Opinion | Scare tactics from Beijing will only strengthen the resolve of Hong Kong protesters

Do Hong Kong people scare easily? We got the answer on Sunday, when an estimated 1.7 million defiantly took to the streets in driving rain, unfazed by threats from Beijing, and by the police declaring the march illegal. 

A day before the mass protest, state media released a video of a Shenzhen police drill against rioters made to look like Hong Kong protesters. It was one of several threatening videos showing paramilitary forces firing tear gas and even using Cantonese to warn rioters.

Before the latest drill, the military ominously said it would take soldiers just 10 minutes to reach Hong Kong. And last week, Beijing extracted a pound of flesh from Cathay Pacific for what it said was the airline’s lenient treatment of staff who supported protests.

These clenched-fist acts were intended to send a single message: stop the anti-government protests or we’ll show you who’s boss. Did Hongkongers buckle? No. I could have told Beijing that. It baffles me how little China’s leaders understand the resolve of Hong Kong people when it comes to defending their freedoms.

I say this not as criticism of the country’s leaders but to point out that, even though most Hong Kong people reject independence, they have reached a stage where they feel their autonomy has eroded so much that only radical action can stop the slide.