Labour Party Vice-Chairman Cheung Chiu-hung claimed on a television talk show over the weekend that "Occupy Central" was not out of control, although it was in danger of becoming a riot. What a self-contradictory statement! If it is still under control then how can it be on the verge of becoming a riot? He then accused the SAR government of losing control of the situation and the police of using excessive force. This was a potential catalyst for a riot, he argued.

He is clearly making contradictory statements. The SAR government has exercised great restraint toward the protesters since they launched their illegal campaign three weeks ago.

The authorities accepted that this was the protesters' way to express their views on constitutional reform. For over two weeks the government refrained from taking tough measures to stop the "occupiers" surrounding government headquarters and blocking roads. They hoped the demonstrators would come to their senses and agree to a peaceful solution.

However, every time crowds of protesters started to disperse, a few leaders would emerge and instruct the "occupiers" to stay and confront the police. Clashes would then erupt. This inevitably forced the vastly outnumbered police officers to employ necessary force to contain the situation. Despite this, some "Occupy" organizers still make accusations of "police brutality".

The truth is that the "umbrella revolution" has been carefully conceived, elaborately planned and painstakingly executed - to the last detail - for maximum drama. This is to hide the organizers' real intentions. Thousands of umbrellas appeared to turn the protest areas into some kind of a street carnival. Many observers may not have realized that these "symbols of peaceful expression" were in fact lethal weapons. The initiators of "Occupy" did not have these umbrellas shipped to Hong Kong for peaceful purposes.

But in reality these umbrellas were used as weapons. Anyone who saw the video clips can see this. The protesters always ensured the pointed ends of the umbrellas were in the faces of police officers or directed at unprotected areas of their bodies. Such tactics gave the police no choice but to use pepper spray or other methods of crowd control. More than 40 officers have been injured by umbrellas - which are actually longer than police batons. As if these umbrellas were not enough, some resourceful protesters stole bamboo scaffolding poles from construction sites. They used these to attack police armed with plastic shields. So it is clear who was behaving aggressively during these protests.

Hong Kong has long been the envy of cities around the world for its low crime rate, especially in public areas. That is why tourists from other places feel safe in Hong Kong. The great majority of local residents normally don't see it as such a big deal because they abide by the law. They trust the police to maintain public safety and keep order. The last thing they expect from local media is unfounded accusations of "police brutality" or verbally abusive terms such as "evil cops" and "dogs in uniform".

It is also disturbing that some opposition politicians always side with critics of the police. They say "all big trees have rotten branches". But the same can be said of the Legislative Council (LegCo). The difference is the police have an effective mechanism to weed out "rotten" members. But Hong Kong finds it almost impossible to do this with LegCo. Now whose fault is this?

As long as the roadblocks remain, ordinary citizens will be upset with the illegal activities of the protesters. Consequently we can never be entirely sure that violent clashes will not result from such confrontations. Cheung Chiu-hung was right about one thing: "Occupy" could turn into a riot at any moment without police intervention. But for the police to do their job well I advise those who love Hong Kong to do the following:

1. When observing police officers removing barricades to restore traffic, clap to show your appreciation. Also keep a safe distance from the action and don't try to help the police. They alone are authorized to do these things;

2. Use your smartphone to photograph or video violent protesters attacking officers. This can provide a record of criminal behavior in case of legal action by the authorities;

3. Take notes of "occupiers" attacking police officers on duty. Share this information with the public to refute unfounded accusations against the police;

4. Show your support for police and particularly officers who are injured carrying out their duty.

Stand behind the police for the benefit of Hong Kong society.

The author is a veteran journalist based in Hong Kong.

(HK Edition 10/22/2014 page10)