[Hong Kong is just a city state, a small patch of territory. Regardless of the fact that it is a major global hub of financial activities and that's why it is so important to the mainland China. The instinctive impulse of the starkly authoritarian Chinese regime would be to just squash the huge peaceful protest movement run by the unarmed students for enhanced and assured democracy. But then, in the days of widespread hi-tech networking, to an extent capable of bypassing the most stringent gag systems, it may evoke intense and widespread outrage and the virus may spread to the mainland itself and tap into the huge reservoir of suppressed grievances. That's the real and much greater danger. That's precisely why reenacting another Tiananmen Square is not any easy option. Conversely, being seen as weak and vulnerable by conceding the demands, even if only partially, runs the danger of triggering unforeseeable ripple effects.]
I/II. http://www.slate.com/articles/news_and_politics/foreigners/2014/10/occupy_central_s_polite_protesters_the_hong_kong_demonstrators_are_disciplined.html The World's Politest ProtestersThe Occupy Central demonstrators are courteous. That's actually what makes them so dangerous. By Srdja Popovic <http://www.slate.com/authors.srdja_popovic.html> and Tori Porell <http://www.slate.com/authors.tori_porell.html> Hong Kong student protesters help recycle garbage during a quiet moment at the protest site on Oct. 1, 2014, in Hong Kong. The protest movement that has sprung to life in Hong Kong now represents the most serious challenge to Beijing's authority since the Tiananmen protests of 1989. Beijing is obviously worried: Earlier this week it banned the photo-sharing site Instagram <http://www.foreignpolicy.com/articles/2014/09/28/china_hong_kong_protests_instagram_block> and ramped up censorship on the popular Chinese social media site Sina Weibo to unprecedented levels. But while the threat to Beijing's power is real, the danger isn't evident on Hong Kong streets: Rather than presenting scenes of smashed shops or violent confrontations with the police--the sort of images we have grown accustomed to in Cairo, Ukraine, and other sites of popular protests against oppressive regimes--the photos from central Hong Kong show smiling students sitting around doing their homework, passing out donations of food, and meticulously picking up litter <http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/asia/hong-kong-protests-demonstrators-clean-up-and-recycle-after-night-of-clashes-with-police-9761598.html>--even sorting out the recyclables. What, then, is different about these Hong Kong demonstrators? And how might their almost exaggerated politeness help them against the notoriously severe Chinese Communist Party? These aren't just idealists; these are savvy political operators who understand successful nonviolent resistance. The answers to these questions can be found in the appropriately titled "Manual of Disobedience <http://oclp.hk/index.php?route=occupy/eng_detail&eng_id=28>." Published online several days before the Occupy Central campaign was set to begin, the document (written in Chinese and English) is part how-to guide and part philosophical mission statement. It details the movement's tactics, the rules for nonviolent protest, the legal codes that may be violated, and the exact procedure to follow should someone be arrested. It also implores protesters to "avoid physical confrontation, but also to avoid developing hatred in [their] heart," and explains that the protests must be a model of the values that they are striving to see in their society, namely "equality, tolerance, love, and care." The protesters understand that these values will not only help win over sympathizers, but lay bare the illegitimacy of the regime if it moves against them with excessive force. These aren't youthful idealists; these are savvy political operators who understand the secrets of successful nonviolent resistance. Advertisement The proof of this fact is playing out in the streets of Hong Kong right now. After the protesters' first attempt to block the financial district was met with volleys of teargas from riot police <http://www.scmp.com/article/1603093/protesters-prepare-clashes-occupy-central-gets-underway>, the people in the street did not fight back, leaving society shocked and emboldened by the authorities' outrageous use of force. The next day, thousands more people turned up with signs supporting the students, condemning police tactics, and calling for the resignation of Hong Kong leader C.Y. Leung. Although it may seem obvious that a protest movement must win popular support to combat oppression, it is no easy feat, and something we have seen movements in dozens of countries <http://www.amazon.com/dp/0812995309/?tag=slatmaga-20> fail to accomplish. The staunch adherence to nonviolence Occupy Central has demonstrated takes preparation, training, and discipline--a combination that's very rare for many movements. Most of the time, organizers aren't prepared to handle the crowds that surge into the streets, and with no way to maintain calm and cohesion, too many movements have been derailed by a few thrown rocks or smashed storefronts. Governments seize on the smallest acts of disorder or violence as excuses to crack down. However, Occupy Central's organizers seem to have come prepared. By issuing the manual and attempting to train their activists, they have maintained a united front and warded off the pitfalls that plague too many social movements. Top Comment I don't feel amused at watching polite people engage in civil disobedience. I feel hopeful. I hope they live long and prosper while having freedom and nice things. More... -John Banister 152 Comments <http://www.slate.com/articles/news_and_politics/foreigners/2014/10/occupy_central_s_polite_protesters_the_hong_kong_demonstrators_are_disciplined.html#comments> Join In <http://www.slate.com/articles/news_and_politics/foreigners/2014/10/occupy_central_s_polite_protesters_the_hong_kong_demonstrators_are_disciplined.html#comments> No one has a crystal ball for knowing what Beijing will do next. Right now the government appears to be set to try to wait the protesters out, hoping that their presence and the disruption of daily life will eventually alienate the movement from wider society. However, Occupy Central has positioned itself well, almost no matter the outcome. If, as many people fear, mainland authorities crack down Tiananmen-style, the training and the discipline the protesters have displayed will serve them well, galvanizing support and isolating the Chinese authorities. On the other hand, if Beijing realizes the dilemma it faces, it will have no choice but to negotiate with Hong Kong's protest leaders, a show of weakness that may ultimately inspire more yearning for democracy and even further protests. For now, while it is amusing to watch the most polite protesters in the world keeping up with their schoolwork and keeping the streets clean, their politeness actually demonstrates why they have become such a powerful force to reckon with. Srdja Popovic is the co-founder and executive director of CANVAS <http://www.canvasopedia.org/>, and the author of the forthcoming *Blueprint for Revolution* <http://www.amazon.com/dp/0812995309/?tag=slatmaga-20>. Tori Porell is a program officer at CANVAS. II. http://mashable.com/2014/10/03/anti-hong-kong-protestors/ Hong Kong Protests Turn Violent as Anti-Occupy Mobs Swarm the Scene Image: Amanda Mustard/Mashable By Jenni Ryall4 hours ago <http://mashable.com/people/jenni-ryall/> HONG KONG -- Scenes heated up on Friday in Mong Kok, an area in the Hong Kong district of Kowloon West, as large groups of locals and anti-Occupy Central supporters tried to take back the streets. On Nathan Road, the main road in Kowloon, a small group of protesters huddled under a blue and white canopy in the middle of the intense scenes. Anti-Occupy supporters acted aggressively and charged towards the peaceful protesters; brawls broke out in the first incidents of crowd violence seen in the past week of the Occupy movement. Men claiming to be locals said they were sick of the Occupy movement disrupting Kowloon and not allowing them to get to work. Below, footage from a local news site shows what looks to be tents and portable gazebos being dismantled in Mong Kok. Some student protesters, who could not stand the violence, were eventually escorted out by police as the crowds cheered. Others sat in tears, while many remained defiant. At 7 p.m. local time on Friday, a large group of Occupy supporters pushed to the center to offer backup, bringing with them supplies of bread rolls and water. Police put a cordon between the two groups of pro-democracy supporters to segregate the crowd. People looked into the huge, uncontrolled demonstrations from atop the train station entries, poles and traffic lights. By later in the evening, the aggressors had been pushed out by protesters, and the mood had turned back to a more peaceful demonstration, with protesters offering police umbrellas for cover and applauding them for their work. Police remained calm and did little to assist either side. They said in a press conference on Friday night that the lack of action was due to the fact they had not witnessed anything worth intervening in. "I'm confident police officers were not noticing any citizens in danger (at Mong Kok)," police said. Protesters at the scene told *Mashable* they believed it was hypocritical the lack of police action compared to Sunday, when unarmed students were tear gassed by police. According to photographer Amanda Mustard, who documented the scene in Mongkok for *Mashable*, "Anti-Occupy folk against the uprising in Hong Kong box in protestors into a tent in an intersection. Pockets keep trying to charge towards the now small center of demonstrators." Protesters welcomed an overnight offer by Leung Chun-ying, Hong Kong's leader, to defuse the crisis over demonstrations seeking democratic reforms, though they continued to demand he resign and maintained barricades around government headquarters, frustrating staff going to work. The Hong Kong government issued a statement on Friday in response to the protests in the streets. As a large number of people opposing the "Occupy Central" movement are surrounding dozens of supporters of the "Occupy Central" movement, resulting in chaotic scenes, the Government this evening (October 3) urged both sides to stay calm. People in support of the "Occupy Central" movement, for the sake of their own safety, are also urged to act on the Police's advice and to leave as soon as possible with the Police's protection. People opposing the "Occupy Central" movement are also urged to co-operate. The Government called on organisers of the "Occupy Central" movement and other supportive organisations involved to persuade protesters who are still gathering at various locations on Hong Kong Island and in Kowloon to disperse as soon as possible. The performance of the police officers at the scene demonstrates that the pPlice have not held, and will not hold in future, a political stance or motive in enforcement actions in regard to the "Occupy Central" movement and other incidents. *The Associated Press contributed to this report.* *Have something to add to this story? Share it in the comments.* -- Peace Is Doable -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Green Youth Movement" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to [email protected]. To post to this group, send an email to [email protected]. Visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/greenyouth. For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/d/optout.
