Scenes from earlier tonight in Hong Kong. Police try to clear Nathan Rd, then are forced to retreat, harassing people as they leave. At the end of the video, they get very cranky when a water bottle is thrown at them. Crowd is chanting "reclaim Hong Kong /revolution of our times"pic.twitter.com/f1j4nJLJHU
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Here we see the quintessential Hong Kong police experience right before that retreat—surrounded by a crowd of civilians calling them gangsters.pic.twitter.com/UQoiSFlGMz
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Here is a good example of how the press serves as a kind of barrier and lubricating layer between police and civilians. Journalists have learned the cops (mostly) won't touch them and swarm over everything, in some cases preventing conflict, in others worsening itpic.twitter.com/JcUtpmDAFr
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The crowd eventually chased the police into this rec center, where they then taunted them with high pitched yippy barking sounds (since dog is the rude word for cop). This used to be the most respected police force in Asiapic.twitter.com/CAsgoqlwwv
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With the police neutralized, the crowd could resume its laser attack on Mong Kok police station, right by the Prince Edward subway station that has become a memorial to victims of police violencepic.twitter.com/kqDnZs0gy2
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So that is the state of play between police and protesters in Hong Kong. They sweep up and down roads, then retreat. They also inflict some horrific injuries on people when they're not outnumbered. The Hong Kong police is rudderless, stressed, and at war with its own population.
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I have very mixed feelings filming this stuff, because I know the cops won't touch me, while HK people around me are putting themselves at risk. But I think it's important to show what is happening. These are citizens, ignored by their own government, attacked by their own police
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Not pictured in these clips (because I don't want to violate privacy) is the large number of elderly people, and people with small children, in this bustling part of Kowloon on a Saturday night. Lots of families scrambling to find safe paths home without running into riot cops
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Unanswerable questions about police tactics I have: 1) why aren't they bringing out their fancy water cannon anymore? 2) why aren't they coming out in force anymore, like they did on earlier occasions? 3) why are they so loath to make mass arrests? 4) who do they report to?
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Pinboard Retweeted Joanne Wong
This is how Hong Kong police act when they're not outnumbered by a crowd. This is why that crowd chants "gangsters"https://twitter.com/JOceanW/status/1170400825534861312?s=20 …
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Replying to @Pinboard0 replies 0 retweets 0 likesThanks. Twitter will use this to make your timeline better. UndoUndo
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