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PART V PERSONS INVOLVED
107
In assessing the significance of these answers and conclusions it is well to remember that they did not come directly but were relayed through the inter- viewers. On the other hand, they did not suffer from the twin dangers which can affect such youths when examined in public; where they may be either reluctant to speak or tempted by the limelight to show off and become dramatic or belligerent.
Interview with TAM Yat San
390. One other interview should perhaps be mentioned: that between the Juvenile Liaison Officer and TAM Yat San who was arrested at the Star Ferry, Kowloon, at 4 p.m. on April 6th (see paragraph 118). He was unemployed, having recently been dismissed as a factory worker, but did not appear to the Juvenile Liaison Officer to be the 'Ah fei' type and was very calm and sensible throughout the interview. He had strong views on the rising cost of living and the expected rise as a result of the Star Ferry increase caused him consternation. He was con- vinced that the Police were exceeding their powers when they arrested demonstra- tors on the night of the 5th and part of his reason for picketing the Star Ferry on the afternoon of the 6th was to show his objection to the previous arrests. He strongly objected to his own arrest maintaining that the police were exceeding their authority and said that any obstruction he had caused was minor to that caused by film stars and persons of public interest. He strongly maintained that nobody had encouraged him to demonstrate.
Conclusions
391. It seems tolerably clear from all this that, whilst the more prominent of the leaders in the early stages could be described as misfits or cranks like LO Kei and SO Sau Chung, the main body of these who joined in the demonstrations and subsequently in the riots were more or less ordinary youngsters and people no more disposed of crime than any average group of the less privileged in the streets of Hong Kong.
392. It would be foolish for Hong Kong society to comfort itself with the thought that it was only the severely under-privileged and discontented who participated in, or passively supported, the disturbances. The great majority of the participants came from the poorer sections of the community but they were not destitute nor were they identified with what are frequently called the criminal classes. Our final chapters endeavour to show how people such as these came to be involved in the riots.
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SHOP 23
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