Calm Returns to Hong Kong After Court Ruling

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HONG KONG (ChurchMilitant.com) - As the violence is fading from the protests in Hong Kong, many citizens are condemning the protesters and the media's coverage of the events.

After nearly a week of violent clashes between protesters and police that have crippled the Hong Kong airport, the High Court has issued an injunction barring demonstrations in the majority of the airport.

Demonstrators turned their violence on passengers attempting to board planes, accusing them of being "spies."

The goal of the protests is to have Hong Kong's struggle "for democracy" heard around the world.

Church Militant was contacted by an American living in Hong Kong who said that protests are a way of life for Hong Kong citizens and "they are a fun family activity that the city loves to do."

"They are as common as Sunday night football and all is well-coordinated between the protesters and police whom work hand-in-hand to make for what is effectively a fun community activity," he noted.

Protests leading up to the march involving 2 million people in January followed a similar pattern as all other protests. A petition is filed, police barricade the route to ensure the safety of the protesters, they march while the police look on and everyone returns home.

After the 2 million person march, some young protesters began targeting the Hong Kong government. Church Militant's source said their "first target was the LegCo building, the equivalent of Capitol Hill."

Rioters broke in and began a campaign of destruction to the building. Before that happened, the police withdrew. Afterward, no one was arrested.

Next, a major business district and the police headquarters were targeted with violence. Church Militant's source explained the police were trapped inside while the rioters hurled bricks at them or tried to stab them with pointed ends of umbrellas.

Only hours later, the police were forced to respond in riot gear. They held banners warning rioters that tear gas would be fired if they did not disperse. After they were forced to fire tear gas on the rioters, the media snapped their photos.

"All the West sees are cleverly positioned photos of scary-looking riot police shooting tear gas, with the spinned story being that the government is crushing freedom-loving Hong Kongers," he said.

These types of attacks have been going on about three days a week through the month of July.

"The police have been under constant attack here all month and have hardly responded at all to it," he said. "The Andy Griffith-like Hong Kong police force, which is highly professional, civilized and pacifist, is at the receiving end of weeks of violent assault, and then is calumniated across the entire globe."

He continued:

And why are they being assaulted anyways? If the protests are to be anti-extradition bill, why attack the local HK police force? These are just middle class gentlemen working to protect the city and have done so peacefully for decades. It makes no sense at all and it is flat-out wrong.

Church Militant's source isn't alone in his opinion. Celebrities from China and Hong Kong are condemning the riots and calling for a return of civility.

On Tuesday, actor Jackie Chan said he was "sad and worried" about the protests.

"Hong Kong is my hometown and China is my motherland. I love them and I hope Hong Kong could return to peace as soon as possible," he told China Central Television.

Ting Fei-chun, a Hong Kong-born teen idol, echoed a Chinese journalist's statement after being beaten by rioters when he posted to Instagram, "I support Hong Kong police, now you can beat me. What a shame for Hong Kong."

Church Militant's source explained that these riots have the effect of paralyzing the city, "preventing normal citizens from living their lives."

He added, "And all for what? What is it precisely that Hong Kong lacks while under 'Commie control' that it would have under 'freedom?'"

Hong Kong has the right to savage their families and destabilize the core of society with divorce. HKers have the right to sodomize each other and the government now is even recognizing gay "marriages." HKers have the right to enslave each other to debt or be enslaved to it. And pornography is rampant so we have the right to be addicted to it as well. What more "rights" does Hong Kong want that the West has?

"The reality is that these riots have nothing to do with democracy and freedom. Hong Kong is a very free place where one can do whatever one wants," he explained. "In the big picture what this is about is a lack of hope."

This lack of hope is two-fold: a lack of spiritual hope and a lack of economic hope.

"These riots are a violent and poorly directed emotional outburst against what Hong Kong is," he said. "The police and government are both hapless and extremely restrained whereas the rioters are very violent and aggressive, openly attacking police and laying siege to the city."

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