Editor's note: Edward Lehman is a senior foreign fellow at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences. The article reflects the author's opinions, and not necessarily the views of CGTN.

As to the protests in Hong Kong, I cannot help but think of a quote by the American author and humorist Mark Twain, "If you don't watch the media, you're uninformed. If you watch the media, you're misinformed."

Hong Kong's July 1 marches have been a largely uneventful annual event since the day of its return to China in 1997. For 22 years, these events have been peaceful while this year, not so much. This year's July 1 march coincided with ongoing demonstrations against the Hong Kong government's planned enactment of a fugitive bill.

Local organizers claim around 550,000 people turned up to this year's July 1 march (that would be the largest turnout ever) to protest. The Hong Kong Police claimed only 190,000 participated this year. It was however, not so much the number of folks attending the rally, but the behavior of a small number of attendees that was disturbing and unprecedented in the 22-year history of the event. 

As an American lawyer born, raised and educated in the U.S., I am all for the principles persevered by Hong Kong's Basic Law under the "One Country, Two Systems" model, ensuring "Freedom of Speech" and "Freedom of Assembly" and "Rule of Law." 

But, when a small group of rally attendees, mostly what appear to be misguided young students, stormed the Legislative Council (LegCo) building, breaking glass, spray-painting graffiti, disrupting order and destroying property, that's just plain wrong.

The violence and destruction of this small group attracted most of the Western media's attention, and many westerners even lauded the actions of these young protesters, and such response is misguided. The actions which brought disruption and property damage to LegCo should be strongly condemned.  

Prior to July 1, Hong Kong's Chief Executive Carrie Lam had offered to begin a dialogue with residents of her city. What was laudable, and not so well covered by Western media, was the substantially larger numbers of peaceful attendees who assembled to express their freedom of speech, with an estimated 2 million Hong Kong residents marching peacefully through major streets. This is what should have been reported, and the correct way forward for people in Hong Kong.

It is not acceptable that those who exercised bad behavior caused the power supply and fire safety system of the LegCo building to be damaged during the rally. Most would agree criminal behavior is not acceptable. There is nothing more important than the rule of law in Hong Kong. If residents want legislative change, they should use the ballot box to elect LegCo representatives who will support their causes. If the cause is just and the system fair, they will win elections.

Bad behavior, or civil disobedience, should not be rewarded. I fully agree that the Hong Kong authorities should investigate the matter fully and honestly, in accord with the Hong Kong legal system and the presumption of innocence. If found guilty, those who instigated and perpetrated the assault on LegCo should be punished in accordance with the law. This is the way the system should work and the only way to run a society.

Ironically, the assault on the LegCo building and resulting property damage have caused legislative-related meetings to be canceled over the next two weeks just before the LegCo summer. Rather than a place for open political debate under the Hong Kong Basic Law which it is meant to be, it has become a non-functioning building, resulting in a non-functioning Legislative Council. Now the place is a crime scene and not a place where legislators can act as real agents of change as a legislative body.

(Cover image: Anti-fugitive bill protesters stand behind a barricade during a demonstration near a flag-raising ceremony for the anniversary of Hong Kong's return to China in Hong Kong, China, July 1, 2019. /Reuters Photo)

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