Stronger will must be shown to end Hong Kong’s escalating violence
- With limits repeatedly pushed by radicals and police reacting with force, it is essential everyone unites and pulls Hong Kong from brink of self-destruction
The past weekend seemed exceptionally long for Hongkongers, many of whom could not bear to watch yet more chaos and torment tear through the streets of their city.
Describing the situation as catastrophic, police said violence was “spreading like an epidemic”. Indeed, some radicals have apparently moved beyond the original scope of the protests – against the now-shelved extradition bill – and are prepared to “perish with Hong Kong together”.
It is essential that everyone unites and pulls the city from the brink of self-destruction.
The government may think stronger law enforcement is the right way to subdue violence. It has banned most protests and urged the public not to condone the actions of radicals.
However, if this is its strategy to bring an end to such scenes, it has yet to prove effective. While vandalising public facilities, setting makeshift roadblocks ablaze and disrupting airport and train operations clearly have no place in any law-abiding societies, some people remain sympathetic towards such actions.
There are worries that the protest movement has already been hijacked by extremists and this may result in more serious actions.