- Some protesters said they were paid to take part in what they were told was a music video or professional film shoot outside the BC Supreme Court
One encourages people on her social media profile to "send $$$ 4 nudez". Others include a professional actress, a Vancouver artist and a young man whose fondness for starring in pornographic selfies had made his Twitter feed decidedly NSFW.
What united them all on Monday was an apparent devotion to the cause of Huawei executive Meng Wanzhou, in her bid to avoid extradition to the United States on fraud charges.
They and a couple dozen others stood outside the BC Supreme Court on the first day of Meng's extradition hearing in Vancouver, holding signs demanding "Justice For Ms Meng" and other slogans. They appeared in the background of reports by Chinese state broadcasters CCTV and CGTN, and other media.
But the artifice would soon begin to dissolve under the faintest sprinkling of inquiry.
I spoke to one young man, holding a "Free Ms Meng Equal Justice" sign, identical in wording and handwriting to others held by fellow protesters.
Demonstrators outside the court complex on days when Meng has appeared have been common since her December 1, 2018, arrest at Vancouver's international airport.
Supporters and critics alike, they have been vociferous and combative and hungry for attention.
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They have shouted and staged impromptu press conferences and burned flags.
But the crowd on Monday was unlike any before " gormless, unenthusiastic and very young, they milled about silently and tried to avoid eye contact when approached by reporters. One rode a skateboard.
Their signs had clearly been lettered by the same person.
They were also " how can I put this " somewhat less ethnically Chinese than any Meng-related protest crowd before them.
And they appeared not to have the faintest clue what was going on, as Meng's long-awaited battle to avoid extradition to the US on fraud charges began.
I asked the "Equal Justice" devotee, a Caucasian youth in his late teens or early 20s, why he was protesting. "My sign says what I'm here for," he said, declining to identify himself. "We're here because we support Ms Meng."
Could he elaborate? He glanced down.
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"I want equal justice, and for Ms Meng to be freed."
A young man with a similar placard and a platinum mop of hair warned him: "You don't have to say anything. You don't have to talk to them."
Other protesters carried signs saying "Free Ms Meng Bring Michael Home", an apparent reference to Michael Kovrig and Michael Spavor, the two Canadians arrested by China on allegations of spying that are widely seen as bogus in the West.
Identifying some members of the crowd afterwards was a simple matter of checking who was sharing photos of the event on social media, and comparing their own pictures to the faces in the crowd. Three could be identified in this fashion, with their online presence eventually yielding full names.
Before Monday, none had shown the faintest interest (at least, not on their social media accounts) in Meng's case, or China, or Huawei, or anything that might have informed their presence outside the court.
None responded to my requests for an interview.
But that doesn't mean they were exactly secretive. "Guys that's me," said the artist on Twitter, before identifying two others in the crowd, including the young woman seeking "$$$4 nudez".
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That afternoon, I was approached by someone who said a friend was paid C$100 (US$76) to attend the protest. I asked, but no interview ensued.
Other reporters fared better.
A woman named Ken Bonson told the Toronto Star that she was paid C$150 (US$114) to take part in the rally. The warehouse packer said she was recruited by a friend, and had no idea what the protest was about, but afterwards Googled Meng's name and felt "ashamed and embarrassed".
Bonson told the Star she received the money by e-transfer from her friend, but gave it to her partner because it didn't "feel right".
Actress Julia Hackstaff can be seen in photos of the rally. She said on Twitter she was recruited to be "a background actor for a professional production" on Monday, but within five minutes of arriving at the court complex realised that "it was a lie, and a real case".
Hackstaff, who was first identified by Rebel Media, said she left the scene without getting any money, but "there was near 30 people who stayed and got payed (sic)".
A young man at the rally, holding an "Equal Justice" sign, was interviewed by filmmaker Ina Mitchell, telling her that he was promised C$100 to be in what he was told would be a "music video" " more specifically "a scene where someone is coming out of a car".
The South China Morning Post knows the names of several other rally participants but is not identifying them without their receiving a proper chance to explain their presence at the protest; despite requests for interviews being sent by social media, no responses were received and it was not possible to confirm whether they had even been seen.
The young woman seeking "$$$4 nudez" said publicly on Twitter that "I do not need compensation for having my right to protest my beliefs".
"If others were paid, I know nothing about that. I only know of the other 4 or 5 people I went with," she said.
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Porno selfie guy also denied having been paid, saying in Twitter that this was a "ridiculous" suggestion before deleting his account on Monday evening.
"I have things to get done and have to pay people to handle my errands while I protest to rightfully help people who are caught in an unfair situation," he said.
Who was behind the protest?
Bonson told the Star that a woman named "Joey" handed out the placards. Hackstaff told The Breaker news site she was recruited by an acquaintance named Vasili, who was recruited by another person, who was recruited by a third person named Helen, with a Saskatchewan phone number.
A spokesman for Huawei said: "Huawei had no involvement with the protesters or supporters outside the Vancouver courthouse and is unaware of any plans by those responsible."
Whatever the case, the protesters were nowhere to be seen on Tuesday or Wednesday, gone like gossamer in the pouring Vancouver rain.
And Meng was left alone to face allegations of fraudulent behaviour inside the court complex.
The Hongcouver blog is devoted to the hybrid culture of its namesake cities: Hong Kong and Vancouver. All story ideas and comments are welcome. Connect with me by email ian.young@scmp.com or on Twitter, @ianjamesyoung70.
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