On Tuesday evening, students stormed a council meeting of the University of Hong Kong and, with use of force and in full view of Hong Kong citizens, and in order to get what they wanted, did not allow council members to leave the conference room.
As students of an elite university, they are considered the cream of the crop.
They are the city's future leaders and captains of industry. Some may have the potential to one day be chief executive.
I felt deep sadness when I saw the chaotic scenes choreographed by these members of an academic elite.
Some say that university students are idealists aiming for perfection. If that is the case, then surely these homegrown idealists should be trying to make the city a comfortable and safe place to live.
Unfortunately some of them have an innate propensity for intimidation and violence, as was evidenced by the Occupy movement and this incident on Tuesday. Despite being in a top university, it has not crossed their mind that there are peaceful and more effective ways to get what they want.