Independence activists must not be abusive
The pro-independence camp caused a brouhaha with controversial posters advocating Hong Kong independence at Chinese University. In addition a callous message was posted at the Education University to the education undersecretary who had just lost her son, and activists shouted insults at mainland students. These were not the first such provocative actions in recent years, and I, like many other people in Hong Kong, have been outraged by them.
Whether or not advocating Hong Kong independence accords with the Basic Law, the behaviour of a considerable number of pro-independence advocates should be condemned. Free speech should not be equated to profane and derogatory language, bullying, or rioting; there are better ways to get your view across.
It is understandable that many Hongkongers may be angry with the government and the motherland, given certain events that have unfolded as well as a failure to resolve issues such as the housing crisis and growing wealth gap. However, besides supposedly exercising their right to free speech, as they may argue, how have any of the pro-independence camp’s actions been productive?
I fail to see how all the support for independence and anti-China rhetoric would help resolve anything. Like it or not, Hong Kong is an integral part of China, and becoming an independent state was never on the agenda for either the current government or the former colonial one, and never will be.
If we want the city to progress, we need to learn to work with the mainland rather than against it, otherwise the end result will forever be the same political mess that we’re currently in, if not worse.