Murakami's Jerusalem Prize speech was often quoted during the Umbrella Revolution. The peaceful and apologetic protestors who cleaned up and gave out water and food fitted the image of the egg perfectly. We were so proud. The symbolic umbrella, used to shield protestors from pepper spray, batons, and gas bombs raining down, was a (make-shift) tool capable only of passive defense. We occupied the roads but we kept them clean, and we certainly hurt no one.
But those roads didn't get occupied and continue to be occupied magically; the 'borders' were hard fought and maintained with literal sweat and blood, and soon people learned that love and peace weren't exactly most effective when it came to protecting yourself from bone fractures and concussions . The goggles and helmets and make-shift body armors made the academics and politicians and many supporters uncomfortable. That wasn't their ideal of the Gandi-like peaceful protestor changing the world by just sitting there hurting no one doing nothing and eating nothing.
And now we have fishballs. And flying bricks and trash cans in flames.
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And it was really really uncomfortable for many.
Many chose to continue with the tactic they've used so far: ignore the unsightly stuff, not mention them, and focus again on the police brutality and the larger issues.
Some invented conspiracy theories -- the protestors were provoked and lured in, it was a trap by the police, a script written by the government -- because otherwise the protestors wouldn't have done such things, they believe.
That's very understandable.
I too would rather believe that we still live in a Hong Kong where flying bricks and burning trash cans are not needed to get your skewer of curry fishballs (ten dollars a skewer is already a ripoff and you can't seriously ask for an arm and a leg right?). I'd like to believe that we are all nice enough people to never get angry, even when you see nice people getting beaten the crap out of them for trying to buy some fishballs, even when you get beaten the crap out of you for trying to buy some fishballs.
But that would do the fishballs and the people who fought for them injustice. The flying bricks and the burning trash cans were perhaps not a comfortable sight, but they were important.
They carry an important message.
And that is police force is no longer an easy solution to any problems. That it is no longer one-side and policemen can now get beaten the crap out of them by the protestors. Even if the government decides to just send the police instead of actually solving the problem next time, they will have to bear in mind that things won't always end easily and nicely.
And that's a game changer.
It's a message that deserves to be heard loud and clear. It was one sent with love for this place and with people risking not only their arms and legs but also their futures.
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It's in Hongkongers' nature to be apologetic for causing any troubles at all. And it is easier to look away when eggs break against the wall, especially when they don't break exactly tragically and beautifully but instead angrily and bravely. It would be cozy if you climb up to the moral high ground where it is peaceful and quiet because cursing and screaming can't be heard. But --
"Between a high, solid wall and an egg that breaks against it, I will always stand on the side of the egg. Yes, no matter how right the wall may be and how wrong the egg, I will stand with the egg."
And it's time we stopped obsessing over the egg-ness of the eggs. It was never the point.
The point is to take down the wall.