The Hong Kong government apparently is giving out wrong responses against the protesters instigating chaos across the city.
Protesters getting more violent
For over six months of protests in Hong Kong, protesters are getting more violent and aggressive towards the authorities.
Experts suggest that the Hong Kong government must find a new way or modify its approach in dealing with protesters. Police responses should rightfully adjust to the level of violence being shown by protesters.
An official recalled a similar incident during the World Trade Organization conference standoff in 2005. Out of 1000 or more activists arrested for instigating that protest, only 14 were charged, and none were convicted.
Some sectors are suggesting that Hong Kong police are reportedly way too soft in their approach, which might have caused protesters to be more confident in stirring up violence during rallies.
Hong Kong government’s response to city-wide protests
Over six months of protest, the Hong Kong government seems to get surprised over and over again by protesters, which results in social and economic chaos across the city.
The respected Hong Kong police force has always been a target of comparison to several bad images by the international media.
Even if the violence stops, the government will certainly have a very difficult task of winning back the trust of the community, due to the influence and branding brought by social media on the issue hitting Hong Kong right now.
Some experts believe that international media has greatly influenced the increase in violence during demonstrations. They fill in confidence in protesters to escalate their level of violence in instigating the police force to be more aggressive, which will lead to staining their image once again.
As the months progress, protesters grow more violent in their actions. More cases of assault and robberies have been recorded. What civilians fear right now is the involvement of weapons and explosives by the protesters.
Reeducation in getting objectives accomplished
The Hong Kong government needs to modify and introduce changes in their approach to control or eliminate the violence of the protesters. Perhaps, protesters also need reeducation in getting their objectives accomplished.
We have observed that the most effective protest movements have strategies for spreading their messages that are multifaceted and target different groups of people in different ways.
This is important as it involves numerous interest groups in a movement, all of which bring with them different resources, influences, and ideas. This diversity increases the likelihood of a movement sustaining momentum in the long term.
Supporting local agents of nonviolent change is critical to preventing violent conflict and advancing democratic development.
Civic campaigns are key drivers of social and political development, as is clear from issues-focused movements in Central and Eastern Europe, Latin America, and most recently the Middle East and North Africa.
Featured image by Reuters
