If We Burn - READ.Pdf

If we burn, you burn with us. with burn you burn, If we 起你如被和果 1 – 10 Out of Control— 燒我我 Hong Kong’s Rebellious Movement and the Left 們們一被 11 – 28 “Saam Baa” in 燒 Hong Kong—Three Strikes Paralyze the City 19 – 35 The Longest Day: Housewives, Students, and Protesters in the Besieged PolyU A protestor wears a mask despite a ban on masks. Thousands of others did as well. 1 Out of Control 9 - 10 - 19 RALF RUCKUS Out of Control—Hong Kong’s Rebellious Movement and the Left This article is the result of recent Massive demonstrations, rallies, violent clashes, discussions with protesters and left- tear gas and water cannons, burning barricades, wing activists in Hong Kong. It gives attacks on police stations, blockades of streets a short overview of the escalated and subway lines, strikes, and more—these are confrontation and argues that the broad the dramatic forms of the current mass movement ignorance of the global left is a mistake. in Hong Kong. It expanded in June 2019 in reac- Despite its limitations, the movement tion to a planned extradition bill which would have constitutes a major challenge for the allowed handing over alleged criminals to main- right-wing regime of China’s Communist land China’s repressive forces. Until September, Party (CCP) and could be the prelude the movement has escalated into the most seri- for more struggles against the capitalist ous social confrontation in Hong Kong since the relations in Hong Kong, the People’s riots against British colonial rule in 1967. And, as Republic of China, and elsewhere. Hong Kong has been a semi-autonomous part of China with certain ‘democratic freedoms’ since the city was handed over by Britain to China in 1997, the escalation of the conflict also constitutes a serious challenge for the CCP regime. 2 If We Burn, You Burn With Us Western politicians (and mainstream media crit- tation between the protest movement and the ical of the CCP) describe the movement simply governments in Hong Kong and China constitutes as one “for democracy and freedom”—and even an important historical rupture. A look at the dif- ignore its violent tactics or call it simply a reaction ferent phases of the movement’s development to police violence. They see China’s global expan- reveals that it a) has come up with radical forms sion politics as a threat to their own economic and of movement and struggle, b) has broken the ex- political interests and want to use this chance to isting social consensus on the relation of Hong weaken China’s position and influence. The West- Kong’s population, government and police, and c) ern liberal and institutional left repeats the “de- threatens to destroy Hong Kong’s role for China’s mocracy and freedom” hymn in the same way it (and global) capitalism. usually defends the interests of national capitalist regimes using human rights arguments. That a The outcome of the confrontation is still open, part of the orthodox left has expressed support but the anti-capitalist left should thoroughly ana- for the position of the CCP regime, instead, is also lyze the development and support those currents no surprise considering its outdated ‘anti-imperi- within the movement that have a progressive po- alist’ reflexes and lack of understanding of the tential.rounds, and other weapons. Many citizens capitalist nature of the CCP. and protesters who had originally intended on leaving were driven back to the campus grounds. The important question is why the anti-capitalist left has been largely silent and inactive regard- Mrs. Lee was sweating profusely as she stepped ing the escalation of the conflict in Hong Kong. out of a kitchen at PolyU, clothes soiled by gravy. Is it being blinded by the mainstream reporting She and a few middle-aged people had seen the and does not want to support a mere ‘democracy’ news earlier about the “Cafe Resistance” on cam- movement? Is it believing the claims of orthodox pus and volunteered to help that afternoon. leftists that China is still ‘socialist’? Is it deterred by the nationalist and racist discourses or re- “We’re not here to protest, we’re not rioters, we quests for help from the U. S. government of parts are just here to wash some vegetables, do some of the Hong Kong movement? Or is Hong Kong— cooking, and do the dishes,” said Mrs. Lee. But which has no long history of bigger and explicitly by the time they finished busying themselves, the left-wing political movements—simply outside the campus had already been blockaded. “We heard radar of the anti-capitalist left and ‘too far away’ that a group of people were arrested and charged to even bother? with rioting right after they left the campus. Of course we were scared. It had become impossible The point to be made is that the current confron- to leave.” 3 Out of Control PHASES 3) the release of arrested protesters and the drop The movement in Hong Kong makes use of the of charges against them, 4) an independent inqui- experiences of previous mobilizations since the ry into police violence, and 5) the implementation handover in 1997, namely the Umbrella Move- of genuine universal suffrage (sometimes also ment in 2014 when tens of thousands demanded the resignation of Hong Kong government leader “free elections” in Hong Kong from China’s regime Carrie Lam). The second phase ended on July 1, and occupied a large space outside Hong Kong’s when during a large demonstration hundreds of parliament for several weeks—before they were militants broke into the parliament building and pushed aside without having reached their goal. ransacked it. The first phase of the current mobilization be- In the third phase, the movement decided to gan in February 2019 with the Hong Kong gov- spread to other city areas. These actions were ernment’s announcement of the extradition bill. meant to take the protests to other parts of the A public outcry and several peaceful demonstra- Hong Kong population but also to outreach to tions followed. mainland visitors and immigrants to explain the movement’s demands. They drew smaller num- As the government did not stop the proceedings bers as before until the situation changed again to introduce the bill, a second phase started on on July 21, when hundreds of men in ‘white shirts’ June 9. Several mass demonstrations with up from local (pro-CCP) triads attacked and injured to two million participants in the center of Hong homecoming protesters in a suburban subway Kong—surprising if we consider a city population station. The obvious collaboration of police and of just 7.5 million—were followed by major clashes triads during the attack led to public outrage.[9] with the police using tear gas, rubber bullets, and The police itself became the focus of anger and bean-bag rounds against demonstrators building hatred of large parts of the Hong Kong popula- barricades and throwing objects at the charging tion, and a spiral of increasingly violent action and police forces. The Hong Kong government sus- counter-action began. Surprisingly, the violent pended the bill on June 15, but without withdraw- attacks by protesters on the police have so far ing it. By then, the Hong Kong government had been supported (or, at least, tolerated) by the big- already lost all the trust of large parts of the Hong ger part of the movement as it became obvious Kong population. that the government hardly reacted to ‘peaceful’ demonstrations. The movement formulated five demands: 1) the complete withdrawal of the extradition bill, 2) the The protesters further changed tactics using withdrawal of the ‘riot’ charge against protesters, ‘flash mob’-like actions by blocking roads, setting 4 Another trashed MTA station. The stations have seen a wave of vandalism after they had worked with police to stop trains. 5 Out of Control up barricades, etc. in one part of city, then using tal baton attacks, and recently started to employ the subway to move to other parts to do the same water cannons. The protesters have used Molo- there, always trying to be ahead of the police—a tov cocktails, set fire to barricades, ransacked tactic self-described as “be water” (referring to a subway stations, and blocked train services and Bruce Lee quote). Meanwhile, the police upgrad- roads to the airport. On September 2, university ed its equipment and tactics, with more protec- and high-school students returned to school after tive gear, new weaponry, undercover cops posing the summer break and started strike actions. On as protesters, and more flexible and aggressive September 4, Carrie Lam actually fulfilled the first attacks. The height of this phase was August 5, demand and withdrew the extradition bill,but so when a strike call was followed by hundreds of far that has not stopped further clashes. thousands, the subway was brought to a halt, and mass demonstrations including coordinat- Why did the movement escalate from peaceful ed attacks on several police stations took place. marches to bring down a bill to a massive and Then the demonstrators shifted their attention to partially violent movement that targets the po- the airport, a central and economically important lice, the position of the Hong Kong government, traffic hub not just for the city but for the whole and the influence of the CCP regime? When region. It was partially shut down on August 12 Britain and China agreed on the handover and and 13.

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