Public increasingly backing radical Hong Kong protesters despite unease over violence, say academics, as Carrie Lam's government faces even greater resistance against extradition bill
- Moderate demonstrators out in force in Kowloon as movement remains united in spite of legislature storming by hard core of protesters
- Sympathy for direct action stems from failure of government to respond to protester demands, say political commentators
The fact the older generation had turned out in force to support youngsters spearheading the movement meant that the recent protest violence, widely condemned across the city, had not turned public opinion in favour of the administration, they said.
Speaking after Sunday’s protest in Kowloon that organisers said was attended by more than 230,000 people, Dr Cheung Chor-yung, a senior teaching fellow at the City University’s department of public policy, said: “By whatever measure, the turnout was huge.
“Some people are getting more sympathetic to the protesters because they see that the government is too stubborn and has not responded to the demands by the protesters despite rounds of protests, be they peaceful or violent.
“The general public may not support the mob that stormed the legislature, but that does not mean they would support the Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor government’s handling of the issue.”
Political analyst Dr Ma Ngok, of Chinese University, also said: “Members of the public have not distanced themselves from the young protesters. It is clear that people have more sympathy and understanding towards their actions.”