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Protesters and police must exercise restraint

There are anti-government protests every day in Hong Kong; most of them involve a handful of people and a localised grievance. But the ones sparked by Finance Secretary John Tsang Chun-wah's budget seem to be of a different nature. It is reasonable to suggest they arise from a deepening frustration with the way our city is governed and they are being led by activists who have determined that the best way to get attention is through confrontation. While this sort of behaviour cannot be condoned, it does serve as an indication that the lack of transparency, accountability and inclusiveness in local politics is changing the tenor of protests in Hong Kong.

This should come as no surprise to our political leaders. A taste of what was to come was plainly delivered by protesters against the high-speed rail link to Guangzhou at the Legislative Council in January 2009. The so-called 'Siege of Legco' tapped directly into the feelings of discontent, emboldening critics to go to ever-greater lengths to be heard. It has evolved to the point that our hitherto peaceful, good-natured, ways of demonstrating are fast becoming ugly affairs.

Fortunately, what was billed as a forum with a carnival atmosphere in Central yesterday did not turn into the bad-tempered protest that erupted in the area the previous Sunday. After marches by as many as 10,000 people, a hard-core group converged on the intersection of Des Voeux Road and Ice House Street, moving aside barricades and blocking traffic by staging a noisy sit-in. Police orders to move were ignored and scuffles broke out. Pepper spray was used and 113 people were arrested and briefly detained.

Four of those involved were aged 18 or below. Two children, 12 and 13, were among those arrested and an eight-year-old child was slightly injured by spray. Secretary for Security Ambrose Lee Siu-kwong has criticised parents for using sons and daughters as 'a weapon to defend amid confrontation', and police endured violence and abuse. It is clear that the ante has been upped.

A mechanism in the budget is hardly a matter to get so heated about that laws of assembly need to be broken and public order disrupted to the detriment of other citizens going about their business. Protesters can act responsibly and have an impact, as they did in 2003 when half a million people took to the streets against the policies of former chief executive Tung Chee-hwa.

However, our leaders should also understand that a political system where people are denied the right to elect a fully representative government is trying the patience of activists and many other citizens. Without the means of defeating unpopular or unwanted policies at the ballot box, there is little alternative but a cycle of public demonstrations and protest. And, the longer these aspirations are delayed, the greater the temptation to push the accepted boundaries. In this environment, it is crucial that all sides exercise restraint, both protesters and police. The last thing Hong Kong needs as it continues to press for the universal suffrage guaranteed under the Basic Law are clashes between demonstrators and police where people are hurt.

One of Hong Kong's most cherished traditions is the virtual absence of political violence. Anyone with even a passing knowledge of the city's history would be aware that many of our citizens came here for that very reason. It is this legacy of peaceful, responsible social and political behaviour that strengthens the demands of Hong Kong people to elect their political leaders as soon as possible.

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