I mentioned yesterday that I had a chat with a green police officer yesterday, while trying to make my way home. Kept expecting him to shoo me away but we ended up talking for nearly 30 mins.
There were 8 of them in Supreme Court Gardens just standing around, no masks or helmets, smiling, relaxed. I approached and asked about the MTR situation then disarmed them by saying ‘hey, you seem like nice guys. They immediately said ‘We are!’
Then told me ‘don’t believe everything you read. The media are so biased!’ Not a great start but one of them, guy about 30, got into a deep conversation with me. I told him I was at 612, w peaceful protesters, and was tear gassed. I told him it hurt a lot and I had nightmares
He said sorry - sorry!- tried to explain their strategy. I told him French and US riot police investigated the footage and found mistakes. If police had admitted to mistakes we could have moved on. He claimed groups were organised even then.
We went back and forth very civilly from there, each trying to convince the other of our position. Main takeaways from our chat were that the police also feel they are being dehumanised — and it’s true, we’ve done that too. They hate that they are hated.
The officer also told me the police are not happy with the way govt are handling things. Also clear he hated the Pan-Dems, said if they hadn’t rejected earlier deals we wouldn’t be here (🔥 take). Hated Apple Daily too obvs.
Hating Apple Daily is one thing but he had a deep distrust of all media. I talked about how this is a problem the world over but that there is still truth. If we end up believing there are no good journalists, the whole world is in deep trouble.
Hmm what else..? The violence; he believes protesters are highly organised. I was like, come on, you don’t believe that CIA bs? He said no, not CIA, but implied a criminal level of organisation.
On police violence, he also said that we’re not seeing the whole picture (media bias again) and police were justified in their reactions.
He said they all want the violence to end though and interestingly added that if the protesters were non-violent and only asking for one thing - freedom (his word) - the police would be more supportive. Agreed with me that the one and two million marches were beautiful.
Just realised I’m tweeting all this while the police are currently storming a mall in Shatin. #timing
We then talked about how HK and China have very different values. Said my usual line that ultimately people don’t want a govt that puts a million+ people in concentration camps and harvests the organs of citizens. This was the only time he wobbled.
I asked him if he believed the huge amount of evidence about Xinjiang or organ harvesting. He said he did and genuinely seemed unsure of himself then. Said again protesters should just fight for autonomy. That would be better.
I also asked him the big one -
‘If you were ordered to shoot and kill Hong Kong people would you do it?’
Reply: won’t happen.
Me: it has happened in other countries. Sited Cambodia and Tiananmin Sq.
Reply: No, I wouldn’t do it.
‘If you were ordered to shoot and kill Hong Kong people would you do it?’
Reply: won’t happen.
Me: it has happened in other countries. Sited Cambodia and Tiananmin Sq.
Reply: No, I wouldn’t do it.
I started the conversation by saying they seemed nice guys and the truth is they probably are. I studied the Holocaust for my MA and genocide isn't committed by bad people. It is normal good people who were 'just following orders.'
While I've been tweeting this thread, this is what has been happening in Kowloon. It is so frustrating! How can we bridge this chasm between 'us' and 'them'?
The riot police are in Tai Koo Plaza now too, where I learned to ice skate as a kid.
