HK rioters need to be brought to justice

Many people have been calling for an independent study into the cause of the recent riot in the Mong Kok area of Hong Kong. If the terms of reference are set right, an independent study may indeed prove useful. For example, reports say social media tools have increasingly been used by individuals and organizations to politically radicalize people.

Many young people get the attention and approval of peer groups in social media by saying outlandish things, because bold and provocative comments are more likely to attract attraction. In fact, terrorist groups are known to be adept at using social media to recruit youths to their ranks. So, how important was social media in instigating the Mong Kok riot?

Unfortunately, those who ask for an independent study into the cause of the riot seem more interested in finding faults with the Hong Kong government than in finding what might avert such crises. A commentator, sympathizing with the Mong Kok rioters, wrote: "No one is born an opponent of the government and violent. If one had the choice, who would want to put himself at risk and be labeled a rioter?" But the same could be said about Anders Behring Breivik, who killed 77 innocent people in Norway in 2011. Indeed, one could say the same thing about all criminals. So where does all this end?