Editorial | Hong Kong’s future hinges on restoration of law and order

Hong Kong has entered uncharted waters in terms of protest chaos and violence, with the storming and takeover of the Legislative Council building by mostly young activists opposing the now-suspended extradition bill.

While hundreds of thousands marched peacefully, what set yesterday apart from previous July 1 protests was the unprecedented violence perpetrated by radicals who spent most of the day besieging Legco while police stood by, although they were preparing for action at night.

After using makeshift battering rams to smash holes in the glass front, protesters forced their way into the legislature and took over for the first time in the city’s history, celebrating their shocking actions as a victory against the government.

While this calls for a fundamental rethink of strategy by both the local and central governments to end the violence and move the city forward, cool heads must prevail to avoid further clashes and damage to both public property and the city’s reputation.

Observers said the latest mass rally did not seem as big as the two held previously, but whatever the figure it was still a sizeable protest that followed our much cherished way of expressing opinion in a peaceful and lawful manner. It was in stark contrast to those who, on a sad day for Hong Kong, hurled corrosive substances at police and vandalised the legislature.