After protest-related attacks, Hong Kong students learn self-defence at Chinese University
- With homemade shields and foam sticks, attendees at campus class practise fending off attacks
- ‘Apart from protecting myself, I hope to protect those beside me as well,’ says one
Chants of “rioters” and “rogue cops” rang out from a crowd of dozens, accompanied by bashing sounds, at Chinese University on Tuesday evening.
While the scene was reminiscent of clashes between police and anti-government protesters during unrest which has rocked Hong Kong for months, it came from a self-defence class organised by the school’s student union.
The fifth in a series of free martial arts classes that began in early September, the workshop drew about two dozen participants to an open area on the campus.
While some protesters have resorted to increased violence at recent protests, such as throwing petrol bombs, the series of classes focuses on self-defence using common items such as umbrellas.
Even if you’re just sticking things on Lennon Walls, there may be people out to knife you
During Tuesday’s event, a male instructor taught attendees how to construct a makeshift shield from common materials such as cardboard, foam mats and duct tape.
He said the plastic mats would absorb the impact from incoming strikes, while the cardboard lessened the chance of a tear.
“I’ve tested it with the real stuff,” he said, adding that the shield was ideal as it was cheap to build.
Attendees then practised blocking attacks in pairs, with one acting as the attacker using a foam stick in place of a baton.
A 24-year-old university student, who referred to himself as Ben, said he had been taking self-defence classes to handle “increasingly dangerous” situations in the city.
“Apart from protecting myself, I hope to protect those beside me as well,” he said.
“Even if you’re just sticking things on Lennon Walls, there may be people out to knife you.”
Last month, three people were stabbed by a 50-year-old man near a so-called Lennon Wall – message boards filled with Post-it notes relating to the protest movement – in Tseung Kwan O.
One of the victims, a 26-year-old woman, was left in a critical condition with wounds to her hands, left shoulder and back.
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One of two female participants at the class, nicknamed Kit, said she was there because she was scared of “rural gangsters”.
She referred to an attack by a white-clad mob in Yuen Long on July 21, which assaulted protesters and travellers inside a railway station. At least 45 people were sent to hospital.
Kit said she felt the need to better equip herself.
“At least I would know to protect myself and push the attackers away,” she said.
“This is not for attacking them, but to allow yourself to escape.”
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William Chan Wa-lam, a general officer with the union, said Hongkongers had to be more prepared and more alert due to more frequent indiscriminate attacks.
He said the workshops’ content would not go beyond self-defence, and the union chose to hold the workshops out in the open as it saw nothing wrong with people learning to protect themselves.
