Unleashing animal instincts

We don't know if what happened this week was a result of the creative nature of Hongkongers or simply the animal brutality hidden beneath human skin suddenly being unleashed. A man was caught assaulting two women talking too loudly at a restaurant in Tuen Mun. He didn't use his fists, nor a knife. He hit one of the women on the head with a teapot. He was arrested, of course.

This is a big step forward from the traditional use of a folding stool. Those new to town might not know it, but folding stools have been popular weapons in street fights for decades. They are handy, especially if you are eating out at a dai pai dong; but they are not obvious weapons, because you can sit on them while waiting for your target to arrive. And most importantly, they are powerful weapons - imagine holding the metal frame and banging the wooden board against someone's head.

It could be as deadly as in triad films. But the creative use of a teapot could have greater impact. It's even handier and heavy. And, more importantly, it's hot. Apparently anything can become a deadly weapon if we lose control over our human side.