The battleground for protest in Hong Kong has shifted from downtown streets to university campuses. The police have threatened to use live ammunition to end the resistance movement. Yet the risk of serious injury or even death has not proven to be enough to silence prodemocracy groups.
Today, more than five months after the Hong Kong government acceded to their primary demand — withdrawal of legislation allowing extradition of criminal suspects to the mainland — the protests remain strong and there is no end in sight. While such spirit is brave and admirable, it may also prove tragic: Beijing will not give in to the protesters' chief demand — democratic elections. A bloody conclusion looks increasingly likely.
Hong Kong has been virtually paralyzed by protests since the government introduced legislation that would allow the extradition of criminal suspects from the city to the Chinese mainland. After more than a million people took to the streets to demand withdrawal of the bill, the local government capitulated and pulled the legislation. Rather than accept victory, the protesters upped their demands, seeking, among other things, an independent investigation of police behavior during the demonstrations and the introduction of fully democratic local elections, a long-sought goal of prodemocracy groups — and an impossible request as far as Beijing is concerned.