Having effectively ripped society apart, the "Occupy Central" movement has proved to be the most divisive event in recent Hong Kong history.

By dubbing their actions "Occupy Central with Love and Peace", the organizers of this illegal campaign have made a mockery of themselves.

Rather than sowing the seeds of love or creating peace, the campaign has bred hostility and even hatred not only among the stakeholders, but also among family members, lovers, friends and colleagues.

It has now become the biggest source of friction and conflict in Hong Kong, affecting family ties, friendships and work relationships as well as social interactions.

Differing views on the movement are pitting children against parents, wives against husbands, girlfriends against boyfriends, neighbors against neighbors and colleagues against colleagues.

Reports and talks about runaway children, estranged lovers and broken friendships have been abundant in different media over the past couple of weeks.

In what is seen by some experts as a clear sign of rising mental stress among citizens due to conflicts over "Occupy Central", hotlines at many family counseling centers in the city are now being flooded by distress calls.

The increasing number of calls are believed to be related to conflicts or broken relationships with families, lovers, friends or colleagues due to conflicting views or actions related to the movement.

More worrying is that the worst - and therefore the more far-reaching - impact of the "Occupy Central" campaign may be yet to come.

The campaign, given its illegal nature, is expected to land quite a few participants in prison. Those found guilty may receive sentences of up to five years in prison with large fines.

Apart from the emotional burden, their imprisonment will harm their families, and the cost of the judicial process will also exact a heavy toll.

It is likely that the sorrow and burdens brought by imprisonment and a criminal record could breed a new round of resentment and hatred. This will have profound effects on society.

Few doubt the "Occupy Central" movement is going to wind down one day, and all the physical disruptions will disappear eventually.

But Hong Kong will never be the same again, with its social fabric having been torn apart.

(HK Edition 10/29/2014 page10)