[News] Getting out of hand in Hong Kong!

[bWize]

I have been following the live streams for the past few weeks, but this evening is like Armageddon over in Hong Kong. Anyone else been following this closely?

Live feed:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PMphNWdrw5g

 

[Palacefinder General]

Plus the justice minister attacked in the UK. The UK and the USA will, unfortunately, always put trade before human rights where China is concerned.

 

[Tom Hark Preston Park]

Utterly respect the bravery of the kids involved. Tho fear for their naivety. They're Chinese now. Sooner rather than later they'll be brutally slapped down by China

 

[bWize]

It has been fascinating to watch. Not in a good way of course.

Both sides are doing what they can to avoid violence, as a single fatality could escalate the civil conflict into a civil war.

It does seem to be escalating however. Protestors now attacking with bows and arrows, again not with the intention of killing anyone. The Chinese army have stepped into Hong Kong for the first time, albeit to help clean up.

Not sure how it's going to end, but the economy is starting to hurt and is now in recession, which will will exacerbate the mood in Hong Kong.

Very much this ^

Like you say up until now both sides have been treading reasonably carefully when it comes to their methods, but this evening the gloves seem to be coming off... Terrible situation. Can't see either side backing down on this one

 

[Swansman]

Fascinating to see since in the long run it might also be everyone elses battle: totalitarian, high-tec state vs the people, possibly the theme of the 21th century.

As I see it this conflict can end in two ways:
1. China are patient, give the HK protesters what they want/need (and possibly more) only to spend the next ten years or so destroying the anti-China movement from the inside, creating a smooth pass to get their control later.

2. China stops the diplomatic game, simply kills thousands of people and anyone questioning it will get the answer "what are you gonna do about it?".

 

[beorhthelm]

Fascinating to see since in the long run it might also be everyone elses battle: totalitarian, high-tec state vs the people, possibly the theme of the 21th century.

As I see it this conflict can end in two ways:
1. China are patient, give the HK protesters what they want/need (and possibly more) only to spend the next ten years or so destroying the anti-China movement from the inside, creating a smooth pass to get their control later.

2. China stops the diplomatic game, simply kills thousands of people and anyone questioning it will get the answer "what are you gonna do about it?".

so far seem to be edging towards approach 1, they could have sent in battalions of "police" to supress.

 

[Algernon]

Protestors now attacking with bows and arrows, again not with the intention of killing anyone.

Attacking with bows and arrows surely infers an intention to kill someone?

 

[studio150]

For anyone who reads their insurance policies, the current Hong Kong situation is an example of 'civil commotion assuming the proportions of or amounting to an uprising'

So no cover if your vehicle or home is damaged if this ever happens in the UK.

 

[Weststander]

Unfortunately, imo Beijing will ultimately win, HK will lose any semblance of democracy and true autonomy. But this will take awhile.

The sheer power of the undemocratic Chinese state is immense. They even have the ability to censor search engines if needs must, we’ve seen US tech giants fall in line and creep when ‘told off’. With secret police who are no doubt infiltrating the protest movements, they’ll imprison, divide and conquer.

 

[B-right-on]

They're using blunt practice arrows.

Even though they have the potential to kill, it would be very unfortunate.

One police officer has had his leg penetrated by one today though.

That would bloody hurt being hit by that.

 

[middletoenail]

That would bloody hurt being hit by that.

https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=2761989180555695&id=960526577368640

 

[Raleigh Chopper]

It has been fascinating to watch. Not in a good way of course.

Both sides are doing what they can to avoid violence, as a single fatality could escalate the civil conflict into a civil war.

It does seem to be escalating however. Protestors now attacking with bows and arrows, again not with the intention of killing anyone. The Chinese army have stepped into Hong Kong for the first time, albeit to help clean up.

Not sure how it's going to end, but the economy is starting to hurt and is now in recession, which will will exacerbate the mood in Hong Kong.

How can you attack with bows and arrows without the intention of seriously hurting or killing someone.
Or have the arrows got rubber suckers on the end and the Hong Kong police are walking around with arrows stuck to their fore heads.

 

[dangull]

The British Empire was a force for good in some cases.

 

[redoubtable seagull]

Expect those who can afford it will be moving themselves, their wealth and assets out of HK. Probably already happening. The UK (well London, most likely) will be a beneficiary from the exodus.

 

[dejavuatbtn]

Any chance the populous had of maintaining the status quo have gone out of the window. The protesters have, I fear, over-dealt their hand - this will not end well. China will send the boys in and take charge of this. It won’t be pretty.

 

[middletoenail]

Expect those who can afford it will be moving themselves, their wealth and assets out of HK. Probably already happening. The UK (well London, most likely) will be a beneficiary from the exodus.

I know very few people in Hong Kong that want to move to the UK. The low salaries and high taxes have always been one reason, but the whole B topic has compounded things.

 

[redoubtable seagull]

I know very few people in Hong Kong that want to move to the UK. The low salaries and high taxes have always been one reason, but the whole B topic has compounded things.

I’m alluding to people in the wealthy bracket. Property in London being one avenue. Despite brexit, London will still be seen as a safe haven financially. Although the C topic (!) might compound things, if he gets in.

 

[dazzer6666]

Speaking about it on a daily basis due to work impact. I’ve had a couple of HK staff resign already as a result (one because she is very worried that one of her kids is involved in the protests, so she’s dragging him to Australia to finish his studies)

Many expats are looking for their exit routes (they are arguably the luckier ones - if you’ve got a mortgage of half a million quid on a teeny flat the size of a garage at 20x your annual salary like a large number of locals it’s not so easy). Most of our staff were ordered to work from home this week (especially if reliant on public transport, which is the vast majority)

Locals mostly expect the Chinese to crackdown at some point - and that will be brutal obviously. Sympathy with the protesters is wearing quite thin now.

 

[Justice]

We have no idea how to protest in the UK, the French get taught at a young age how to protest which is quite surreal. UK citizens are fairies in the art of protesting, Brexit would of been done and dusted if the people had managed to shut London down for a couple of weeks.

 

[nicko31]

Expect those who can afford it will be moving themselves, their wealth and assets out of HK. Probably already happening. The UK (well London, most likely) will be a beneficiary from the exodus.

Should offset the £1 Trillon flight of capital since June 2016..