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| Judge Dredd |
The occupation of Central was formally launched soon after midnight, immediately after the students were nabbed for trespassing. Then people started gathering on Harcourt Road yesterday afternoon, and numbers had reached 30,000 by early evening. Overnight, stunned news media and citizen journalists have posted hundreds of videos and photos of police actions, including police firing tear gas multiple times. There have also been inspirational reports of some people over 70 years of age who joined in to support students and to protect the younger generation.
Firing tear gas to disperse a mob is one thing, but it's a crying shame (pun intended) that the world has been inundated with shameful images of police indiscriminately firing canisters into the crowds when there was no real signs of violence. Ditto the green-uniformed riot police walking around waving long weapons at demonstrators. In fact, many volleys of tear gas were launched in the course of the evening, canisters landed amongst people who were standing there with both their arms raised (as in surrendering). It's hardly suicide by cop. We are not told what the weapons are primed with. To be threatened with the use of baton rounds for not dispersing, when there is no risk to life or limb, is irresponsible, high-risk and provocative policing.
IPolice officers are same as the rest of us. They are also HK citizens, have family members who worry about them, and also have fears for their own safety while they work. But the heavy-handed policing authorised by their Führer – tear gas fired indiscriminately and without sufficient provocation only two hours after the gathering had started – has polarised Hong Kong society, tearing families apart in some cases. And I find myself regretfully on the "opposite side" with dear friends I grew up with – it's purely in rhetorical terms at the moment, although if this carries on, whether the polarisation can stay purely on rhetorical terms remains to be seen. It is without a doubt that many of these officers have friends and relatives among the demonstrators. It HAS TO BE about "reasonable force", not the sledgehammer policing that is all to common in the PRC. I very much hope that, they will exercise maximise restraint and not merely pay lip service to it. Specifically, I hope that if receive instructions to use unreasonable force, they will stand up and refuse to carry it out.
Which brings me to the loutish and disgraceful acts caught on film. This video shows how one man was tapped on the shoulder by a cop to get his attention, and then sprayed liberally with mace at point blank range when he turned to face the officer. Another citizen's video shows wanton brutality on the sidelines of the demonstration. Then there is the menacing photo at the top of this page. These instances are clearly unacceptable.
And I don't know if this Facebook page is real or not, but I suspect if the protesters could identify "Sam Wong" opposite them in the field, he/she wouldn't last five minutes. Police chief Andy Tsang needs to stop such incitement. Police actions, some specifically authorised, may already have gone too far. Tsang must come out publicly to condemn such acts, to placate the angry demonstrators, if there is to be any de-escalation. The problem now is that hatred of the police is now a common sentiment. The protests have become spontaneous, flash mobs capable of forming in minutes. By Benny Tai's admission, the protesters are no longer under anyone or any group's control. The police clampdown contributed to the out-of-control spiral by confiscating organisers' PA system, thus denying them of the means of communicating with the protesters on site.There is no longer a playbook. There is no telling how will it all end?
一夜之間，新聞媒體和公民記者發布了數以百計段有關警方行動的影片和照片，包括警察多次噴胡椒和發射催淚彈。幸好也出現了一些勵志的報告： 有些超過70歲長者來支持學生和表明關心年輕一代的。發放催淚彈驅散暴徒是一回事，但聚會開始2小時這樣對和平示威者是前所未見的骯髒的戰術，奇恥大辱。互聯網和全世界的報紙已經看到某些可恥圖片，顯示警察在人群中亂射催淚彈對付無使用暴力的人。事實上，許多催淚罐降落在人群中，他們雙手提高像投降。穿著綠色制服的防暴警察拿著長槍四處走（槍用什麼「軟件」還不清楚）指向示威者，壓力過高。
警員同我們一般人一樣。 警察先生女士都係香港市民。他們有擔心他們的家庭成員，也當然會擔心自己工作上的安全。警方使用重手的方法抑制學生和手無寸鐵的市民把香港社會兩極化，大眾意見的分離。我支持香港警察，我支持香港核心價值，包括言論自由和法治社會 。
警方不可以用超過「適當」武力，千萬不要學中國共產黨政府攬權執法，利用公安，連中國的基本法也不遵守，亂打老百姓。我希望警察先生女士如果收到曾sir任何不合理的命令，要站起來說「不」。
睇倒呢條电影片段使我很生氣。這個人只是企係道另一個人講，警員拍拍他的肩膀並沒有做成明顯的威脅友，好明顯無用暴力，都無端端被警察當臉噴胡椒，就知道問題多大。然而，另一個市民被警察拉到一邊質問時推到地肯定是過度使用武力。標題下照片來勢洶洶的警員也有問題。 另外有一個名「Sam Wong」的「警察」因為沒有示威者死亡表示失望。這完全不可接受。曾sir必須立即譴責這行為，向相關的市民道歉，降低溫度。現在市民對警察的仇恨越來越深，市民對警察的信任是越來越低 。戴耀廷承認示威已成為自動化。此外，示威者們現在已不再受任何人或任何團體的控制。現在已沒有劇本，沒有人知道未來發展會怎麼樣。
香港係好特別的：警察可以隨便係路上截低任何人，查問身分證，盤問一大餐。係美國，歐洲，警察係沒有權咁樣做。他們必須要有“probable cause”現可以做。
See also:
*Hong Kong Pro-Democracy Protesters Clash With Police In Surreal Scenes The Huffington Post (UK) 28 September 2014
*不執行上級命令是有罪的，但是打不準是無罪的. VJ Media