These kids fucked themselves so hard. Entering LegCo will enable the government to identify (and punish) the most radical elements under HK riot law. Covering their faces won't stop the government from identifying every mobile device that entered the building via cell tower, GPS and wifi router records. Throwing bricks in the public and blending in with the crowd on the street is one thing, entering an easily geofenced government building with identifiable mobile devices is another.
Hong Kong protesters occupy legislative chamber
41–50 of 113 posts
Re: Hong Kong protesters occupy legislative chamber
#42Earlier quoted context omitted.
This sounds like a complete no-go. Would the rest of the world accept HK as an independent state? Look how they're accepting Taiwan. Now add that China has actual agreements on the status of HK and Macau.
>> During talks with Thatcher, China planned to invade and seize Hong Kong if the negotiations set off unrest in the colony. Thatcher later said that Deng told her bluntly that China could easily take Hong Kong by force, stating that "I could walk in and take the whole lot this afternoon", to which she replied that "there is nothing I could do to stop you, but the eyes of the world would now know what China is like".…
It amazes me when suddenly something matters or it doesn’t. There were outcries over Crimea until there suddenly weren’t. There were no outcries over Syria until there suddenly were.
Re: Hong Kong protesters occupy legislative chamber
#43Earlier quoted context omitted.
> The original protestors were fastidious in their civic-mindedness. General question: What is your process for determining whether or not a protest you read about is peaceful, fastidiously civic-minded, or if it is just a bunch of hooligans who want to break windows? How do you apply that process for determining the nature of protests in your local city? I ask, because I've never been to, seen, heard of, or read abo…
> What is your process for determining whether or not a protest you read about is peaceful, fastidiously civic-minded, or if it is just a bunch of hooligans who want to break windows? Whether they smash windows and vandalise, or not.
Or, you know, throwing tea into a harbour.
Re: Hong Kong protesters occupy legislative chamber
#44FWIW, the BBC World Service coverage of this has been... disappointing. During the time the protestors were raising the British flag in the legislative chamber, the World Service was doing an in-depth report on Taylor Swift's latest social media rant, and interviewing some blogger about Ivanka Trump. I remember when the BBC was the go-to place for breaking world news.
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Re: Hong Kong protesters occupy legislative chamber
#45Earlier quoted context omitted.
The BBC has all kinds of problems. Waiting for a 'line to take' from politicians is emphatically not one of them.
That is good to hear. As an American, I’m not sure how independently the editorial choices are made at the BBC.
In that case, it may be better not to throw out accusations. People are cynical and mistrusting enough. No need to feed the believe that every politician is corrupt and every journalists lying.
Re: Hong Kong protesters occupy legislative chamber
#46These kids fucked themselves so hard. Entering LegCo will enable the government to identify (and punish) the most radical elements under HK riot law. Covering their faces won't stop the government from identifying every mobile device that entered the building via cell tower, GPS and wifi router records. Throwing bricks in the public and blending in with the crowd on the street is one thing, entering an easily geofenc…
They probably used burner phones. At least, that's what people do in Germany.
Re: Hong Kong protesters occupy legislative chamber
#47Earlier quoted context omitted.
> What is your process for determining whether or not a protest you read about is peaceful, fastidiously civic-minded, or if it is just a bunch of hooligans who want to break windows? Whether they smash windows and vandalise, or not.
Or, you know, throwing tea into a harbour .
I'm not up on US history really, but tea was expensive at the time and it was other people's tea being destroyed, so that might well be vandalism. Happy to be corrected though.
Re: Hong Kong protesters occupy legislative chamber
#48Earlier quoted context omitted.
>> During talks with Thatcher, China planned to invade and seize Hong Kong if the negotiations set off unrest in the colony. Thatcher later said that Deng told her bluntly that China could easily take Hong Kong by force, stating that "I could walk in and take the whole lot this afternoon", to which she replied that "there is nothing I could do to stop you, but the eyes of the world would now know what China is like".…
It amazes me when suddenly something matters or it doesn’t. There were outcries over Crimea until there suddenly weren’t. There were no outcries over Syria until there suddenly were.
Like the whole idea of a social tipping point? https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tipping_point_(sociology)
Re: Hong Kong protesters occupy legislative chamber
#49Earlier quoted context omitted.
>> During talks with Thatcher, China planned to invade and seize Hong Kong if the negotiations set off unrest in the colony. Thatcher later said that Deng told her bluntly that China could easily take Hong Kong by force, stating that "I could walk in and take the whole lot this afternoon", to which she replied that "there is nothing I could do to stop you, but the eyes of the world would now know what China is like".…
It amazes me when suddenly something matters or it doesn’t. There were outcries over Crimea until there suddenly weren’t. There were no outcries over Syria until there suddenly were.
I feel like the situation at hand is very different. Crimea, unlike Hong Kong, isn't an alpha+ city that is one of the most important financial hubs in the world. While capturing Crimea by RF was extremely reprehensible, there was not much at stake there for any side not directly involved in the conflict. All there was in Crimea situation is just a geopolitical projection of power. With Hong Kong, the stakes are way higher, and I don't think that straight up capture of Hong Kong (Crimea-style) will go over nearly as well.
P.S. Also, not that it makes the situation any less reprehensible, keep in mind that heavy majority of Crimea population at the time of capture was ethnically Russian and was supportive of RF actions. Hong Kong residents, on the other hand, seem to be way less supportive of PRC.
Re: Hong Kong protesters occupy legislative chamber
#50I really hope Hong Kong gains independence from China. They do not want to be part of that regime. Hong Kong currently participates in some United Nations committees, but is not recognized as a country. Have there been any political leaders in Hong Kong who have publicly opposed returning to China or who have requested recognition by other UN member States?
I was born in Hong Kong but don't live there anymore, although I still visit regularly.
That's a very simplistic view. Many people who oppose the Chinese government do not support complete independence. If there's a referendum on this I expect it to fail on a large margin.