[…]And on Sept. 29, in front of Hong Kong government headquarters, a remarkable scene took place. A young protester standing near a riot policeman was attacked, apparently unprovoked, with a bolt of pepper spray across the face and in the eyes. He screamed out “We are unarmed, how can you attack us like that?”
Behind the helmet and face mask, the policeman’s expression could not be seen, but he seemed moved and said “I know, I know.” He beckoned the man over, turned around and retrieved his own water bottle, and proceeded to wash out the man’s stinging eyes.
Hong Kong Policemen Apologize“The police officers that have been called upon to be Hong Kong’s shock troops—firing and tossing tear gas canisters into crowds of protesting students, and soaking them with pepper spray—have come forward recently to express their frustration and regret.
Tens of thousands of students continue to ambulate through Hong Kong’s central business district each night, as police attempt to contain and repel them. The students are protesting recent moves by Beijing to limit Hong Kong’s ability to hold independent elections.
“Once, I felt I was the luckiest person in the world, because I could fulfill two of my childhood dreams at the same time,” wrote Arnold Wai, a member of Hong Kong’s auxiliary police force, on Facebook, on the evening of Sept. 28. “Before, I was very proud when I personally brought criminals to justice,” he said.
“However, I just phoned my superior tonight, quitting this job. I don’t want to be a political tool for someone,” he wrote, in a post on Facebook that was widely shared among Hong Kong Internet users.
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