A Kim Jong Un impersonator has been arrested on ‘trumped-up gun charges’ in Hong Kong after mocking the Chinese government as part of his act.
The lookalike, who also goes by the name ‘Howard X,’ said he was arrested by ten police officers who raided his home in October 2020.
Howard X, who was born in Hong Kong and raised in Australia, has since been released on bail and is required to report to the police station every six weeks.
In a lengthy Facebook post, he detailed how officers said they had a warrant to search his property because a BB gun had been posted to his address in April last year.
Officers said that particular make of BB gun had an energy output beyond what was legally allowed.
But Howard X said he never actually received the BB gun and grew suspicious that the officers were there for an ulterior motive after they referenced several satirical performances he had made during Hong Kong’s 2019 pro-democracy protests.
Un-licensed firearm: Kim Jong Un impersonator Howard X has revealed he was arrested on ‘trumped-up gun charges’ in Hong Kong after mocking the Chinese government as part of his act.
The lookalike, who also goes by the name ‘Howard X,’ said he was arrested by ten police officers who raided his home in October 2020
Un-der arrest: In a lengthy Facebook post, Howard X explained how officers said they had a warrant to search his property because a BB gun had been posted to his address in April last year
He wrote in the statement: ‘The police had full knowledge of who I was and some were even fans of my work.
‘When I challenged them on the arrest on such ridiculous grounds, they had indicated that the order came from another department higher up and stated they were just doing their jobs.
‘During my conversations with the police, they also referred to my satirical appearances at public demonstrations that I had made throughout the year in 2020 including my appearance at IFC, July 1st and Oct 1st in support of the democracy protesters, which points to my suspicions that this arrest was not really about the BB gun.’
He continued to speculate that his arrest had been ‘arbitrary’.
‘As a professional impersonator of Kim Jong Un I often make use and own a number of replica BB guns, missiles and nuclear bombs for my performances and videos,’ Howard wrote in the Facebook post
Howard X was born in Hong Kong and grew up in Australia. He holds a Bachelor’s in Jazz Performance
‘As a professional impersonator of Kim Jong Un I often make use and own a number of replica BB guns, missiles and nuclear bombs for my performances and videos,’ he said.
‘In my opinion this was an arbitrary arrest for my satirical critique of the CCP government in the years past and this arrest is being used as a tool not only to harass but to also take my finger prints (every person who gets arrested have their prints taken) had my iphone confiscated and my home searched.’
He added that he has not yet been charged and had to pay for bail. He is required to report back to the police station every six weeks.
‘I will once again have to report to them today – where they will have the option to either charge me, drop the case or make me report back in another 6 weeks,’ he said.
Howard X pictured with a Donald Trump impersonator. Howard made several appearances dressed as Kim Jong Un during Hong Kong’s mass anti-government protests in 2019
Howard X (pictured) was deported from the Vietnamese capital of Hanoi in February 2019, just days before the real North Korean leader’s meeting with President Trump
Howard X was born in Hong Kong and grew up in Australia. He holds a Bachelor’s degree in Jazz Performance and previously worked as a music producer for a Brazilian band known as Bossa Negra.
Howard made several appearances dressed as Kim Jong Un during Hong Kong’s mass anti-government protests in 2019.
In February 2019, Howard X and another Donald Trump impersonator by the name Russell White made a trip to Ha Noi, Vietnam, to stage a fake summit ahead of the 2019 North Korea-United States Hanoi Summit.
Howard X pictured outside Buckingham Palace. The impersonator was born in Hong Kong and grew up in Australia
The stunt prompted Vietnamese authorities to deport the impersonator just days before the real North Korean leader’s meeting with President Trump.
In 2018, during the Winter Olympics in South Korea, Howard X was hauled away by security after trying to talk to and dance with North Korea’s cheerleading squad.
He also made several appearances during the 2014 Umbrella Movement in Hong Kong, which were a series of sit-in street protests that took place from September 26 to December 15 of that year, including wielding a sign among protesting students which read ‘No North Korea style elections in Hong Kong.’