When 1m people took to the streets of Hong Kong in early June to protest against a law that would allow criminal suspects to be extradited to mainland China to stand trial, Roy Lim marched with them. A business executive who frequently travels across the border, the proposed law was of deep concern.
A wave of mostly peaceful protests against the bill garnered massive public support in Hong Kong. But as young protesters adopted ever more radical tactics — including a sit-in that shut down Hong Kong’s tax department on June 24 followed by the brief occupation and vandalisation of the territory’s legislature last week — Mr Lim says they went too far.
“I totally don’t agree with what the people did, it’s not necessary, especially when the government has already backed down,” he said, referring to chief executive Carrie Lam’s decision to in effect shelve the bill.