Another Dark Day

The scene around 6.30pm on Harcourt Road with more people streaming in

This morning I was out of the office and by the time I came back at lunchtime, my colleagues were excitedly telling me the story of a guy who was arrested by the police and seven of them allegedly dragged him to a dark alley and started kicking and punching him. This was all recorded on video and has gone viral.

On the TV I saw scenes of the man, now identified as Ken Tsang, a social worker and member of the Civic Party, and of the nominating committee for the chief executive representing the welfare sector, sitting on a stretcher being wheeled out of an ambulance and into Ruttonjee Hospital. He may have aggravated the police by pouring liquid on them, but is there a need for a group of officers to beat someone up who is defenseless?

One side street still blocked with protesters, police watch

Like the pepper spray teargas over two weeks ago, this alleged beating has further eroded people's respect for the Hong Kong Police. They seem to be under orders to use excessive force without regard for what the consequences will be. No wonder protesters are now calling for the resignation of Police Commissioner Andy Tsang Wai-hung.

Meanwhile Chief Executive Leung Chun-ying has cancelled his much-anticipated Q & A tomorrow, with his spokesperson citing the recent conflicts police had with protesters, and how protesters were called to be near the Legislative Council during that time. Some speculate it's because Leung needs to give Beijing more time to figure out how he would answer all these questions...

Then there is the added fiasco of his receiving HK$50 million from an Australian engineering firm, and now news that he asked for another HK$37 million as part of the same of his company...

Hundreds of tents are near the government offices at Tamar

Internationally what is being done about the situation? While China insists other countries not meddle in its internal affairs -- a favourite line -- the Democratic Party is taking the issue to the attention of the UN Human Rights' committee meeting next week in Geneva.

They will explain why Beijing's decision on Hong Kong election reform fails to comply with the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights. But will anything be done to alleviate the situation?

Around 6.30pm I wandered into the protest area on Harcourt Road. There weren't as many people as before, though there are reports that after I left, the crowds swelled to about 2,000 people.

There were young children around 5 or 6 years old doing their homework, people listening to speeches, but much fewer people on the flyover towards Central.

Batman to save the Umbrella Movement?

At the end of the barricades by the Hong Kong Club, a middle-aged man gave a speech while another man jumped in to add his views. Where in Hong Kong do people have such open discourse on politics? And with complete strangers?

The situation is fluid and who knows what will happen tonight. We can only hope Ken Tsang's alleged beating is the first and last violent incident for the Umbrella Revolution.

The Beginning of the End

This morning around 10am hundreds of police officers ran out from their headquarters in Admiralty and started cordoning off the area in Queensway. In a very coordinated attack, some police officers prevented protesters from interfering as other police in dark blue armed with chainsaws and clippers, systematically cut up the barriers created last night made of bamboo and other materials and they were taken down in about an hour or so.

After the discarded barricades were picked up by a truck with a crane and cleaners swept the road, Queensway was open again to traffic and drivers must have been very pleased to take the road back.

However Harcourt Road is still being occupied, as well as two side streets leading to Queensway, though tonight riot police tried to clear protesters from Lung Wo Road, which is a tunnel. The riot police looked aggressive with batons, but then they found they were surrounded by protesters and had to retreat, even asking for space for them to leave the tunnel! Not a well thought out plan.

And now as I write (11.50pm), YTSL reports riot police are approaching with tear gas masks in their hands...

It's been an emotional day for protesters, seeing their territory shrinking. As the police took down the barriers, they told the protesters that they had occupied the streets for 17 days and now it was time to give it back to the public.

We don't know exactly how many people are for the students and against; we just know there are some outspoken anti-Occupy critics, some verbally trying to voice out their frustrations, others with intimidation and force.

So much for Chief Executive Leung Chun-ying saying the government was willing to wait this out. Perhaps some tycoons expressed dismay that the protests had even lasted this long and wanted the government to do something about it before it further damages the city's reputation as a financial centre?

But when Queensway in Admiralty and two lanes of Yee Wo Street in Causeway Bay were opened, there was a massive traffic jam at the beginning of rush hour. I ended up getting off the bus in Wan Chai and walking all the way to my gym in Central.

On the way I passed by Admiralty and across Queensway I could see several rows of police standing in front of where the protesters were hanging around on the side streets. And on the Pacific Place side, there were police vans and several police standing around watching the proceedings.

Needless to say it looked tense.

It's now 11.15pm and YTSL reports the situation at Admiralty has now calmed down because of the sheer numbers of people there and she is now leaving the area.

The police may have have suffered a minor set back abut half an hour ago, but they gained a lot of ground this morning. They have already warned Mongkok is next, and the protesters are ready for them to come.

It seem the police agenda is to clear the streets this week, but we shall see how successful they are. As I said earlier, if the police had allowed protesters into Civic Square at the government headquarters over two weeks ago, the authorities would have had an easier time corralling people... but such is life.

Again how this is all going to end is anyone's guess. But we want it to be as peaceful as possible. If the protesters must retreat, so be it. But they will definitely come out fighting another day.

Picture of the Day: Where Has My Dream City Gone?

A relevant sign for the events that happened today

The relaxing atmosphere at Admiralty over the weekend came to a crashing end early this morning when police began taking down the barricades at Queensway and Chater Road in Central to allow vehicular traffic through.

Protesters there quickly set up other barricades to slow down cars and trucks, much to the dismay of the drivers.

Then in the early afternoon, some 500 anti-Occupy protesters showed up wearing masks and began dismantling the barricades on Queensway again. They were also backed up by a fleet of taxis and the drivers honked their horns demanding to be let through.

This led to a nasty confrontation between them and the protesters, and the police had to intervene, holding back both sides. One anti-Occupy protester had a knife and had to be subdued by the authorities.

Again there were complaints the police weren't reacting fast enough to protect the protesters, and again there were rumblings the anti-Occupy group had some triad elements... otherwise why would several hundred people show up all of a sudden together in the same place, many of whom could not speak Cantonese?

As a friend dryly suggested, someone couldn't rustle enough Hong Kong-based triad members to rough things up in the city?

Tonight after dinner, YTSL and I again headed to Admiralty via Central. Chater Road and part of Connaught Road Central were re-opened, so cars could go along Chater, turn left at the Hong Kong Club building and then left again onto Connaught Road. Now the lonely doorman at the Mandarin Oriental is a bit busier now...

However there was a heavier police presence than I had ever seen previously outside the barricades at Central. Beyond that though, protesters were very busy hauling water, perhaps to make cement to reinforce barricades. They took water from a fountain at the Hutchinson Whampoa building which seemed appropriate...

Others were reportedly making more barricades out of bamboo poles given to them by construction workers, who taught the protesters how to bind them together. It's a great community effort.

But most poignant was this sign I spotted on the way to Admiralty -- which by the way had a huge turnout this evening.

What has happened to my city? Why have some people become violent? Some groups who haven't been able to make much money these two weeks have petitioned the courts to try to legally force the protesters to move out. Isn't that a more civilized way to do things?

It will be interesting to see how the judge rules on this because what the protesters are doing is civil disobedience, but they are doing it for the common good...

In the meantime, I hope things do not escalate further. We cannot afford to have more violent clashes. What is happening demonstrates the inaction by the government in not speaking to the students on Friday, leaving frustrations to simmer even more.

We need dialogue. The students are willing to talk. How about meeting them at the table, Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor?

You are perhaps the only person who can help break the impasse at this moment and make birthday boy Joshua Wong Chi-fung's wishes come true.

Two Weeks Later

Looking over Admiralty with people, signs and tents everywhere

Apologies to readers who may be wanting to read other news about Hong Kong, but I can't help but be drawn to Admiralty to take a look.

After a swim at the gym, I made a big detour to Admiralty on my way to the Star Ferry to get to Kowloon.

Students doing their homework as they protest on the streets

The area was bustling with hundreds of people around. It was very peaceful, though YTSL reports there was an older woman who came by shouting at the protesters to go away and so they responded by singing Happy Birthday to her to embarrass her.

It's a tactic often used in Mongkok where there are the odd verbal flareups, but for the most part, Admiralty is perhaps the safest of the four sites (Central is virtually non-existent).

Yes -- there are kids doing their homework here and even a schedule for classes, and tutors willing to lend a hand to anyone who needs help.

Seeing more artists out there is also wonderful, capturing the spirit. I spotted this poster on the stairwell at the overpass and put it on Instagram. Almost instantly there was a flurry of likes, and even one Instagrammer identifying the artist as Ah Tsui who is an illustrator.

Beautiful work by Ah Tsui celebrating the umbrella movement

The spontaneous artistic creativity is fantastic, and it's wonderful seeing so many people of all ages out there for the cause, but what is going to happen next?

How is this going to be resolved? I don't mind sacrificing inconvenience for the cause on the long term, but both sides are refusing to budge.

The students published an open letter to Chinese President Xi Jinping. They insist the Umbrella Revolution is not a "colour revolution" and that they respect "one country, two systems".

They also add Chief Executive Leung Chun-ying admitting receiving HK$50 million ($6.1 million) from an Australian engineering firm demonstrates that there is corruption within the system and that true democracy is the way towards accountability.

At the end of the letter they make three demands:

The HKSAR government must bear the sole responsibility, be accountable to Hong Kong citizens and rectify herself;

A painter at the protest site documenting the scene

To establish a democratic system that affirms equal rights;

To uphold the principle of "One Country, Two systems": Hong Kong problems be settled in Hong Kong; Politics to be settled by Politics.

No word yet from Xi, but this morning Leung went on TVB in a taped interview to reiterate he was not stepping down because that would not solve the problem, and that it was impossible to get the National People's Congress to withdraw its decision on how candidates for chief executive would be chosen, or for the body to accept civic nominations.

"In achieving universal suffrage in 2017, if the prerequisite is to put down the Basic Law and the decision made by the National People's Congress Standing Committee, I believe we all know that the chance [achieving] is almost zero," he said.

He also said he did nothing morally or legally wrong in accepting the HK$50 million...

Looking at the streams of people coming and going

With both sides as far apart as they were before, the city is becoming more divided. There are stories of family members having arguments about who is on which side and of course police officers having a tough time doing their jobs.

Occupy has galvanized Hong Kong, but at the same time has brought out a very civil side -- strangers striking up conversations with each other, donating food, helping set up tents and encouraging people to be creative.

Hong Kong's an amazing place.