It is interesting to examine the rather unexpected downfall of Hong Kong’s police force, from “ Asia’s finest ” to the villains they are seen as today, in the span just over a half year. For most protesters, it would seem that the tipping point was the Yuen Long attack and the delayed response from the police. The police force, which numbers more than 30,000, had reasoned that they were extremely short-handed from dealing with the protests. However, protesters (who in their heyday claimed to be 2 million strong ) doggedly refused to believe the police are, after all, only human. Human beings who have had to clear roadblocks, file paperwork, control crowds, withstand heckling and doxxing , brave potentially life-threatening physical assault and more. They are not emotionless killing machines but fellow human beings, just like us. I firmly believe that actions have consequences that may turn out the opposite of what was intended. For protesters, the delayed police response has become the basis of their moral high ground, as many in the original pro-democracy movement turn into rioters, firebombing mainland China-linked shops and public property, harassing, viciously assaulting and even setting fire to opponents. Diehard rioters will argue that this is self-defence, in fear of China's crackdown. They do not realise the eerie similarity between their actions and those of the Red Guards . Ironically, they have become what they claim to fear and hate. Not to mention the xenophobia against mainlanders. When rioters who throw petrol bombs, acid and sharpened weapons at police are arrested, their cries turn to police brutality and torture. If these “student leaders” are tomorrow’s leaders and this is the “democracy” that so many in Hong Kong support, we should let them be. When the dust settles, and the ones with foreign citizenship have fled Hong Kong, the consequences will be borne by those who once supported this so-called democracy. Victoria Cheung, Mid-Levels Why district councils may become a nightmare for some Allow me to take stock of the pro-democracy candidates’ landslide victory in the district council elections. The following is a prognosis. 1. Funding. The pan-democrats will have hundreds of millions of Hong Kong dollars at their disposal through government funds allocated to the district boards, funds which no doubt will be used to organise year-round community activities and projects according to their agenda. 2. Local offices. Hundreds of new local offices will be established with a corresponding number of community organisers and political assistants, all paid for from the public purse. These facilities and manpower will be very valuable assets to establish links with the local residents and create good will. 3. De facto referendums. Seventeen of the 18 district boards can present themselves as a united front and pass political resolutions which may or may not have relevance for local livelihood issues. These practically territory-wide resolutions can be packaged as de facto referendums to force the hand of the government, which, if it does not pay heed, will be conveniently denounced as the enemy of the people. These are nightmarish scenarios for both the government and the pro-establishment camp. Life will become very difficult for them. The pro-establishment camp has only one party to blame: our clueless and incompetent government, which created and prolonged this mess in the first place. Francis Lo, North Point