Rioters must pay price for violent acts
Hong Kong legislator Junius Ho was stabbed on Wednesday while campaigning in Tuen Mun. Fortunately, the attacker failed to achieve his goal of killing Ho. Three people, including Ho, sustained knife injuries.
The blatant assassination on a political figure in public created a despicable precedent in Hong Kong.
We strongly condemn the intended murder of politicians, call all walks of life in Hong Kong to jointly and sternly denounce the atrocity and support Hong Kong to punish the criminal according to law.
The assailant was arrested on the spot. Lawrence Ma, a barrister and chairman of the Hong Kong Legal Exchange Foundation, told the Global Times that based on the videos that showed the moment of the attack, the suspect could face a life sentence for
“attempted murder” as prescribed by the Offences against the Person Ordinance.
We also call on the Hong Kong judiciary to deal such vicious crime with an iron fist and avoid any verdict that might protect the suspect. Our concerns are understandable. Many people believe that the Hong Kong judiciary should have played a more powerful role in curbing violence and ending chaos – an urgent task for Hong Kong. The judiciary should ease people’s misgivings with concrete action.
Ho was elected a member of the Hong Kong Legislative Council in September 2016, with a solid stance of loving the country and Hong Kong. Since the anti-extradition bill protests, he has stood at the forefront in fighting violence and chaos, thus becoming a thorn in the eyes of radicals. The past few months have seen the graves of Ho’s parents vandalized, his office destroyed, and a honorary doctorate stripped by a British university. He has become the target of assassinations. These prove there are no hurdles in the escalating violence against him.
After failing to deter Ho by intimidation, mobs in Hong Kong stabbed him in public, with an attempt to intimidate other patriotic Hongkongers by creating an atmosphere of black horror. On China’s own land and in a place where the level of rule of law and civilization were highly regarded, political figures suffer violent attacks for loving the country and Hong Kong. This is abnormal and an indication of Hong Kong’s distorted social atmosphere.
Where is the civilization, rationality and rule of law of Hong Kong society? The escalating violent acts are vandalizing those merits of the city. It’s imperative to stop violence and end chaos. As
Ho’s campaign slogan goes, stability is beyond everything. Peace must be returned to Hong Kong.
Rioters are attempting to maintain their influence through violent, bloody and horrible acts. The ongoing unrest is ruining the modern genes of the city. Some Hongkongers continue to encourage and show empathy for violence due to their political stance. They are destroying their own future and that of their children.
In a statement following the attack, Ho said Hong Kong’s pro-establishment camp has been shrouded by threats from black terror and today is a “dark day” in Hong Kong's district council elections.
Under continuing violence, Ho is a hero. But he is not alone. A powerful motherland is standing behind him. All rioters must pay the price for their violent acts.