I think it has backfired already. The leadership is getting desperate. They cannot contain the protests and the spirit of Hong Kong.
What did they expect after a long period of democracy and western rule of law and capital wealth, that hong kongers just roll over peacefully like in Mainland???!
This critical short sight from the current chinese leadership is incredible! now it has 2 major international scandals (falun gong organ harvesting and uighur concentration camps) from which it faces a threat to its powerbase and its about to get another one if they use excessive force in Hong Kong. but who knows! they might not give a damn.
This afternoon and evening, there were rumors that the thugs would get their hands dirty again in the western parts of Hong Kong, but so far (3AM now) it hasn't materialized.
But it's surely instilled terror in people's heart. The streets have become strikingly empty.
BTW, I'd have quite a few reservations about calling the HK political system a "democracy". But that's a topic for another day.
