[clearwaters]

Gotta tell you all what a usual weekday for me turned out to be today.

If you don't already know, tens of thousands of people in Hong Kong are protesting against the China extradition bill, which is scheduled to be passed as law next week. Today we all expected a protest to happen near the government building, which is just next to the building where my office is at, but no one knew how big it would be. When I arrived in the office in the morning, I was shocked to see that all the main roads were occupied by protectors. But they were peaceful and rather harmless, with slogans and chanting etc.

Things got ugly when they tried to enter the government building protest area. The police fired tear gas and rubber bullets at everyone they saw in their way...I.saw all what happened from my office. In the afternoon we were told to evacuate from the office but traffic came to a complete standstill. I went to the protest area with my colleagues and just when we arrived police started to disperse the crowds with increased force... They literally just fired randomly and even at women or teenagers who were unarmed. Some people who could not escape in time got beaten up badly by a number of armed policemen surrounding him. The area was rather posh so it was shocking to see injured people lying on the floor of big shopping malls waiting to be treated.

I am appalled by what happened and I've never seen anything like that happen in my home city in my whole life. In response to the protest, the governmen accused the protectors of starting a riot (while most of them were peaceful and weaponless) and insisted to have lawmakers debate the bill! It's ridiculous how defiant the government is in face of opposition and it'll only further anger the public. The protest will likely go on some time with people going on strikes and schools shutting down. China wants to rule Hong Kong with terror but we aren't going to back down easily.

 

[ne znam ali mozda]

HK should resist till the mainland Chinese government backs down.

I am fully with the Hong Kongese people who are after their most basic rights. Hopefuly justice will be served soon, do not give up on protesting (without violance unless you receive of similar kind), that will build the pressure.

 

[abraxas21]

Seems like just another big protest against a government policy, probably uncommon in HK but nothing unsurprising in most countries in the world.

Nothing that news worthy in the great scheme of things.

 

[ne znam ali mozda]

Rapid China/Russia/Iran worshipers arriving. @Chris Kuerten is due as well.

 

[Bakano]

Seems like just another big protest against a government policy, probably uncommon in HK but nothing unsurprising in most countries in the world.

Nothing that news worthy in the great scheme of things.

China swallowing HK by force and hundreds of thousands protesting that on the streets is hardly newsworthy... unlike an intended execution in Saudi Arabia, an event of galaxial implications.

 

[abraxas21]

China swallowing HK by force and hundreds of thousands protesting that on the streets is hardly newsworthy... unlike an intended execution in Saudi Arabia, an event of galaxial implications.

I think you're confused. The protests are about the 2019 extradition bill, NOT the return of Hong Kong to the People's Republic when the British ceded the colony 22 years ago.

 

[abraxas21]

Rapid China/Russia/Iran worshipers arriving. @Chris Kuerten is due as well.

Anything worthwhile you'd like to add to the discussion?

The HK protests are a big deal... For the citizens of HK. I honestly don't see it as much of a big story for the rest of the world. Thus far it's simply a mass protest, far less big than the Yellow Vests' movement in France and far less violent than most mass protests in any given year in almost any given country.

The only reason we keep hearing so much about it in the Western press is because China is directly involved.

 

[buddyholly]

Seems like just another big protest against a government policy, probably uncommon in HK but nothing unsurprising in most countries in the world.

Nothing that news worthy in the great scheme of things.

You are probably right when you talk of most countries in the world. (Apart from your double negative.)

But most countries are not the Western World, where it would be intolerable.

It is very newsworthy. It shows Beijing’s intent to ignore all agreements and apply despotism to Hong Kong.

Communism at work, here.

 

[buddyholly]

I think you're confused. The protests are about the 2019 extradition bill, NOT the return of Hong Kong to the People's Republic when the British ceded the colony 22 years ago.

If Beijing considers itself to have a free hand in ruling Hong Kong, then it is about the absorption of Hong Kong into the Communist Elite’s Republic

 

[buddyholly]

Anything worthwhile you'd like to add to the discussion?

The HK protests are a big deal... For the citizens of HK. I honestly don't see it as much of a big story for the rest of the world. Thus far it's simply a mass protest, far less big than the Yellow Vests' movement in France and far less violent than most mass protests in any given year in almost any given country.

The only reason we keep hearing so much about it in the Western press is because China is directly involved.

Why don’t you continue that thought and conclude that an execution in KSA is a big deal for Saudis, but nothing for the rest of the world to care about?

Actually I think it was bigger than anything by the Yellow Vests.

 

[RetourGagnant]

HK's future seems very gloomy at the moment if I have to be honest. China has to much power, I dont think the resistance will be futile in the long run, unfortunately, unless something revolutionary happened out of the blue.

 

[ne znam ali mozda]

The only reason we keep hearing so much about it in the Western press is because China is directly involved.

Dude, wake up. China is a POS, same goes to KSA, same goes to Israel, same goes to Russia.

West and East are two sides of same medal. There are no saints, no angels, no champions. This is the world we are living in.

 

[clearwaters]

Anything worthwhile you'd like to add to the discussion?

The HK protests are a big deal... For the citizens of HK. I honestly don't see it as much of a big story for the rest of the world. Thus far it's simply a mass protest, far less big than the Yellow Vests' movement in France and far less violent than most mass protests in any given year in almost any given country.

It doesn't only affect the citizens, it only affects thousands of expats working there and even tourists who step foot on the soil. The law will apply to everyone who stays in HK.

There is reason why we do not resort to violence. Our intention is to disrupt traffic and business in the areas where financial activities are carried out. Our government doesn't back down in face of violence but it may concede when interests of the businesses are at stake. More violence may also trigger direct intervention from Beijing by sending Chinese troops and even China formally revoking the city's autonomy. If Chinese army did come, it would spell the end for everyone here.

 

[Bakano]

I think you're confused. The protests are about the 2019 extradition bill, NOT the return of Hong Kong to the People's Republic when the British ceded the colony 22 years ago.

I inow what's the protest about. This bill, an other previous bills and measures, are part of an ongoing process of forceful asimilation of HK by China in full disregard of the Treaties. China is not respecting its obligations and the rights of HK citizens, they just can't wait to impose comunism and dictatorship on HK. And that's a zillion times more relevant "in the great scheme of things" than Saudi Arabia allegedly wanting to execute a kid.

 

[abraxas21]

You are probably right when you talk of most countries in the world. (Apart from your double negative.)

But most countries are not the Western World, where it would be intolerable.

It is very newsworthy. It shows Beijing’s intent to ignore all agreements and apply despotism to Hong Kong.

Communism at work, here.

Right. Guess you must have missed the Black Lives Matter protests in the USA, the Yellow Vest movement in France or the Independent Catalunya protests in Barcelona. All of which were met with FAR more violence and police repression than anything we have seen in HK by the way.

 

[abraxas21]

I inow what's the protest about. This bill, an other previous bills and measures, are part of an ongoing process of forceful asimilation of HK by China in full disregard of the Treaties. China is not respecting its obligations and the rights of HK citizens, they just can't wait to impose comunism and dictatorship on HK. And that's a zillion times more relevant "in the great scheme of things" than Saudi Arabia allegedly wanting to execute a kid.

:zzz:

 

[abraxas21]

Dude, wake up.

It's 11:50am here. I woke up at 7:00am and already had two very vocal meetings. I can assure you I am very well awake, but thank you.

China is a POS, same goes to KSA, same goes to Israel, same goes to Russia.

West and East are two sides of same medal. There are no saints, no angels, no champions. This is the world we are living in.

You'll notice I am not defending China in any way. In fact, if I were a HK citizen, I'd probably be in the streets or at leaast verbally supporting the people in the protest. I am simply pointing out that a mass protest in which there have been no deaths thus far (and hopefully there won't be) hardly merits the attention it receives in the mainstream Western press. Like I said before, the main reason why we hear so much about this is because of the same old China=Communism=Evil propaganda that the West still hasn't quite gotten rid of. That and the trade war the Americans have started against China.

 

[Bakano]

:zzz:

Might be sleep-inducing to you but obviously not for many HK citizens who think the prospect of being submitted into serfdom by a brutal communist regime is scary enough to protest on the streets.

 

[abraxas21]

Might be sleep-inducing to you but obviously not for many HK citizens who think the prospect of being submitted into serfdom by a brutal communist regime is scary enough to protest on the streets.

:zzz:

 

[Chris Kuerten]

Rapid China/Russia/Iran worshipers arriving. @Chris Kuerten is due as well.

I haven't studied this particular subject, so no opinion from me this time :crying:

I do think it's funny to see people waving the British flag while protesting ''Chinese colonialism''