Happy

Very insensitive to make this type of comments.

Happy

For those who understand and those who have a heart, you dont need to explain.

For those who have no idea on what is going on and who dont have a heart, you are preaching to the deaf, or even worse.

I cannot believe with the international media coverage, including the nightly BBC news report which does show the mob attacks in Yuen Long, now is identified being from Triad members, some posters here can still make sarcastic comments.

The bigger questions remain - why there was NO police presence during the 3 hours long attacks with the thugs returning to the MTR station, using forces to tear the steel gates and entered inside to carry on the 2nd attack to the citizens who took refuge inside. Later they went into the Metro cars to carry further beating. Citizens inside the cars demonstrated some very heroism act - the men let the women, elders and children to the inside corner of the cars and then they used whatever they had in hand to try to block the attacks, eventually literally using their own bodies to protect the weaker ones behind them.

During the 3 hours, 999 was blocked. At the end some people called fire dept and got responses with EMS arrived to help and they had to retreat to the residential levels above in order to be able to give emergence treatments to the badly wounded...

It is an engineered attack to create a situation that either enable the government to declare rolling curfews among districts, or worse, allow PLA go on the street.

moondog

I respect the fact that you might be from HK, but I highly doubt that you go there almost weekly. What's more, violence and accidents happen all over the world. Yeah, if you want to be completely safe, look into gated communities and bunkers. Attempting to associate current protest activities with danger is just plain silly.

Happy

You are the one being silly. Just a week after you and others claim the protests would not affect the tourists areas - there was the demonstration right at the West Kowloon, by the Kowloon Express, W and Ritz location. Pretty sure you are quite fond of Wanchai and Causeway Bay areas - these districts have become dangerous areas to hang out, in case you dont think so.

The poster does not say he wants complete safe. He has legitimate concern. One can learn to avoid danger, and not being silly to think the way like you think.

The protest is of different nature. And this is NOT any accident. The whole situation started from January this year, during the months that led to June, there were NUMEROUS chances that from the lowest level of the citizens to the "Think Tanks" and the Elites of the Hong Kong society, have expressed their concerns and worries thru many channels - yet, nothing has any effect on Carrie Lam who thought she had the mandate from China... Well, it turns out China does not expect the opposition would be so strong. The major misjudgment by Lam and her cohorts was the insistence to read and pass the legislation on June 12, even after one millions took on the street on June 9th, after the Black Clothes March staged by lawyers, barristers, former judges and current judges, the day before .... That led to the first crash and so on.

If you compare the current Hong Kong situation to the garden variety of violence in the world, including our own country here in US where gun violence / domestic violence happen everyday and insist they are all the same - then you are not only wrong, but also blind to the facts...

The mob attack is NOT ordinary violence, it is an organized crime, heavily colored with co-ordination with not only the Police but also some legislation council members. Just hours before the attack, a pro-government legislator posted pictures with the "white shirts" with thumbs up, claiming "You are my hero." After the attack, he defended the action being "they are protecting their homes." Say what?

Oh, a day before the attack, at the Tamar Park pro government gathering, a deputy head of the local Economic News, told the attendees that, "Do you have sticks at home, to teach your children? If you dont, go to the shop and buy 20mm steel water pipe, and beat your children." The next day this violent mob attack was carried out. The employees of the daily paper had put out an ad in the newspaper to express their shock and anger on how their employer could make such a comment.
The legislator is an alumni of a good boy school in Hong Kong. Yesterday, the school's alumni and retired teachers have published an open letter to request the school's alumni association to take away the permanent membership of this legislator.

I would suggest you to read SCMP to understand better. But of course given you have had to make a living inside Mainland China, dealing with the forces of the Chinese government, may be you have long lost the ability to see the truth and just accept it as it is.

EuropeanPete

TerryK

I am on a flight to HKG tomorrow. I suppose I can skateboard down Nathan Road since no one else will be there.

moondog

Yes, I do like Lockhart quite a bit, but it doesn't hold a candle to many hipster areas in US cities in terms of danger factor. I guess I am willing to take risks, though I probably would go elsewhere if tanks start showing their might in Central. (Incidentally, my attorney was a student at 北大 in 1989, and got a little too carried away in the idealism of the times; his parents had no way of reaching him, so they personally went to 天安门广场 and physically brought him home the day before all hell broke lose.)

travelinmanS

Nothing dangerous about HK now if you just avoid wearing a black shirt and joining protesters. I'd imagine anyone could avoid these if they wanted to and any tourist would indeed do so. I would imagine that the protests would scare off some tourists and I do think they should be issued hotel refunds if wanted. Maybe losing a few more tourist dollars, both from the Mainlanders and foreigners from abroad, would get the HK government to wise up and stop proposing stupid laws designed to incite their citizens. Why is it that they can't get a decent leader, I guess Beijing is just inept at picking their toadies.

Oxon Flyer

Folks, just a reminder, this is the Marriott Bonvoy forum and the thread topic is "Cancelling Non Refundable Hotel Stay due to Protests".

Please focus on this, and direct the lengthy personal commentaries on the wider political situation to other forums more suited to these types of discussions than here.

The mod team

SHLTP

For a first time tourist to HK, I'd recommend staying away for a while until the rioting calms down. Too much inconvenience with MTR stations shutting, some malls closing early, and the risk of things spiralling out of control is quite high as violence gets worse.





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VivaMattyVegas

This is my 1st post, but that's because it's came up in my Google search. I'm staying in HK in November, with a different hotel booked through a 3rd party site. It's real cute that people are making sarcastic comments about the OP, but I too am very concerned about what's going on. Video & social media posts from Thursday morning over in HK show more people getting beaten on trains. Where in HK? I have no clue and it doesn't really matter. The point is people should be able to feel safe when going on vacation, not "stay in their area" and just hope it doesn't spread there.

Happy

Here is a YouTube link of the Reporters Briefing after the Yuen Long Attack, from the Head of the HKSAR, her cabinet members and the Police Chief. The HKRT reporter asked very pointed questions why the police was absent during the 2 attacks. Carrie Lam did not provide the answer and the Police Chief could not even formed a sentence, other than saying, "I, ah, I, .." Then Carrie Lam turned away and led the whole group of the Highest government officials left the Briefing which had No Briefing at all.

There are English and Chinese subtitles while the questions are asked in Cantonese.


BTW, Police Force has 30K strong members and the Chief was not able to provide a ratio on how many were at the Sheung Wen location that could cause NO police presence at the location of attacks.
In other words, the Police deliberately chose NOT to carry out their duties to protect citizens in the Yuen Long attack, therefore it causes a huge outcry from the society. So much so, the Hong Kong Chamber of Commerce issued a stern Statement demanding the government to fulfill the requests by the protestors more than 4 weeks ago. This the Big Money talking. But it seems still has no effect. So dont expect any calming period will come anytime soon.

It is also necessary to separate 2 types of violence -

1) The violence on the clashes between Police and Protestors are only involving these 2 parties and the violence is a direct result of the Police using excessive forces. This type of violence indeed does not affect the visitors if the visitors stay far from it.

2) The organized, indiscriminating beating by the Triad and 14K members (the Underground Societies) that can happen in the usual districts that harbor such organized crime, such as New Territories and many parts of Kowloon, including the popular Mongkok, would affect visitors.

Please do not consider Hong Kong is still a safe place to visit. Ireland has just issued a travel alert. Other foreign governments said they are monitoring the situation closely.

If you can change plan w/o incur expenses,do so. If you have uncancellable reservation, do try to discuss your concern with the property even if you booked thru 3rd party. Not every property management is like W being so customer unfriendly. Though I think after the protest also happened right in front of their doorstep shortly after they refused one poster in this thread to change / cancel his reservation in July, they might have changed their stance.

But if you do come, you can find some good rates on Renaissance, though JWM seems to still be on the high side, from the dates in Sept and Oct I took a look - as we are going in Oct and if the rates come down enough I will replace point booking to cash booking.

Also bear in mind, that the MTR services would be periodically interrupted thru out not just during the planned protest march time, when it is deemed needed by not stop at some stations or cancel services.

Every weekend, both Sat and Sun will have protests in different areas in either Hong Kong or Kowloon.

Yes, you can stay in the "areas" that deem more safe, but that is not the way to visit a place, especially for the first time visit. You should be able to enjoy the location and go where you would like to explore. Not possible now in Hong Kong.

yorkboy24

Flying for Fun

That is all you needed to say. Please refer to this post.

Thank you!

James

VivaMattyVegas

Thank you for sharing. It saddens me too as this'll be my first overseas trip and while I do have time to change things around, I imagine many roadblocks will be put in my way in terms of refunds because the US State Department refuses to even acknowledge what's going on. They haven't changed the status since 12/31/18