Beijing camp. She was forcibly removed by the Hong Kong Police Force, who claimed it was "for her protection".

In April 2009, Ayo Chan Yat-ngok (陳一諤), the president of the Hong Kong University Students' Union, made a speech on the issue of the Tiananmen Massacre, which provoked widespread student opposition; in response, Christina Chan and four other students started a campaign to impeach him. Ayo was deposed after the General Polling.

Chan was arrested on 9 January 2010 over her alleged assault on a policewoman during an anti-Express Rail protest on New Year's Day; she was released on HK$500 bail. She claims that while being held at the station, police officers forced her to lift up her shirt so that they could photograph her tattoo. She was acquitted of the assault in September 2010.

Internet and media harassment

Soon after coming to public attention in 2008, Chan became the target of harassment. Paparazzi followed her around her university, her personal photos from her Facebook account were published in Oriental Press Group magazine East Week, and her dress sense, body measurements, and relationship with her boyfriend, 27-year-old Australian musician Nick Brazel, became popular topics of discussion in internet forums. She was interviewed by TVB News' The Pearl Report and Sunday Report about her suffering from cyber-bullying. The programmes were aired on 21 December 2008 and 22 February 2009 respectively.

Following Chan's arrest in January 2010, an anonymous administrator in an online forum for police officers posted rape threats against her. An Oriental Press Group magazine again published private photos of Chan soon after; this time, it was the Oriental Sunday, who plastered their front cover with paparazzi shots of Chan at home in her underwear brushing her teeth. A variety of social groups publicly criticised the Oriental Press Group in response, including the Hong Kong Women's Coalition on Equal Opportunities and The Society For Truth And Light. The Television and Entertainment Licensing Authority received 119 complaints regarding the magazine.