Twenty-five years ago, on a mildly warm summer evening in June, my parents gazed in front of the TV and tears streamed down their faces. The little naive 5-year-old wasn't bothered. She was kicking up a fuss for not being able to watch her fave soap. The screen was black, there were tankers and gun fires. She heard the news anchors, in their saddened voices, muttering something about a massacre in Beijing. That little oblivious girl was me.
Years went by, stories were told and heard. Some academics involved in 6-4 Tiananmen Sq protest are still on exile. During my schooling in Hong Kong, I was taught and raised with the value of democracy. I've always been proud of my little homeland - despite being a tiny dot on the atlas, it shines like a pearl in the Far East. I chose to live in London not because HK is like Syria. To me, it has always been a small town accommodating different voices and cultures, and prides itself on such dynamic vibe.
Yet, I'm outraged to see what is happening today. The pictures look so familiar but strange at the same time. I can't recognise nor associate with any of these. It's still a city which never sleeps, except it's being very restless tonight.
Why the need to suppress with violence? Did we not learn a lesson 25 years ago? I'm even embarrassed not being in town to support and be part of this. Shall we re-define democracy and human rights?
Please don't let history repeat and we don't need a bloodshed HK. Please also be a kind journalist and blogger - I've seen a lot of propaganda which is ominous. I beg you all support this protest with mercy and peace, and I urge the police rethink what sort of orders they're taking/ following.
*I should blog this in Chinese but please excuse my deteriorating writing skills*