HK must not be ruled by anarchy

The violence in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region intensified over the weekend, with more extensive vandalism and arson and the discovery of another homemade bomb. The worsening situation may call for more stringent measures to restore law and order in the SAR.

What started on Sunday, before all hell broke loose, was a so-called peaceful but illegal demonstration in Kowloon. Given what had happened following past rallies, the gathering had rightly been denied approval by the police. And confirming their fears, no sooner had the main body of demonstrators left than radical demonstrators started blocking roads and setting fire in multiple places along Nathan Road, the main traffic artery in Kowloon. Black smoke filled the air in many parts of the peninsula. The targets of the vandals-arsonists, other than police stations, government departments and public facilities such as MTR stations and traffic lights, were expanded to include almost all mainland-related businesses - banks, restaurants, bookstores and telecom equipment stores - and local ones that have spoken out against them.

Amidst the chaos, one thing was very clear - the rioters cared nothing about public safety. That, on the other hand, is the SAR government's top concern. As the police had warned, fires set in ground-floor shops spread upward, endangering the lives of residents living on the upper floors. Furthermore, subsequent to the previous discovery of a roadside improvised explosive device, another one was found on Sunday. The use of IEDs as well as extensive and indiscriminate arson show this illegal campaign is adopting terror tactics.