Protesters' Action Attract Flak And Sympathy

People who passed by the Legislative Council complex on Tuesday gave a very mixed verdict to the storming of the council by masked protesters, running the gamut from condemnation to praise.

A man who gave his surname as Lau stopped by the damaged building to take photos of the smashed windows and defaced interior. He was firmly on the side of the protesters, telling RTHK’s Richard Pyne the only way out is for the government to listen to them and respond to their demands.

“They’re just students. They’re fighting for something that the adults like us are not willing to do. To me, they’re heroes. I hope Carrie Lam will do something,” he said.

Another man in his 30s, who did not want to divulge his name, said the violence was "ridiculous". He said these kind of actions wouldn't be allowed anywhere else in the world.

But Phoebe, who is in her twenties, said the protesters are “brave” and “know what they’re doing”.

“Of course some people may think it’s illegal to break into the property. But can they imagine … for some youngsters, they are not even in their twenties they want some action that can raise the government’s attention. The extradition bill is only a breaking point for youngsters,” she said.

Another young passerby, Rebecca, who's also in her twenties and took part in the peaceful July 1 march from Victoria Park, said understands the frustration of the protesters who stormed Legco even if she didn't take part herself.

“We’ve done everything with every single possible way we could think of to express to the government. So I would see that more like a breakdown of frustration, rather than a simple act of violence,” she said.

She said it's now time for the government to address the protesters' concerns, saying “I think people with the decision-making power should have the wisdom to control the crowd and their anger. If they really do care for the people, if the people are who they want to serve, they would want to do everything in their best interests".