Mong Kok row shows protests must remain peaceful
Sunday rallies are nothing unusual in Hong Kong. What set the Mong Kok ones apart was the way they evolved. They were sparked by Alpais Lam Wai-sze, an outspoken teacher who shouted abuse at police officers for being biased when handling demonstrations by Falun Gong and a youth group in mid-July.
Sunday rallies are nothing unusual in Hong Kong. What set the Mong Kok ones apart was the way they evolved. They were sparked by Alpais Lam Wai-sze, an outspoken teacher who shouted abuse at police officers for being biased when handling demonstrations by Falun Gong and a youth group in mid-July. The images soon went viral on the internet and sent thousands of supporters and opponents to the streets last Sunday. The rallies, regrettably, spun out of control and resulted in ugly scuffles.
That a quarrel weeks ago erupted into a divisive social campaign is worrying. It speaks volumes about the political division in society, and the danger of protesters resorting to extremes. Disorder and violence cannot be tolerated.
Freedom of expression should be exercised within the law. Respect and tolerance are essential. The 2,800-strong crowd in the Mong Kok pedestrian zone obviously went too far. They rushed the stage, got into scuffles, hurled abuse, assaulted journalists, and disrupted traffic and businesses. The rallies went beyond what is acceptable in society.
The question of whether police are biased in law enforcement is a valid one. So is whether Lam was wrong in shouting abuse at the police. There is no reason why such issues cannot be discussed in a rational manner. As a teacher, she has set a bad example for youngsters. Sadly, the issues were quickly overshadowed by her political background. That she has been honoured by pro-democracy allies as a heroine standing up to authority has, unsurprisingly, provoked the rival camp. The controversy is spiced up further with the involvement of Falun Gong and other political groups.
Lam has failed those who expected better of her. She later apologised to parents and her school, but refused to apologise to the police. She was grilled by critics in the street rally, which some people likened to a Cultural Revolution-style attack. Even her school has been flooded with e-mails and phone calls.
Traditionally, demonstrations and protests are peaceful and law-abiding affairs. But increasingly they are being replaced by confrontational tactics, with some groups pushing limits to get their views across. There is also a perception that the police are taking a hard-line approach in response, raising concerns about whether such freedom is being restricted.
It is not in Hong Kong's interest to let this situation prevail. Erosion of our fine tradition must be guarded against. Protests and rallies must stay within the law.
