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Toast3512 karma

In theory, ideally yes, but in practice I don't think anyone has any realistic hope of that happening. The UK grows farther away by the day.

My father worked for the HK colonial government back in the day, and he is actually more anti-British than the generation today. The struggle for his youth was to move the British out and earn respect for Hong Kong Chinese. He can't really process well that the dream they fought for has turned out to be just another system of domination (Self rule was not really full self rule, aside from the first few years after 1997).

Back when the British were here, the dream for him was always to get them out and bring Democracy for the Chinese majority in HK.

The British, after many years, started going in the right direction only after there was hardly any time left, and was quickly replaced with what we have today.

Any assistance from the UK would be welcomed, but I think most people realistically understand that a real solution will have to come from within. (Not a ton of hope honestly).

Toast3512 karma

Probably some rationalization that they're "only" shooting rubber bullets and a narrow-minded focus on their own jobs.

It is hard to stomach though, HK police were actually really well respected in the past for their professionalism, but their role in the crackdowns these past years has made things so much more muddy.

Toast3511 karma

The local police are willing enough to fire tear gas and rubber bullets without any mainland agents doing it for them.

It doesn't make things much better, but the front line cops are still mostly Hong Kong people. What is most important is who the orders are coming from, which is the problem.

Toast3511 karma

They're Hong Kong police. The mainland police aren't actually allowed in Hong Kong (yet - and also aside from the West Kowloon Chinese customs area now), but the local police have no qualms about tear gas or rubber bullets.

Edit: Mainland police not allowed to act overtly and officially, but everyone knows the rumors.

Toast3511 karma

Local police. If there were mainland security forces doing the crackdown, things would be even scarier - not that this is any better.