Have they taken up arms in the streets then?
I believe the answer to both questions is the same...no.
They haven't had guns yet but they've homemade weapon and tried to mass manufacturing them at underground arsenal, but it was busted. The arrested operator is a known drag queen and an active separatist.
And in the undergrad publications by the HKUSU last year, they've published several articles advocate separatism, and another book that's qualify as pseudo manifesto for separatism, up and including instigate "armed revolution" locally, plus other that's clearly wet dream ideas...saying those are wet dreams, but we need to remember "Mein Kampf" also wet dream, but look at what happen to Germany...
The reason I brought it up is that also those are not news as those have been reported last year, but those have been largely whitewashed over by the pro-insurgency media, and only now the CE threw it out in the open.
I've never heard of a group of political activists who don't institute armed rebellion and primarily use protest/political campaigning to try to get what they want described as "insurgents". Google "insurgent" and you'll see people with guns. I don't recall seeing the students marching down roads in Hong Kong waving AK-47s.
They want a change in government leadership and the ability to directly nominate their leaders. That's demanding political reform/change, which happens all over the world quite regularly. "Regime change" would be like demanding the system be changed to a one-party state or something.
I think it was more a question of saying to those in power - i.e. old people - "we are literally the future, so start listening to us". Young people are the future, and it is the case that the interests of young people around the world (especially in Asia) are routinely considered last, whilst priority is given to older people who've already had their time in the sun, have all the cash & assets and arguably don't need so much attention.
It's always a good idea to see other places, but shouldn't the national government be funding this? Hong Kong's budget isn't exactly bursting with spare cash. It would be peanuts to Beijing. (And if the central government is always complaining Hong Kongese don't "understand" China, perhaps they should do something about it.)
Also Beijing should ensure the reverse happens, with Chinese students seeing Hong Kong and learning what it's really like to live there. There's plenty of "Hong Kong has it so easy, stop whining" nonsense that floats around Chinese social media these days.
That shows how many of you don't really speak the language, or physically lives here. Unlike me, I've to listen to them lies for 2 years prior to this, then 79 days and nights of such anarchy, and after that witness all of them backtracking their pledge of completing the "civil disobedience" process with all sorts of excuses and so smug about it.
If you can read chinese, then you'd find their messages is so different from their English propaganda - they do demand a regime change, topple not just the local government but total independence from mainland China, and they to be in charge.
And when I said they told others to sod off, that was not just aimed at the government, but at any and everyone who are "not them". I was there, and heard such proclaimations day and night for 79 days straight, both online and real world, so there's no mistake. What didn't made onto pro-insurgency media doesn't mean it's not true.
Those messages were yell in the same fervor as "Juden Raus!" In Nazi Germany.
Unlike you lot, I've been living in HK for the last 10 years straight, and for last 3 years have seen, on firsthand account, how that bunch running their propaganda; and since day 1 I opposed them, because it'd only make Beijing more determined to slam the door, instead of caving in. On that account I've been vindicated.
So, you said nothing broken and burnt, huh? By technicality they did smash the glass doors of the LegCo building; more disturbingly is they've and still do, propagating anarchism like nothing seen in HK before, specifically instigating youth in hating the police and hinting attack against the same. Only this week a youth was arrested in possession of weapons and Molotov cocktails. Anarchism has taken root and the insurgents are busy fanning the flame.
The upcoming February 1st the same bunch is set to organize another protest, so let's see if I get vindicated yet again? Honestly, I rather be proven wrong.
