Occupy Central 佔領中環

[Lu]

Did you read about Xi Jinping's meeting with the big HK tycoons a week ago? Among the attendants were Li Ka-shing and other billionaires. Rather cheeky of the tycoons.

On their part it doesn't look like a bad idea. Assure Beijing of their loyalty when many of their fellow Hongkongnese are protesting, to ensure that Beijing understands that it shouldn't be punishing businesses.

And it makes for possible propaganda. I was reading a usually useful Belgian news site the other day where someone argued that the silent majority was actually pro-China, pointing at those businessmen as proof.

[roddy]

Someone should give the silent majority a say in this. Perhaps though some kind of voting arrangement?

 

It's perhaps notable that you see the numbers of demonstrators given in the thousands and tens of thousands. That's plenty of folk, especially on a work day. But compare it to,eg, the July 1 March in 2003 when you got maybe half a million people out? 

[skylee]

I think this is good -> ‘Against My Fear, I See That You Hope’

[Shelley]

Yes that is good. A tear came to my eye.

[skylee]

Confrontation (possible) ...

HK Govt Press Release -

"Police warn protestors not to charge Police cordon lines

Protestors currently (October 2) gathering outside the Office of the Chief Executive (CEO) have already surrounded CEO and the Central Government Complex (CGC) and completely blocked Lung Wo Road, seriously paralysing the traffic there and in the vicinity. Police warn the protestors not to charge against CEO, CGC and the Police cordon lines there.

Police emphasise that that is unlawful behaviour. If they refuse to comply with Police advice and warnings,Police will take resolute enforcement actions."

 

Both Presidents of the HKU and CUHK are there and have asked the students to calm down.

 

PS - From RTHK -

 

"A police source has confirmed that a batch of plastic bullets and tear gas grenades has been moved into the Chief Executive's office at the government headquarters at Tamar. He said the police would take resolute action to enforce the law. He said the police would use appropriate force to deal with anyone who attempts to attack the police, and would not rule out the use of plastic bullets and tear gas.

This follows the Federation of Students' threat to occupy key government buildings if the Chief Executive C Y Leung does not resign by tonight."

[roddy]

SCMP has live updates. Hope things stay peaceful. I kind of wish the protestors would elect a leader. And preferably not a teenager...

[roddy]

Carrie Lam to meet with students. And he's not resigning, but we knew that. 

[geraldc]

CYLeung's daughter's Facebook page seems to be keeping people entertained today.

[skylee]

Mobs are more effective than the Police in dispersing the Occupy protestors. Throughout today organised mobs, some wearing masks, have been attacking the protestors in Causeway Bay and Mongkok, pulling down their tents. Those two occupied sites are much smaller than that in Central. Some protestors claimed that those attackers spoke in Mandarin. The heavy rain was not helpful either.

[skylee]

Again I am at Central outside the PLA barrack. On the flyover I can see that inside the barrack a basket ball game is going on. And they cheer and clap and yell. Many females cheering.

Well at least they are not disturbed by the occupation.

[geraldc]

This is like a courtroom drama, where the rentamob thug lets slip that he was actually paid to protest

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jOgGy-J37yY&feature=youtu.be

[skylee]

Indeed. Someone should give him an acting award. Thanks for posting it.

I took this photo at Tamar today.

[imron]

So will you be playing rentamob thug #1, when they make the courtroom drama teleseries?

[skylee]

Listen to the song 撐起雨傘 https://m.soundcloud.com/umbrella-revolution/wbtnw0qmjnqu

I just hope that people don't get too romantic about the whole thing.

PS - "林夕說：「你問我怕唔怕，我怕，因為我都係一個普通人。」不過，他認為，如果在此時此刻恐懼，將來就要面對「更大的恐懼」。"

Lyrics:

撐起雨傘

曲：pan

詞：pan/林夕

靜坐人海 你我非不怕

會畏懼這樣下去怎辦

但是人生 到了這一晚

更怕未表白內心呼喊

站在前方 勇氣驅不散

卻信越怕命運更黯淡

但是誰想 要看穿荒誕

卻會在催淚下睜開眼

一起舉傘 一起的撐

一起儘管不安卻不孤單 對嗎

一起舉傘 舉起手撐

一起為應得的放膽爭取 怕嗎

任暴雨下 志向未倒下

雨傘是一朵朵的花

不枯也不散

為着明天 要記得今晚

你我用鎮定面對憂患

若是人生 錯過這一晚

怕再沒機會任意呼喊

[geraldc]

There are extra roles available now!

http://hk.apple.nextmedia.com/enews/realtime/20141005/52981307

[crazy-meiguoren]

I agree with what one of the protestors (Tony Tsaing) had said: If Leung were to quit, they would replace him with another one who's exactly the same.

 

He's right.  Beijing is not going to appoint a replacement who is sympathetic to the Occupy Central side.

 

Meet the new boss, same as the old boss.

[Angelina]

What do you mean when you say the old boss, the British Empire?

 

It's all the same. 

[crazy-meiguoren]

Nope.  The new boss will be another Beijing-appointed leader who will look out more for the interests of the CCP instead of the people of Hong Kong.  If Leung resigns, the next person will also toe the party line.  The Occupy movement won't truly advance one bit towards its ultimate goal.

 

But it is a good question: are the people of Hong Kong faring better under mainland Chinese rule instead of British rule?  Before the 1996 handover, people who did not want to be under Communist rule were buying up properties overseas, sight unseen.  That may be a discussion worthy of its own thread.  I don't want to steer this thread off topic.

 

The central government is faced with a dilemma that can cause it to lose face either way.  If it cracks down on the Occupy movement, it is telling the world that Hong Kong is not as autonomous as it would like us to believe.  If it gives in to the demands, it is showing a sign of weakness.  When the government has its back to the wall and cannot ignore it any longer, it will more likely choose the former instead of the latter.  Giving up power is something that governments are loath to do.  Hopefully the protestors won't need Kevlar umbrellas.

 

I wonder if Skylee has any new information for us today.  Today's news is telling us that the ranks of the protestors are dwindling a bit, and some of their roadblocks are easing somewhat.  What's the inside story on this?

[roddy]

The old boss, when it came to the big stuff, was always China. Came across this in a Facebook discussion this morning - you can get away with just reading the images taken from the British National Archives. I certainly did. 

[Guest realmayo]

Somone mentioned something interesting recently: that the PRC would of course dearly dearly love to get Taiwan back peacefully and to do that they'd need -- at the very least -- to show that a one-country two-systems model can work. And the HK protests show Taiwan that, to some extent, it doesn't.