[Closed] Hong Kong

I've got a team there in Mongkok - so far they report no material damage, and no police on the streets at all

The authorities have left them nothing to push against - no one to complain at

Still making them work from home over the next few days....subject to holidays.....

I hope it stays peaceful..

This is pretty remarkable. Watching with considerable interest, and not a little concern. I like Hong Kong very much.

I just don't see this ending well what with money and power involved.

China won't allow any kind of spring revolution . They may give youngsters a bit of time and listen to ... however if crowd oversteps it, they will be wacked hard back to their place.

Don't think it's a clever step to destabilise China, as all these movements will prompt to counter steps being taken .

We live here and it's actually quite exciting to feel part of it, although I can't see China tolerating it for much longer. The disruption has already caused the cancelation of the China National Day fireworks on Wednesday, and has put a lot of mainland Chinese tourists off visiting Hong Kong during the traditionally very lucrative 'Golden Week' holiday. It is the first time that China has felt the need or had the opportunity to stamp its authority on Hong Kong since the handover and things will continue to heat up ahead of 2017.

Such a positive, good natured and almost naive protest (there is no way it will succeed), but very disruptive to everyday life which will be tricky to maintain support for before long. Right now most Honkies are supportive, but that support won't last if it continues to take everybody 3 hours to get to work.

My local MTR station (underground), had a sign up this morning attached to the barricades blocking the entrance saying 'Join the Umbrella Revolution (sorry for the disruption)'. Gotta love any protest that combats tear gas, rubber bullets and riot gear with a Hello Kitty brolly!

This is a great story about how the protestors are bypassing official attempts to limit communication.

[url= http://www.bbc.com/news/blogs-trending-29411159 ]http://www.bbc.com/news/blogs-trending-29411159[/url]

Short of an EMP I can't see the authorities stopping people organising via mobile phone.

Was a bit weird going to work this morning with roads closed, barricades up and riot police hovering around (I work in the middle of the business district). Will post up some pics when I get off the tablet, also, there seems to be a mix of feedback from local friends and family, strange and interesting times indeed.

I too have spent a lot of time in HK and there where many who thought this might happen not too long after 1997. What's extra-ordinary is that they are asking for such a minor democratic change yet the government has resisted to the point of these demonstrations.

I heard an interesting viewpoint today that said many of those in the road where there to get a selfie for their facebook profiles.

CFH Beijing have a track record of resolving things anything but peacefully. The government responce has been tear gas, pepper spray and cancelling a planned review of the protestors demands. I doubt this will persist for too long, I can see Beijing offering a pretty stern response including relocating more businesses away from HK to Shanghi. HKers care more about their pockets than whether they get to vote for the head guy.

Valid points, jambalaya. Especially the one about selfies, sadly!

There's an interesting split, with many younger HKers vehemently stating that they're not Chinese. In fact, the level of vitriol I heard from some fresh grads I hired was pretty scary, spitting out the word 'mainlanders'.

+1 Jambalaya
Being married to a local and working amongst them I have to say there is a very high level of animosity for the mainlanders who, to be fair, don't really help themselves with their behaviour when in Hong Kong.
Hong Kong people just don't see themselves as Chinese, and I think the recent change of them now being the poor relations over the recent 8-10 years has hit them hard.
There are multiple other issues at play as well, probably better written above than I can manage, including the ridiculous property market, which need to be addressed.
Near my office yesterday, expecting more of the same today:
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Bit of a poor pic but that is looking down to roughly in front of the government buildings in Admiralty.
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