Violence isn't a solution, as HK has found

For generations, Hong Kong residents were held in high esteem internationally for their serious work ethic, their reliability and their social harmony.

Such attributes are not generally found in many other parts of the world. Being known for them reflected much to the credit of our hardworking residents. Such sterling human qualities could readily be emulated by those in other global cities.

Hong Kong was also previously regarded as one of the safest and most peaceful cities. But the gratuitous violence and wanton destruction of public transportation infrastructure and private businesses during the anti-government campaign last year have drastically altered the outside world's perception of Hong Kong.

That perceived danger for visitors, when added to the COVID-19 public health crisis, has since made Hong Kong a less-than-popular tourist destination, with a calamitous effect on its economy and employment, since tens of thousands of Hong Kong businesses and hundreds of thousands of the city's residents are dependent on the tourism industry.

But another, and most unwelcome, matter has been the copying of some radical Hong Kong residents' more extreme protest actions in other places, as seen in the anti-government street demonstrations in Thailand. There is a whole litany of Hong Kong protest behavior that has started to be copied elsewhere, some of it comparatively harmless, some of it not.

Let's start with the protest attire: An all-black fashion has been taken up elsewhere, having originated in Hong Kong. Faces are covered with masks-a sensible precaution during the pandemic, but also done to deliberately hide the identity of the more extreme protesters.

The wearing of a helmet by many protesters is another takeup from Hong Kong. It's sadly ironic that many young scooter and motorbike riders refrain from wearing a protective helmet when on their vehicle, but are ready enough to don a helmet to protect themselves when they engage in street protests and clashes with the police.

Another strategy of Hong Kong protesters emulated elsewhere is the last-minute announcements of protest gathering sites via social media, with numerous short-duration protest locations changing as the authorities attempt to catch up with protest gatherings. These guerrilla-style protest strategies have been seen in places other than Hong Kong recently.

The throwing of paint, acid, gasoline bombs, bricks and other items at the police lines－and at any of their fellow citizens who were brave enough to stand up against them－were all a common sight during the Hong Kong protests. Blocking roads by dropping hefty objects upon them from overpasses, shooting ball bearings and arrows at police officers on duty, even attacking the police with knives, slingshots, machetes, metal and wooden clubs－all these actions were seen often during those months of violent street protests in Hong Kong.

Thankfully, such regular street battles seem to have died down in Hong Kong－no doubt thanks to the real danger of contracting COVID-19 when congregating in close quarters during protests and the less tolerant stance adopted by Hong Kong police following the adoption of the National Security Law.

So while it matters little if foreign protesters choose to copy the Hong Kong protesters by going out dressed completely in black, blue or yellow costumes with related paraphernalia, it is just as well that the protesting in Thailand is for the most part nonviolent. Thankfully, protesters have not widely emulated that viciousness of interpersonal violence, or the vandalizing of private and public property, so often seen in Hong Kong in the second half of last year. Nor have we seen in Thailand much of that deliberate disrespect for national symbols, such as flags, which became a common sight on Hong Kong's beleaguered streets.

The Thai people have the well-founded reputation of being a gracious people, not disposed to using violence against each other. But that seems to be on the verge of changing, after the most recent street protests in Bangkok.

Let us hope such levels of self-control will not be lost, in order to preserve the peace and to facilitate a reconciliation between the government and protesters. We in Hong Kong have learned that violence does not advance anyone's political agenda; nor does it contribute to finding a solution to political disagreements.

The author is a veteran commentator on Hong Kong social issues and has often worked in Thailand.

The views do not necessarily reflect those of China Daily.