Divided Hong Kong is a perfect breeding ground for hatred and intolerance

Bernard Chan says the murder of a UK politician and the rise of radical views elsewhere remind us of the danger of incendiary talk and emotional appeals as key elections draw near

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A woman holds a placard and white roses during a memorial service for murdered Labour MP Jo Cox, at Trafalgar Square in London. Cox had a reputation for a liberal stance on immigration and a humanitarian approach to refugees. Photo: Reuters

Published: 12:23pm, 23 Jun 2016Updated: 8:46am, 28 Sep 2016

It was a shock to hear of the killing of British Member of Parliament Jo Cox last week. Most of us in Hong Kong think of the UK as a stable and secure society with a long tradition of tolerance. We do not expect political violence in Britain – just as we do not expect it here in Hong Kong.

‘She believed in a better world’: Murdered British MP Jo Cox was a champion of the poor and refugees

Many observers linked the killing to the referendum on the European Union. The vote is about membership of a complex international economic and political grouping. But, for many British people, much of the focus has been on immigration. Some parts of the British media have, for years, had an anti-immigrant agenda – pushing stories about foreigners who cheat on welfare or take local people’s jobs.

It now seems that the suspect in this killing had ties to racist organisations. Cox, on the other hand, had a reputation for a liberal stance on immigration and a humanitarian approach to refugees. (She worked for several years at Oxfam.)

Her murder occurred at a time when extremism seems to be on the rise in many advanced and supposedly tolerant societies. The triumph of Donald Trump in the US Republican primaries has shocked many moderates. Far-right sentiment has grown in much of Europe.

Children from refugee camps around Athens run during an event celebrating Olympic Day and World Refugee Day in Athens on June 22. Photo: AFP

Syrian opera singer performs with US refugee orchestra

Some observers accuse the media of stirring up emotions – especially about immigration – and contributing to an atmosphere of hate. Another view is that we are seeing a backlash against business and political elite who are out of touch with ordinary people. Most likely, there is some truth in both these views.

We in Hong Kong should be concerned about this.

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