If last week's striking expression of public fears over the government's proposals on Article 23 showed they must be listened to, yesterday's counter demonstration - a smaller but still robust affair - showed how difficult making those changes will be.
Organisers from the Hong Kong Coalition for National Security Legislation claimed that representatives from 1,500 groups participated, a clear indication of the powerful and vociferous action pro-Beijing forces can generate.
The SAR government is now left in a highly tricky situation when its public consultation period ends tomorrow. The community is polarised, yet the government's room for manoeuvre at this point is limited.
Any attempt to publish a so-called white bill will be much more difficult after yesterday's action. To do so would immediately make the government look weak in the eyes of many influential figures, a highly unfortunate fact since such a move could ease many of the fears surrounding the legislation. It should be remembered, of course, the many people questioning the proposals are concerned at the government's methods above all else given the demands of the Basic Law.
It would be normal after the course of most public consultation initiatives for amendments and tinkering to be made - something the government is now hinting will occur.
But even this course could prove problematic, in another sign of the rod the government has created for its own back.
