Taiwan church helping 'traumatised' HK protesters

The church says some of the protesters jump out of their beds in panic during the night because they fear the Hong Kong police are coming for them. Photo: RTHK

A church in Taiwan says it has offered humanitarian assistance to some 200 people who have fled Hong Kong after taking part in anti-government protests, and many of those seeking refuge are traumatised by their experiences.



The Chi-Nan Presbyterian Church in Taipei said on Monday that many of the young people it has helped have post-traumatic stress disorder following their run-ins with the Hong Kong police force.



The church's Reverend Huang Chunsheng says some of those in hiding say they can still smell the tear gas they experienced on the streets of Hong Kong, even though they are now safe in Taiwan.



Some jump out of their beds in panic during the middle of the night due to fear that the sound of people walking outside the room is the police coming for them, Huang said.



The reverend told RTHK that professionals have been providing the protesters with free counselling.



He added that those they have been helping range in age from their teens to their 30s, and many fled Hong Kong because they were scared they would be prosecuted for joining protest action, even though most have not faced charges.



Some NGOs in Taiwan have been collecting funds to help the Hongkongers, providing them with around TW$18,000 (HK$4,600) per month to cover their daily expenses and housing costs.



Meanwhile, a volunteer legal team on the island says it has helped around a hundred protesters deal with visa issues. It has urged the Taiwanese authorities to use their discretion when it comes to applications from the Hongkongers for right of abode.