We know the saying: no expectations, no disappointments. Not many felt disappointed by Hong Kong Chief Executive Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor’s “midterm” policy address, which, of course, ended up being a pre-recorded video . So, on top of no expectations, and hence no disappointments, there were no surprises. Even the colour of the policy address cover was kept the same “sky blue”. It was, however, insulting – to both the office Lam holds and to ordinary Hongkongers – that she “defended” the colour choice, explaining she chose sky blue because she still hopes for clear blue skies after the rain. For Lam to talk about weather patterns after months of mayhem, while Hongkongers suffocate in the political smog she and her team have created, just rubs salt in the wounds. And that hazardous smog will not dissipate because close to nothing has been done. The policy address offered no political solutions to what is a political crisis. Lam’s mistakes and governing style funnelled all of the angst, frustrations and hopelessness that were years in the making through one singular explosive outlet, amplified by politics and fed by mistrust. Lam offered nothing in her blueprint to take care of those political issues. By refusing to address systemic flaws in the political system and denying people the opportunity to start discussions on political reform, she has given revolution and independence (never a mainstream political cause) a ready audience. She has feasted on the desperation of people. Lam is by no measure stupid. Her strategy has been one of waiting out this political disaster and its catastrophic impact. She hid behind the shields of the police force, wearing them down by doing nothing. She successfully shifted the focus from her incompetence and “let them eat cake” arrogance to the clashes between law enforcers and civilians. She hid behind cameras, in the comfort of air-conditioned rooms, while exasperated protesters upped the ante and crossed the line of no return by escalating violence. Simply condemning the protest violence won’t solve the problem She hid, and wined and dined those deemed worthy of her time and attention while Hong Kong’s previously law-abiding citizens beat people like thugs and did despicable things to one another. She was waiting it out – waiting for the tide of public sentiment to turn. She hid and bided her time, and let the blood on the streets and the widespread lawlessness give her emergency powers – powers that extend far beyond banning people from wearing face masks. For weeks, there has been talk of cancelling district council elections due to the widespread vandalism, escalation of violence and complete disregard for law and order. If Lam is allowed to do that – because she has been given every excuse for it – then she wins and everyone else loses. She didn’t need to deliver her policy address in the Legislative Council because of the opposition’s old obstructionist tricks. She need not answer lawmakers’ questions because members of the opposition made every effort to be thrown out. She didn’t even need to leave government offices to face the public – hosting an online session was enough. And, in a little over a month, she can effectively cancel Hong Kong’s most democratic elections and, all the while, she has only needed to offer piecemeal policies and measures that do little to address the city’s deep-rooted problems. Carrie Lam’s policy address was a damp squib in the end So, please, let’s stop the senseless violence now, and don’t give Lam the satisfaction of being handed the keys to take away our election rights. The destruction gives her the perfect excuse to cancel district-level elections and the pan-democrats have, as we’ve seen with their handling of the policy address, relieved themselves of the duty of making her answerable to their scrutiny in Legco. Thus, Lam wins – she’s given a free hand to be tyrannical. But, rather, let’s make her answerable; make her face the music, and the public. Alice Wu is a political consultant and a former associate director of the Asia Pacific Media Network at UCLA