[Here’s a timeline of how Hong Kong’s protests have progressed and evolved.] The hard-line protesters see themselves as being forced to mete out justice in a system that lacks accountability and in the face of a government they deem unresponsive. But to their critics, these protesters are crossing the line by playing the role of vigilantes to punish those they consider their foes. “Some people began to take matters into their own hands,” said Ma Ngok, an associate professor of government at the Chinese University of Hong Kong. He pointed in part to the protesters’ frustration that the police have failed to arrest and prosecute pro-government thugs who attacked demonstrators.

Source: New York Times October 07, 2019 11:26 UTC