Letters | Hong Kong protesters are back on the streets. Blame Carrie Lam’s inaction
- The chief executive should stop issuing ineffective warnings to protesters and start addressing their valid concerns
- The list of problems that fuelled the mass rallies last year remains. That is a sad indictment of the government
Perhaps it would be a good start if the government could just get it into its collective thick skull that people protest for a reason, not just for the hell of it. Genuinely recognising that, rather than mouthing the words, would be of enormous help.
What a damning indictment of this chief executive and all those who prop her up by clinging to their posts in timid silence.
Lee Faulkner, Lamma
Protesters seek to stand up to Beijing, not overthrow it
However, if the series of riots in the Hong Kong campaign was indeed manipulated by a behind-the-scenes operator, that operator aimed only to flex its muscle in front of Beijing rather than start a revolution in Hong Kong.
The Jasmine Revolution ultimately overturned the regime of Zine El-Abidine Ben Ali in Tunisia and led to the Arab spring movement. In Hong Kong, the protests early on drew vast crowds, then violent protesters began to target shopping centres and various retailers unfriendly towards the campaign. They also hit out at government services, including the Legislative Council complex, police stations and the central government’s liaison office in Sai Wan.
The protests brought hardship to Hongkongers’ daily lives and left many people injured. They goaded the police into using vengeful force to curb the riots, which in turn further fanned the flames of protest.
However, through it all, the campaign signalled no intention of overturning the special administrative region government.
C.P. Lee, Causeway bay
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