, Bai Yunyi and Fan Lingzhi in Hong Kong Published: Oct 08, 2019 02:17 AM
A video of an elderly woman in Hong Kong criticizing black-clad rioters for blocking roads and disrupting public transportation while removing barricades with her hands has gone viral online.
Chinese netizens said they were moved by the elderly woman's integrity, which was in sharp contrast to the young protesters who have since abandoned the core values of Hong Kong.
During Saturday's illegal demonstrations, rioters barricaded roads using trash cans, bricks, and other debris that shut down a major downtown street.
The 70-year-old woman, wearing a white shirt, removed the barricades amid threats from the rioters.
Attacking Hong Kong residents who oppose the illegal demonstrations have become common occurrences.
Rioters attacked a banker who said, "We are all Chinese." In a separate incident, a taxi driver was attacked while trying to pass through a street the protesters had blocked.
In the video, the woman asks, "You, so many people, you don't do something good!," and later said, "What are the benefits of paralyzing the traffic and blocking the roads?"
In response, protesters aimed laser pointers at the woman's eyes. When besieged by the rioters, she said, "I know you want to beat me to death, then, beat me to death! You have lost your mind!"
At one point while she was removing the street barricades, she tried to reason with the protestors.
"I know my own power is not sufficient. You guys are grown men! You are in your 20s. I know I can't do anything to you, but I still have to do the right thing!" she said.
The woman asked the reporters who were filming her, "You should ask them, 'why do you throw bricks?' That should be your consciousness!"
Hong Kong has suffered from violent attacks and riot activities that have blocked traffic and thrown the city into a state of chaos.
"There are always ordinary Hongkongers who want to safeguard this place they call home," one netizen commented, referring to the elderly woman whose actions have provided light after a dark weekend marred by a city-wide rampage.
"Young rioters are now bullying elderly people, where are their morals and bottom-line?" another netizen asked.
The video went viral on Weibo, and since Monday night has received over 61 million views as of press time.