LettersHong Kong protesters angry at police violence can be blind to their own: the cycle of hate must end

It is normal to feel anger when witnessing violent police operations against protesters, but what about the growing violence of the public?

Violence by the police must not be accepted, but acts of hate and insulting officers should cease

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Riot police clash with demonstrators inside New Town Plaza shopping mall in Sha Tin on July 14. Photo: Bloomberg

Published: 7:30am, 27 Sep 2019Updated: 7:30am, 27 Sep 2019

I understand many of us in Hong Kong’s “yellow camp” are upset by the violent police action seen during the ongoing protests. While watching videos of officers hitting young protesters, knowing that their blows could be fatal, I too have found it hard to calm down.

However, the words an elderly person once said to me are deeply imprinted on my heart. He pointed out that, if you hate the whole community due to the words and actions of some people in it, then no matter whether you are in the yellow or blue camp, you hate yourself, because those you are ashamed of are also Hongkongers.

Striving for freedom, democracy and justice is well-founded and reasonable. It is normal to feel anger when witnessing the violent actions of the police. However, many of us in the “yellow” camp are blind to the growing violence of the public.

We call the police “dogs” and “popo”; they label us as “cockroaches”. We retaliate by cursing the police and their families, laughing at their English, ridiculing their educational qualifications and, even worse, putting up their personal details on “Lennon Walls”, circulating derogatory posts on WhatsApp, engaging in cyberbullying, and disrupting their weddings.

Hatred always comes into being for a reason. When we ask, “Why are the police so cold-blooded and violent every day?”, can we also ask ourselves whether we have engaged in mental violence against the police?