On your right is Chater Garden, next to the Legislative Council Building, and you can see a group of sex workers protesting against unfair competition from the north...'
This tour guide quip is fictitious, but it may not be too far from reality. There are several figures in circulation, but it is safe to say that we have, on average, several protests a day, every day. Tourists, especially those from the mainland - which constitute about half the total - must find them more interesting than any lion-country safari.
It was with such thoughts in mind that I advocated here last year that we should turn the July 1 so-called 'Big March' into a carnival, and make it an annual event. Judging from what happened this year on July 1, an annual carnival is quickly taking shape.
In the morning we had a traditional carnival-type procession and, in the afternoon, the 'Big March' - greatly reduced in size from the two preceding years. But that was compensated for by various show elements, all in carnival spirit.
I am sure there were many tourists in the crowd, observing and maybe even participating, and having a great time. Some of them will come back again next year, with friends and relatives, to share with us this uniquely Hong Kong fun.
To most Hong Kong people, protests are just a means of expression, a safety valve to let off steam. They know that most of the protests which take place every day do not achieve anything. A large majority of them do not even get reported in the media, and fail to attract public attention to their plight.
Protests have become a Hong Kong-style ritual. Whenever we are unhappy we organise a handful of people and put up a banner to proclaim our displeasure. After shouting a few slogans and delivering a protest letter to representatives of whatever we are protesting against, we disband and go our separate ways.
