Hong Kong in crisis: protest violence is wrong but government inaction is worse

After last week’s events, I do not think it is possible for any fair-minded person to view Hong Kong’s civil disturbances in unequivocal, black and white terms.

Back in June, it was relatively easy. The government was clearly wrong in pressing ahead with controversial legislation after only a cursory public consultation and ignoring widespread unease. The students were heroes preventing the bill’s passage by physically blocking access to the legislature. The police were heavy-handed in dispersing the crowd.

In the ensuing weeks, the government just appeared stubborn in refusing to use the word “withdrawal”. The police’s mysterious disappearance during the Yuen Long incident in July left their reputation in tatters. Protesters’ gratuitous vandalism and targeting of sovereignty symbols, while unnecessarily provocative, were, to an extent, understandable.

Since then, the situation has become more nuanced. Protesters’ recent escalation of violence and the disruption they inflict on the general public is alarming and unacceptable. Dropping heavy objects onto fast-moving traffic is not how to secure democracy. Slashing a policeman’s neck with a box cutter is a very long way from the peaceful protests with which the exercise began.

The two incidents last Monday and the reactions to them are revealing and not reassuring. In the morning, a police officer shot a protester with a live round. In the afternoon, a protester splashed flammable liquid on a man and set fire to him. Surprisingly, most media, including international names such as BBC and Financial Times, focused on the first incident.

Around the world, policemen open fire all the time – in America it is practically a daily occurrence. Yet how many instances are there of trying to burn people alive? It is over 40 years since I was a reporter in this town, and news sense is a matter of opinion. But I would have led the coverage with the second incident rather than the first.

Much emphasis was placed on the fact that the shot protester was unarmed but this is not sufficient grounds for automatic condemnation. Why did the protester approach the officer, who was grappling with another protester, if not to intercede in the arrest?

Moreover, after viewing the footage several times, it seemed to me that the approaching protester, from his arm movements, had it in mind to seize the gun. We do not know for certain his intention nor what he would have done with the gun if he had taken it.

But we have ample opportunity to view the footage and form a conclusion, whereas the policeman had only a split second to respond to the perceived threat. I cannot say hand on heart that I, too, would not have pulled the trigger.

Contrast this with the second incident. A citizen chased away protesters who were trashing his local light rail station and continued to scold them on a footbridge outside. Someone whose life and safety were not at all at risk then deliberately threw the liquid over him and set fire to it. That is cold-blooded attempted murder.

Of course, this is only my interpretation and others will have theirs. But I hope we can all agree that the present circumstances are unacceptable for everyone. There continue to be instances of police abuse of power and dangerous behaviour by protesters. Urgent action must be taken to restore public order and safety. It can only be a matter of time before there are more deaths.

Hong Kong protests: time to cut out the violent faction

The government should take the first step to de-escalate the situation by doing the two obvious things which are within its power: announce that an independent commission of inquiry will be established in early 2020 to examine the whole saga, including violence by all parties, and that steps are being taken to restart the political reform process.

The counter-argument that such an announcement would project weakness because it would be seen as giving in to protesters’ demands is spurious. Doing the right thing is not a sign of weakness.

The police need to find better leadership, and improve their tactics. They need to reflect on why so many ordinary members of the public see them as the enemy and are ready to boo them.

The protesters need to scale back their violence towards ordinary members of the public, including the police. Driving away fellow Chinese from the country’s only truly international financial centre is an act of folly and serves no purpose.

The police force by itself cannot restore law and order. It needs the support of citizens and in present circumstances some reinforcement. Nobody in his right mind would want to deploy the People’s Liberation Army or the People’s Armed Police.

It might make a nice gesture to call London and Washington’s bluff by asking them to lend us some of their experienced police officers for a few months while our guys get a rest. If that is deemed unacceptable on sovereignty grounds, how about hiring some of those international contractors prepared to undertake security work in Iraq and Afghanistan?

What is not acceptable is for government officials to simply wring their hands, and do nothing.

Chief Secretary Matthew Cheung Kin-chung cannot understand why the public is still angry. The public cannot understand how he and other senior officials still have a job.

Mike Rowse is the CEO of Treloar Enterprises