The Battle Continues in Kowloon

Protesters were back putting out tear gas on the streets in Kwun Tong today

The peaceful protests last weekend ended today with police firing numerous rounds of tear gas in Kowloon Bay, Wong Tai Sin and Sham Shui Po so far. About 18 people have been arrested and there have been a few serious injuries involving their faces. It's not good.

What has made the situation worse is the MTR has made it harder for everyone to get around. After criticism from Beijing for allegedly aiding and abetting the protesters, the MTR got a court injunction to arrest anyone who vandalizes the stations and trains, or blocks carriages, which is fine, but now it has prevented people from using it whenever there is a demonstration.

Residents angry they can't access the MTR this afternoon

This afternoon the MTR warned it would shut down Kwun Tong station because of the police sanctioned march there. That left residents in the area unable to use the public transport system to get to work or do their shopping or even to come home. They were furious with the MTR staff, and no one senior enough was around to take the verbal abuse.

Perhaps the MTR or Beijing was hoping this harder stance would make it harder for protesters to show up at the march, but the plan backfired. And since the MTR is majority owned by the Hong Kong government, by extension the residents were angry at their government. And again there is no recourse, as everyone needs to use the MTR and taxpayer dollars go there too. So... again this is why Hongkongers need universal suffrage!

Beijing has strong armed Cathay Pacific and now the MTR. Who is next?

One piece of good news is that British consulate employee Simon Cheng Man-kit has been released and is now back in Hong Kong with his family. There was also a group of 10 university students who were detained in Tibet, but they have also been released now.

One protester puts his tennis racquet to good use

Why would anyone want to go to Chinese these days?

Now that Hong Kong is in the international spotlight, China is trying desperately to put up a curtain and say, "Nothing going on here, move along".

A letter sent by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the People's Republic of China, says "the so-called 'anti-amendment' is nothing more than a hyped-up pretext," writes Hua Chunying, director general of the Information Department.

"When you look at the current situation, you'll find that those radical, violent and criminal behaviors have gone far beyond freedom of speech and peaceful assembly. They have seriously threatened the safety of Hong Kong residents and their property, severely undermined Hong Kong's rule of law and social order, gravely challenged the bottom line of 'one country, two systems', and pushed Hong Kong to a dangerous brink."

Hua's letter dated August 20 was sent to over 30 foreign media outlets. 

Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokeswoman Hua Chunying

First of all, what is this "anti-amendment" she is talking about? If she means the anti-extradition protests, they have been dragging out so long because the Hong Kong government has done nothing to address this issue.

Is Hong Kong at a "dangerous brink"? Not yet no. But she is repeating what Beijing has said before. If repeated enough, perhaps people will believe it.

She then advises journalists to take up their "social responsibility and make reports that are neutral, objective, impartial and comprehensive so that your coverage may help those protesters ignorant of the truth to get back on the right path, and help those who have been seriously misled to come to a rational and fair judgment".

That sounds eerily like Uighurs who have been led astray by Islam and need to be sent to concentration camps to be "reeducated".

Again the language shows a hardline paternalistic attitude towards Hong Kong and young people...