Currently the great majority of local residents are worried that "Occupy Central" will jeopardize Hong Kong's rule of law. Chief Executive Leung Chun-ying said in his first response to the radical movement that, according to the organizers' execution plan, it is impossible for "Occupy Central" to be "peaceful" or not to violate the law, a good reason for people to suspect it is an act of "breaking the law for the sake of law-breaking". He also reiterated that the SAR government is sincere and determined to begin public consultation on the next stage of constitutional reform at an appropriate time, and that people who care about constitutional reform need not express their opinion in an illegal fashion.

Leung's comment contains two important points: one is that "Occupy Central" is meant to attack the rule of law and therefore impossible not to violate relevant laws. There goes its organizers' pretence about keeping it "peaceful"; the other is that the SAR government and the judiciary are determined to protect the rule of law. He said: "I hope everybody understands the government will never go easy on criminal behavior and I believe neither will Hong Kong's courts." That means those involved in "Occupy Central" must be prepared to face justice if they break the law, no matter what excuse they can find.

The fact is "Occupy Central" is intended to blackmail the central authorities and SAR government by paralyzing Central with a big crowd gathered illegally in a strategic location to block traffic and cause chaos. It will seriously weaken the rule of law and disrupt social order to serve the masterminds' and organizers' own interest. From a statutory point of view the radical movement fits a number of criminal offenses listed in the existing Public Order Ordinance and the perpetrators can be arrested on the spot.

The author is a current affairs commentator. This is an excerpted translation of his commentary published in Hong Kong Commercial Daily on June 14.

(China Daily 06/15/2013 page4)