Anti-government protesters in Hong Kong are gearing up for demonstrations this weekend, with or without police authorization. On Friday, however, disturbing posters started to make the rounds online, stoking fears that something sinister might be brewing.

"I won't kill myself," read one sign, stirring up speculation about what could happen over the upcoming weekend. Many have wondered whether this is an early warning of potential bloodshed, while others expressed belief that this is a preemptive move to frame the police or government for what protesters with malicious intentions have already planned.

Another poster shows a police officer dragging the body of a protester, throwing it in water and recording it as "suicide."

The poster has raised eyebrows because, despite clashes erupting between rioters and police officers over the past weeks, no deaths have occurred. Hong Kong police have repeatedly said officers have shown restraint, and all their actions were in line with the law and the last resort in dangerous situations.

It's impossible to anticipate what will happen in the next days. Previous weekends have seen protesters take to the streets and wreak havoc in the city. They've repeatedly blocked traffic, damaged public facilities, including metro stations, set fires and hurled sharp objects and petrol bombs at police officers and their vehicles. Law enforcers have used water cannons and tear gas after their calls for unruly protesters to go home went unheard.

The posters are the latest episode in an online campaign by protesters against the police.

The private information of hundreds of police officers and their families, including their names, identity card numbers, home addresses, and children's schools, have been illegally obtained and leaked online.

The Hong Kong cyberspace has seen incendiary messages inciting the killing of officers. In one case, a policeman received over 2,000 harassing phone calls after his number was shared online.

Rioters and their behind-the-scenes supporters have been calling for "freedom" and "democracy" all the while turning a blind eye to others' freedom by violently obstructing them from going to school and work.

The fear-mongering attempts are in stark contrast to the message of harmony that Chief Executive Carrie Lam sent out during the first dialogue event between the government and Hong Kong residents this week.

Lam has suggested a Dialogue Platform to mend differences in Hong Kong and bring different stakeholders around the discussion table.

"Making changes may take time, but we need to get started now. A string of such events will be continuously held in different parts of Hong Kong and we hope residents could continue to sit down and talk with us," Lam said at the first "Community Dialogue" session held at Queen Elizabeth Stadium in Wan Chai on Thursday evening.

(CGTN's Wang Zeyu also contributed to the story.)

(Cover: Protesters destroy a fence outside the venue of first "Community Dialogue" event held by Hong Kong Chief Executive Carrie Lam in Hong Kong, September 26, 2019. /Reuters Photo)