Letters | Condemning Hong Kong protesters and not the police is a blueprint for continued unrest

With the ongoing rallies and police-protester confrontations, it seems that all the condemnations and strategies adopted by the Hong Kong government in the hope of suppressing the protests have been in vain.

Officials of the Hong Kong government and of the Hong Kong and Macau Affairs Office of the State Council have sternly condemned the protesters while praising the police. The Chinese authorities should have recognised that Hong Kong is different from other developed provinces in China. No other so-called international city in China, whether Shenzhen, Shanghai or Tianjin, is similar to Hong Kong due to our unique background and the Basic Law, which was drafted in consultation with the Chinese authorities.

Hong Kong has always placed great emphasis on individual rights and freedoms, thus threats would do little to shut the mouths of Hongkongers when we face injustice.

The last thing Hongkongers are pleased to see is social unrest. We value peace and social stability. Yet, a respectful and understanding government is key to maintaining the city’s prosperity. Although the large-scale protests have affected me and my family in our daily lives to some extent, I am not against all sorts of protests; they have historically been the foundations that push a city to evolve. This was the case after the 1967 leftist riots.