1. Twitter and Facebook have suspended numerous accounts that they say are tied to a Chinese disinformation campaign against pro-democracy protesters in Hong Kong. Twitter said Monday it suspended 936 accounts likely related to the activity. The company said the disinformation campaign was designed to “sow political discord in Hong Kong, including undermining the legitimacy and political protest movement on the ground.”.... 2. The two social media giants' allegation of a Beijing-backed disinformation campaign against the Hong Kong protesters has created the following false impressions: (a) All the Chinese on the mainland have become like robots incapable of free and individual thinking. Mind you, Chinese have been touring and studying overseas for many decades, and they know what's happening in other countries. For Chinese students who have studied overseas for several years, their minds have definitely undergone some changes without brain operations. (b) All Chinese have become apathetic to politics. If the US troops could march through the streets of Beijing one day, don't expect them to see thousands of Chinese lining by the sides of the streets, waving flags to welcome them as liberators. If not for the Chinese guards around the US Embassy, many Chinese will definitely like to go there to protest against Trump's anti-China campaign and throw rotten eggs at the through the window at the US ambassador. (c) Chinese have lost all sense of nationalism and patriotism. Please don't forget that even during the past few centuries of national tragedy when China seemed to have fallen forever into the bottom of the abyss, there was an upsurge of Chinese nationalism giving rise to many famous patriotic Chinese writers and intellectuals such as Lu Xun and Lin Yutang. 3. During the Mao era, many Chinese had fled across the Hong Kong border to seek refuge. As a result, many Hongkongers tend to despise the mainlanders, calling them "Ah Chan", a nickname for a mainland country bumpkin who had fled to Hong Kong in a famous old television drama. Even now, some Hongkongers still regard the mainlanders with disdain and hostility, accusing them of causing the rise in housing and food prices. Don't think the mainlanders are so blind and deaf to such disdain and hostility that they need the Chinese government to force them to slam the radical protesters in the social media. 4. Recently some radicals have hijacked the protest movement, turning it into something like a revolt or uprising in the past few weeks. Please refer to the excerpts from the following news reports: (a) Protesters have forced their way into the central chamber of Hong Kong's parliament after an hours-long siege. Dozens of demonstrators broke through the glass of the Legislative Council (LegCo) building earlier in the day. Hundreds then entered the building, spray-painting messages on the walls and carrying supplies for those occupying the premises.... Extensive damage was done to the building, with portraits of political leaders torn from the walls and furniture smashed. Inside the central legislative chamber, one protester sprayed black paint across the emblem of Hong Kong on the rear wall - while another raised the old British colonial flag.... Demonstrators blocked several roads nearby early using items like metal and plastic barriers.... A police statement condemned "illegal acts" by protesters who, it said, had taken iron poles and guard rails from nearby building sites. Thirteen police officers were taken to hospital after protesters threw an "unknown liquid" at them, police said. Some are reported to have suffered breathing difficulties as a result... (b) They set up roadblocks by umbrellas, wooden planks, bamboo sticks and railings; pried up pavement bricks, demolished roadside fences, damaged street signs and lampposts as well as attacked police officers at scene with lethal weapons such as bricks and sharpened iron rods. 5. The Hong Kong government should set up a museum for the exhibition of objects and photos that show the vandalism and violence of the radical protesters. By the way, some protesters had thrown bricks, eggs and flaming objects at police stations. Rubbish was set on fire outside at least one police station. P.S. Perhaps some skeptical journalists, together with the founders of the two social media giants, should dress up in police uniforms in order to mingle with the Hong Kong police during the violent protests. Unfortunately or fortunately, if they are hit on the head or chest each by a flying brick, they will have the honour of meeting God earlier than scheduled by Him.
