'Silent Night' demands ring hollow despite persistent protester chorus: China Daily editorial

Although it is not yet known what the "bloody Christmas Day" promised by some radical demonstrators in Hong Kong will be, one thing is certain, the "Silent Night" anti-government gatherings in the city on Christmas Eve were anything but calm.

As darkness fell on Tuesday, the protests once again turned ugly. In shopping malls, where the demonstrators claimed they hoped to spread the message that they are fighting for "freedom" and "the city's future" to the shopping crowds, the message they delivered was once again simply vandalism and violence.

But thanks to the quick response of the police, the flames of violence in various spots were swiftly extinguished. This is the first unrest the special administrative region has experienced after several weeks of relative calm, and also the first provocation the anti-government forces have staged since the Chinese leader reiterated China's resolve to resist foreign interference in a speech marking the 20th anniversary of Macao's return to the motherland on Friday.

There is no sign of the protesters renouncing violence and they remain steadfast in their adherence to the so-called five demands. But the sporadic unrest this time indicates that after raging in the city for more than six months, the protests have become merely a pastime for some of the city's youths. As evidenced by some of the supplementary demands they have made in addition to the five, such as their chants for the airport to turn on the air-conditioning during their occupation in summer, and that they be left to lie in bed rather than block roads as planned one winter morning because it was too cold, 16 C to be precise.

Credit for the persistence of the rioters — comfortable temperatures permitting — should go to the backstage foreign forces, who have taken advantage of the protests against proposed amendments to the SAR's extradition bill to trigger an explosion of hormonal self-importance that the Western media are happy to misportray as political activism.

Ironically, enshrouding their actions in claims they are in noble pursuit of freedom, democracy and human rights, the protesters have sought to quell any dissenting voices through violent intimidation. Those daring to question their actions or the validity of their "five demands" are identified as enemies of the people, and face immediate threats to their safety. In this way the brainchild of a few is supposedly the issue of all.

Despite the protesters' claims to the contrary, it is not the principle of "one country, two systems" that should be held accountable for the difficulties Hong Kong faces, but the fact that the principle has not been well-implemented in Hong Kong. Its education has been particularly lacking in this regard.

Although low-intensity violence might continue into next year, those holding high the Stars and Stripes and the Union Jack will become increasingly lonely as more residents give them the cold shoulder perceiving their intention to pawn the city's future for their own indulgence.