How did the "612" first-year social reconciliation unfold?

01 point of view

Written by: Review Editor

2020-06-12 17:30

The Admiralty conflict on June 12, 2019 was a key point in the anti-amendment turmoil, which brought Hong Kong's amendments to the "Fugitive Offenders Ordinance" into the whirlpool of law enforcement against the police force, and even the existence of "police violence". In this process, no one in Hong Kong society is a winner: officials expect new lows, the proportion of public sentiment issues rises, the business environment is affected, thousands of citizens face legal complaints, and young people lose their youth. After experiencing such a turbulence, the current mood in society is not as radical as it was last year, but it must also be extremely heavy. How to deal with the problems left over from the past and rebuild a peaceful future is the most pressing issue for Hong Kong people today.

The conflict in Admiralty on June 12 last year opened a debate about whether the demonstrations were rioting and whether the demonstrators were mobsters. Although most people in the society agree with the anti-amendment claims, they cannot deny that the demonstrations have become more and more radical and resorted to illegal and violent means. According to information from the Security Bureau, the number of people arrested at the end of May was close to 9,000. At present, 1,365 people have been prosecuted, and 556 of them have been charged with riots. Among the arrested persons, 3,286 reported to be students, accounting for about 41% of the total, and the proportion of minor arrests rose to 30%. Based on the special situation of this social riot, we pointed out earlier that the authorities can "sign conservative behavior" or "superintendent's warning", as well as ways for the chief executive to pardon or reduce the punishment, according to the different criminal background and the degree of participation of the arrested. The flexible arrangement of keeping the case handles young people with slight cases.

[1st Anniversary of the Fugitive Offenders Regulations] On June 12, 2019, the police threw tear gas at the public at various locations such as Longhe Road and Xia Ying Road; people often coughed from the scene, and tear gas was spread to the vicinity of Admiralty Center. Some people even needed to take asthma medicine. (Profile picture)

The superintendent's caution is worth applying

Police Commissioner Deng Bingqiang also said at the party's event on Saturday (6th) that he had previously issued information to the police districts, saying that if the circumstances of the arrested person permit, he may consider the superintendent's warning. In fact, according to data provided by the police in early June, 15 arrested teenagers have been released after receiving warning from the Superintendent of Police.

However, considering that the "Superintendent's Warning" mainly targets arrested persons under the age of 18, it may take into consideration the social impact and the particularity of the incident and relax the age appropriately. For example, on November 18 last year, many students were trapped in PolyU, causing widespread concern in society. Both citizens and school principals expressed their concern for PolyU students. It can be seen that how students are arrested is not related to repairing social trauma. Careful consideration should be given to the use of flexible persuasion methods such as "Superintendent's Warning" to the groups that should be covered in this social event.

[6.12] On June 12, the police fired several tear gas bombs on Xia Ying Dao. The smoke was densely spread outside the Chief Executive’s Office and the PLA Army Barracks. (Photo by Zeng Ziyang)

Society has to go out of the conflict

After a lapse of one year, some people may think that the frequency of large-scale conflicts is rare, and the Hong Kong version of the national security law or implementation is imminent, and society will return to peace. Some people will take advantage of the Hong Kong version of the National Security Law to actively intervene while ironing. However, this ignores the tear that has not yet healed. Hong Kong society has come to this day, and the theme of the demonstration is getting wider and wider. Behind it is the accumulated social emotions and tears. Therefore, it is unrealistic to rely on strict criminal law to cover all pressures, and it is more likely to stimulate more contradictions. Dredging social complaints and examining cases related to anti-amendment laws more intelligently are not just "giving birth after a chance", but also giving Hong Kong society a chance to reconcile.

In fact, how to deal with social conflicts and repair torn relationships is a thorny problem faced by many societies. Some places advocate the concept of "transitional justice", usually by investigating the truth, promoting reconciliation, etc., and promoting reconciliation from the aspects of history, justice, administration, and compensation. Many people in Hong Kong have insisted on independent investigations, which are actually similar concepts. In any case, we should look at the contradictions and conflicts over the past year with a higher and broader perspective. The illegal cases in anti-revision demonstrations are not only judicial cases, but also a backlog of social problems and emotions. We must not think that judicial prosecution can solve social problems. Whether it is social reconciliation or the settlement of deep-seated contradictions, the government and all walks of life must also do more.

Unsatisfied people, social instability and flexibility to deal with anti-amendment cases can help reconcile

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PolyU incident must end

01 depth

Anti-revision example demonstration independent investigation committee 01