Ken Kong - Rally Cry Summer of 2019
“ In the end, the only “weapon” a protestor truly has is their voice. They have tried chanting slogans, using both gentle and aggressive languages to point out the faults of those standing in front of them, while simultaneously expressing their dissatisfaction. However, [the police force] is equipped with various weapons and protective equipment, while using all sorts of methods to oppress the protestors.”
Only after July 21, 2019 have I started participating in this movement…
Before July 21st, I thought it was fine to be apolitical since I would not be personally affected. I did not understand why others were campaigning so hard until I saw the events of July 21st unfold on television. It was only then that I understood the severity of Hong Kong’s corruption. The Hong Kong Police Force, with all of its 30,000 officers, did not extend any help to Hong Kong citizens on July 21st...
What happened in Yuen Long [the district that suffered the attack on July 21st], could happen anywhere in Hong Kong.
By September 12th, this has evolved to schools granting special privileges to the children of the police force. When there is a dispute between the child of a police officer and other students, the parent could pressure the school by sanctioning the other students, even ordering the school principal to provide their personal details. This is absolutely frightening! Alas such has become a daily occurrence in Hong Kong…
Since July 21st, I started to walk amongst protestors on the streets to understand the reason behind all the efforts. I visited a Lennon wall, and tried to follow the protestors as a passer-by to see what they would do. In the end, the only “weapon” a protestor truly has is their voice. They have tried chanting slogans, using both gentle and aggressive languages to point out the faults of those standing in front of them, while simultaneously expressing their dissatisfaction. However, [the police force] is equipped with various weapons and protective equipment, while using all sorts of methods to oppress the protestors. They also started holding a daily press conference at 4pm to spread lies.
Some say that the protestors are too violent. While some may indeed use force, it’s not too excessive. On the contrary, the truly violent ones are the government and the police force. Otherwise, how could the events of August 11th and August 31st have happened?
In order to conceal their violent behaviour, the police have now positioned themselves as members of a privileged class, ensuring that they can excuse themselves from any responsibility. The sacrifices made by millions of citizens cannot be for naught. We cannot give up. We will not cease till our efforts bear fruit: five demands, not one less!
In the meantime, the police force has time and again sent undercover agents disguised as protestors to join the so-called “violent acts”. The police claimed that the goal of such an operation on August 11th was to arrest core members of the movement. However, with confirmation from multiple parties, we can say that there are no such core members. Over 2 million citizens took part in this movement. I very much believe that even a few hundred people would not be able to be “the core” of this movement, let alone a few.
Returning to the subject of undercover police — On August 31st, a foreign reporter captured a woman armed with a pistol on footage. She threw a molotov cocktail far more powerful than what was seen in previous protests. There was also footage of an undercover police officer arresting a protestor on the same day. Said officer wore very similar shoes as the aforementioned woman who threw the molotov cocktail. This officer also carried a gun.
There were a group of undercover police officers whose identities were unmasked in Victoria Park the same night. They took out all sorts of guns and shot passers-bys. Other videos also captured undercover police officers with flashing lights on their backs, throwing sophisticated molotov cocktails at reporters while disguised as protestors. I believe that these reports are not sheer fiction when so many different undercover police operations were filmed in one night.
Yet, to this day, the police are still framing our millions of citizens as rioters. We can hold accountable neither the acts of the undercover police, nor the violent behaviour of the frontline police -- everything from carelessly firing tear gas, shooting citizens at close proximity, to swinging batons onto secondary school students who had their hands raised and never resisted. All such heinous acts can never be properly investigated as the offending police officers cannot be identified -- they have covered their faces and hid their identification numbers.
The police have chased secondary school students out of their schools, claiming that they are fake students. At the same time, we have no way of knowing how many of these “violent protestors” are actually disguised undercover police officers, creating chaos to be blamed on peaceful protestors.
We will not give up the fight as long as the five demands are unfulfilled. We have sacrificed too much, not only the sweat and blood of our millions of citizens, but even the lives of a few.
I hope people around the globe will extend their sympathy and help us as we are very helpless indeed. Everything that has happened over these past few months was triggered by Carrie Lam, the Chief Executive of Hong Kong. We will never give up until the protestors are exonerated, the police are held accountable for their crimes, and dual universal suffrage is realized!
Five Demands!
Not One Less!
Please help us!
Fight for Freedom!
Stand with Hong Kong!
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Graphic: Orange Peel
Photo: Don