Hong Kong's escalation of tension and violence

Hong Kong remains in a state of disagreements, tension and violence. More than a month following the first anti-extradition bill protest, Hong Kongers are still out protesting against the bill, demanding for it to be permanently removed and unlike the 2014 Umbrella Movement, protests have been organised throughout Hong Kong in places such as Sheung Shui and Sha Tin. As a foreigner looking at the situation in Hong Kong, it can be hard to definitively say we understand the significance of the protests and the predicament of Hong Kongers. While one can step out to denounce the extradition bill with confidence, it may be harder to support the continuous escalation of the tension by the people. Hence, this begs the question - what is going on in Hong Kong right now?

It is not just about the bill

Firstly, we have to understand that the unhappiness and unrest among Hong Kongers are not merely a result of the proposed extradition bill. It is a culmination of years of resent towards the Chinese government encroaching on their democratic rights and way of life. While Hong Kong is part of China and Honger Kongers are ethnically Chinese, living under British rule for 100 years while mainland China headed towards communism and authoritarianism, many Hong Kongers, especially the younger generation find it hard to assimilate themselves into this large entity - China. They see themselves as different - in their upbringing, values and beliefs. In a recent survey conducted by the University of Hong Kong, only 27% of Hong Kongers are proud of being identified as a national citizen of China and more specifically, only 10% of Hong Kongers age 18-29 are proud of that.

Hence, it is not surprising that out of the many protests that had been organised, some are not directed at the extradition bill but a rallying cry against mainland Chinese in Hong Kong - the protest held at Tuen Mun was directed against middle-aged mainland Chinese women dancing in the public which were considered as public nuisances while the protest held in Sheung Shui was directed at parallel trading (where mainland Chinese traders purchase Hong Kong products in large quantities to sell them back in mainland China for a profit) which is prevalent in the area. So why is the situation so dire? Because it is multi-faceted and we cannot merely or naively pinpoint it just on the extradition bill. It is additionally a clash of national identity & patriotism against localism and Hong Kongers have a strong say in what they see themselves and what they want others to see themselves as.

The focus is on everyone

You would think that the focus of protests would be on the protesters but the police force had been thrown into the spotlight multiple times as the public question their conduct. However, before we get into that, perhaps we can first take a look at the protesters. The protests this year is yet another example of youth activism as youths around Hong Kong take charge and lead the protests, be it on the ground or through social media. We also see recurring figures such as the Sec-Gen of Demosistō Joshua Wong.

This should not be surprising as youths are many times the leading figures in protests around the world with past examples including those in Indonesia and Thailand in the 90s, the Arab Spring and climate change protests around the world and this is really because youths are the ones who will be handling the consequences of decisions made today.

However, for Hong Kong, there were more this time round. On 14 June, 6000 people, mostly mothers staged a sit in at a public park to oppose Carrie Lam's statement on how she would have not tolerated her children's involvement in the protests. A second one was organised on 5 July which involved about 8000 people according to the organisers while police estimated 1300 participants.

Similarly, on 17 July, elderly Hong Kongers took to the streets to protest against the law and to dispute the stereotype that the older generation tends to be more pro-Beijing. Organisers estimated that 9000 people participated while the police put the number at about 1500. Very often, we tend to assume that generational gaps are common because the older generation prefer another way of living as compared to the youths but this is clearly evidence that in Hong Kong, there is a certain sense of unity across generations with regards to their democracy and freedom.

Definitely, when there are protests, the police will be called in to maintain law and order. The police should be a neutral force, not taking any sides and only focusing on keeping citizens safe. Yet, the Hong Kong Police Force is not free from criticisms and attacks during this tensed period as well. One major news that appeared was complaints from protesters that police were using excessive force against protesters. Ever since the first round of protests in June, many have came out accusing the police force of using escessive force, including Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International. They note that many times, police officers can be seen using tear gas and rubber bullets even when there was not a need to and these instances were sometimes the catalyst for the further escalation of the tension. To put it simply, the conduct of the police force had seemingly villified itself and cast itself as an enemy force to the pro-democracy camp. Additionally, journalists have also been attacked by police officers, leading them to wear helmets during a press conference to criticise their reckless behaviour as law enforcers.

“The violent scenes in Yuen Long tonight were in part because Hong Kong police chose to inflame a tense situation rather than deescalate it. For police to declare today’s protest unlawful was simply wrong under international law..." - Man-kei Tam, Director of Amnesty International Hong Kong

Of course, we cannot deny the fact that police officers face dangers as much as they attempt to bring law and order to the situation. Things such as bottles and rocks were thrown at them while they fend off attacks by protesters wielding sticks and rods. But, does that give them the rights to use as much force as they are right now? Probably not.

However, perhaps the most controversial part of the protests is the inclusion of seemingly pro-Beijing triad members who went on a attacking spree against the public especially pro-democracy protesters in Yuen Long on 21 July, resulting in at least 45 injured. This had been denounced by the public as the protest had been peaceful and yes, while it is expected that pro-Beijing sentiments would arise among certain groups as pro-democracy protesters fight for their beliefs, nothing can justify their action. A conflict of ideas should not lead to personal attacks. Why is this then controversial? Firstly, the riot police had been accused of been unwilling to act to protect the protesters from the violent attacks. Secondly, a Legislative Council member Junius Ho had been seen shaking hands with the triad members following the attack and calling them heroes. While the former claim can be subjective and debatable, the latter really calls into the question the conduct and morality of elected officials and perhaps this is another reason for Hong Kongers to demand for free elections in the city.

Hence, perhaps why the protests are so huge is because everyone has and wants to have a say in it, directly or indirectly. Hong Kongers from all walks of life see a purpose in defending what they believe in and so do the opposition parties, that is the pro-Beijing camp. The police are then sandwiched in between, villified by some and glorified by others. With everyone involved, it is certain that it would take a while before the tension subsides and before that can happen, it is unfortunate that tension and fighting will persist.

Conclusion

Protests, when done legally (should the law allows for them) and peacefully, are a form of statement of what the public is truly concerned and worried about. It has the power to change the society to align more with the needs of the people. What we see now in Hong Kong is instead a continuous escalation of the situation and no one can say for sure what will happen next? Will China intervene? Will Hong Kongers lose momentum? However, one thing for sure is that Hong Kongers right now are very committed to this cause and it is indeed hard to see everything resume normalcy in the short run. For now, Hong Kong is at a crossroad, whether to go ahead further with its defiance against China’s control or to stop whatever they had done and bow down to the government. Hong Kong is already in a dire state - the economy is hit as damages are made, investors lose confidence and countries issue travel advisories against travelling to Hong Kong and its social fabric is torn as some sectors of the society slowly turn against each other. So, one can only truly hope that whatever that had been and will be done will be worth it and Hong Kongers will be happy with what they get eventually.

(Cover Photo by Han Min T)

By Eugene Goh