‘He’s trash’: Australian man slammed over his tirade at Hong Kong protesters

As Hong Kong demonstrators fight their biggest battle in years, an Australian man has been blasted over his response to them.

A stranded Australian tourist in Hong Kong has been blasted after he was filmed clashing with pro-democracy protesters and telling them to “get a job” during a massive airport demonstration yesterday.

The man was filmed getting into a heated confrontation with a group of demonstrators who stormed Hong Kong’s airport last night, disrupting operations and freezing flights.

The man, who was not able to board his flight in the chaos, told the group that “the sooner Hong Kong actually becomes a part of mainland China, the better”.

The group of protesters were filmed attempting to reason with the man, explaining that they were fighting for freedom and independence from the Chinese government.

When asked how he feels about the “One Party Two Systems” rule — by which Hong Kong was meant to retain its unique civil liberties until 2047 — the man smirked and looked ready to walk away. Then one demonstrator said: “You’re only concerned about your personal journey right now. You are only upset because you don’t have your flight now.

“We are upset because our system was corrupted — or influenced by the Chinese government. It’s a systematic thing.”

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More than 5000 protesters streamed into one of the world’s busiest transport hubs and quickly transformed the arrivals hall into a sea of black yesterday.

The man yelled that Hong Kong police were being “very, very restrained” in response to the protests.

One of the protesters replied: “So you think from what you see on the TV that it’s okay to shoot tear gas indoors, to use lethal rubber bullets shooting directly into the protesters’ heads?”

The man did not answer this, instead saying: “Do you think it’s OK for you and your supporters to actually go places throwing rocks and Molotov cocktails through windows?”

“What we’re concerned about is the future of the systems, our city. We are protecting the freedom of our city. The future of our city,” the protesters responded.

One of the protesters held up a poster of a woman who was reportedly shot in the eye by Hong Kong police and lost her vision as a result.

“Imagine if she’s your daughter. Would you say the same thing?” one of the demonstrators asked.

The man, who said he is based in Guangdong in China’s south, had no response to this.

“If the Hong Kong police is so restrained, then how come that many people came out today? Are we all wrong?” the demonstrator asked.

“I’ve had enough,” responded the man, and walked away.

Social media users blasted the man when footage of the confrontation was uploaded to Twitter.

A western white man telling them they need to basically observe law and order is soooo typical. People fighting for change is such an inconvenience to ppl like him. He's trash.

— itsme (@cylawson8) August 12, 2019

Thinking about the guy yelling at the kids at Hong Kong airport last night. I know he's meant to have lived in Guangdong but "go get a job" in a place where even salaries well above median income are no guarantee of home ownership or secure retirement is Australian Galaxy Brain

— Sean Gleeson (@seanjgleeson) August 13, 2019

Ignore this idiot, Hong Kong, Australia is on your side. Please keep up the good fight.

— JT🌈 (@JTHewz) August 13, 2019

It is NOT ‘recognized all around the world that #HongKong and #Taiwan are a part of China’. For this Australian businessman (based in Guangdong) to say this, he is either extremely ignorant, insensitive or deliberately antagonistic. #auspol https://t.co/i9nzi4buyw

— Sandra K Eckersley🔹 (@SandraEckersley) August 13, 2019

CHINA ISSUES THREAT OVER PROTESTS

More than 5000 protesters streamed into one of the world’s busiest transport hubs and quickly transformed the arrivals hall into a sea of black yesterday.

Airport staff advised passengers to leave the airport for their own safety, but traffic outside was at a near standstill, and public transportation was clogged. Some passengers and departing protesters opted to walk.

The protests marked a clear escalation in Hong Kong’s fight for its freedom.

Chinese officials responded with fury, warning they will be severely punished for storming the territory’s airport and disrupting operations and likening the act to “terrorism”.

“Radical Hong Kong protesters have repeatedly used extremely dangerous tools to attack police officers,” said Yang Guang, a spokesman for the Chinese government’s Hong Kong and Macau Affairs Office, in remarks translated by Chinese state media. “The first signs of terrorism are starting to appear.”

He said the protesters’ “violent crimes” must be dealt with “resolutely” and “without mercy”.

“If we allow these types of terrorist activities to continue, then Hong Kong will slide into a bottomless abyss,” China’s liaison office in Hong Kong added on Monday.

Now, the Chinese government has released footage that appears to show military vehicles driving towards the Hong Kong border.

The short clip shows a series of roughly two dozen green armoured fighting vehicles entering a “service area” in a row and riding down a highway, purportedly towards Shenzhen, the mainland city bordering the territory.

The footage shows large military vehicles purportedly heading for the Hong Kong border.

The ranting Australian man was not the first to make the rounds on social media.

In a similar emotional tirade, a South African woman complained that the protests were not achieving anything.

“I moved from South Africa to get away from this,” she said through tears. “South Africa has this. I don’t want this. This is not the Hong Kong that I’ve learnt to love.

“Everyone in Hong Kong is so loveable and welcoming to all foreigners, and then to experience this, it really hurts me.

“I understand what they’re fighting, but this is not what we’re supposed to be like. We’re supposed to be fighting together, not against each other. I would rather go back to South Africa if this is what I’m going to be living with for the next few years.”

She said she lives in the area, and explained: “I came from South Africa to move away from this... I don’t want this. This is not the Hong Kong I’ve grown to love.” pic.twitter.com/q8rO0Jxnbo

— Elaine Yu (@yuenok) August 11, 2019

The woman was accused of “making everything about her” and being “ignorant”.

"The oppressed people of Hong Kong should not fight for their rights because they make my stay in their country uncomfortable" - said an entitled, ignorant and privileged white South African. https://t.co/mACXWnEPix

— the rich uncle (@MalomeTeboho) August 12, 2019

A white South African is mad about Hong Kong people protesting for their freedom. 🧐 https://t.co/cj0495sdQE

— Kate Walton (@waltonkate) August 12, 2019

WHY ARE PEOPLE IN HONG KONG PROTESTING?

The Hong Kong people have been protesting for over 10 consecutive weeks.

The demonstrations started as a protest against a proposed extradition bill that would see criminal suspects sent to China, but have since become more widely about opposition to the mainland’s growing political influence overall.

When Hong Kong was handed over from Britain to China in 1997, it was agreed that the territory would be allowed to maintain its unique freedoms and civil liberties for the next 50 years — a deal the protesters believe has not been honoured by Beijing.

The protesters believe China has gradually been whittling away their liberties since the handover, including by suppressing the “Umbrella Movement” in 2014 and by kidnapping five Hong Kong booksellers.

With the ongoing protests, they are now pushing for the right to directly elect their own government, for an independent commission to investigate police brutality, and they want the territory’s leader, Carrie Lam — who was hand-picked by the Chinese government — to resign.

[e-mail] | @gavindfernando