Hong Kong cops are starting to pick sides in the Umbrella Revolution.
For the pro-democracy protesters, things took a turn for the worse on Tuesday morning as police resorted to violence to keep the peaceful protesters at bay while they dismantled barricades with cutting tools and chainsaws.
A small but significant incident the day before should have sent warning signs about the recent police brutality.
On October 13, a group of anti-Occupy Central demonstrators held a march past in Queensway. Pro-democracy protesters were on scene putting up and securing metal barriers.
Suddenly, plain-clothes policemen showed up, accused the pro-democracy protesters of being triad members, and nabbed one of their members.
With a pained expression, the unfortunate man asked “what’s the matter?” while the crowd about him shouted “Release him!”
In response, a policeman in a purple shirt whipped out a collapsible baton and waved it around, while his colleagues “restrained” the hapless protester, hand-cuffed, and frog-marched him to a police van.
It is unclear if the police eventually released the protester.
Regardless, it has become crystal clear who Hong Kong’s finest law enforcers are on as the Umbrella Revolution unfolds.
