The Polarization Continues

The entrance to Baptist University is effectively blocked by mini Stonehenges

As I write this, students at Chinese University of Hong Kong are retreating -- about a dozen volunteers have come with cars to take them out.

This ends the four-day occupation of the university safely... but they have left behind a giant mess.

However it seems Hong Kong Polytechnic University is still going strong, the students have prevented any traffic from going through the Cross Harbour Tunnel and even have security checks of every person who walks into the campus.

A fire erupted near Chinese University prompting evacuation

I talked to one professor from the University of Hong Kong -- and it is also his alma mater -- and he said this was the first time he ever had to climb over barricades to get to his office.

The situation has become untenable and the heads of nine universities here have issued an open letter to the government urging the authorities to set up and resolve the political deadlock in the name of safety and security of the whole city.

The letter says:

Hong Kong society is currently fractured, with deep divisions across social groups, political parties, and even amongst family and friends. The past week has seen a rapid escalation of violence and confrontation throughout Hong Kong: several universities are now under protestors’ control; on-campus hazardous materials have been taken; staff and students have left campus out of fear for their personal safety. These events are challenging our universities in the most fundamental way.

No political viewpoint gives a licence to damage property, employ physical threats, or use violence against individuals. It is regrettable that societal disagreement has led to university campuses becoming major political battlefields, and that the government response has so far not been effective. However, any demand that universities can simply fix the problem is disconnected from reality: these complicated and challenging situations neither originate from the Universities, nor can they be resolved through University disciplinary processes. They are reflections of Hong Kong-wide disagreement, and the government must take the lead with swift and concrete action to resolve this political deadlock and to restore safety and public order now.

Earlier in the day students manning No. 2 bridge in Sha Tin

Hong Kong is our home. We call on all quarters of society to work together to bring peace and order back to Hong Kong.

Prof. KUO Way, President, City University of Hong Kong
Prof. Roland T. CHIN President & Vice-Chancellor, Hong Kong Baptist University
Prof. Leonard CHENG, President, Lingnan University
Prof. Rocky S. TUAN, President & Vice-Chancellor, The Chinese University of Hong Kong
Prof. Stephen CHEUNG, President, The Education University of Hong Kong
Prof. TENG Jin-Guang , President, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University
Prof. Wei SHYY, President, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology
Prof. WONG Yuk-Shan, President, The Open University of Hong Kong
Prof. ZHANG Xiang, President & Vice-Chancellor, The University of Hong Kong
(Listed in alphabetical order of universities)

Earlier in the day a newspaper article talked about how the government was getting pressure from all sides, including the pro-establishment parties to do something to resolve the situation. Everyone is tired and frustrated by the government's inaction, just constantly condemning the protesters as rioters and how the violence needs to be stopped.

This only gives more license to the police to have their way with anyone, including bystanders, which in turn makes people even angrier. Surely the government must have figured this out by now.

Carrie Lam not very empathetic at town hall meeting

At lunchtime today scores of people came out not only in Central and Taikoo, but also Wong Chuk Hang and Kwun Tong. A lot of Hong Kong's population are angry with the government.

Chief Executive Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor has said that she is open to dialogue and yet she has not had engaged the public since her disastrous town hall meeting on September 26.

What is she waiting for?

The best way to diffuse tensions is to initiate dialogue but instead Lam would rather inspect trashed MTR stations than meet with people to hear their frustrations and fears. Did she think people would give up?

As someone who was directly involved in dealing with the Umbrella Movement five years ago, Lam hasn't learnt her lesson at all. She has just dismissed it as a blip in Hong Kong's history. For the rest of us, those 79 days were seared in our memories.

Civil service head Joshua Law sends warning to civil servants

Meanwhile civil servants may want to think twice about protesting. Secretary for the Civil Service Joshua Law Chi-kong wrote a letter to the 180,000 civil servants and warned they would face immediate suspension or other disciplinary action if they were arrested for taking part in unlawful activities.

"The government will not tolerate civil servants breaching the law," he wrote. "It would be difficult for the community to accept an arrested civil servant being allowed to continue to exercise the powers and functions of office.

"In this regard, we will interdict the officer in the public interest when an inquiry against him is being undertaken," he wrote.

If this letter was written a year ago, most people would agree. But given what has happened in the past five months, including a rally for civil servants to protest against the extradition bill, most residents would not mind if a civil servant was arrested and continued working -- until they were convicted.

What happened to following the tenet of "innocent until proven guilty"?

The polarization continues...