'I stopped dancing, I'm fighting now': Hong Kong protesters take up self-defense classes

By Poppy McPherson, Joyce Zhou

 

A participant holds up a backpack during a self-defence class organised by a student union at the Chinese University of Hong Kong, in Hong Kong, China October 15, 2019. Picture taken October 15, 2019. REUTERS/Tyrone Siu

 

HONG KONG (Reuters) - Before protests erupted across her Hong Kong hometown five months ago, 31-year-old Pino was a dancer, taking various types of evening classes for years, from jazz to hip-hop and pole.

 

Now, the slight IT worker, who wanted to be identified only by her first name, is learning to fight.

 

“I stopped dancing, I’m fighting now,” she said.

 

Once a week, Pino joins a self-defense class where instructors give lessons on how to fight police, evade arrest, and navigate the unrest on the streets of the Asian financial hub. Lessons sometimes incorporate videos of real protest clashes.

 

These classes are one of several that have sprung up in recent months, say protesters, pitched at demonstrators and others concerned about getting caught in the chaos.

 

The rallies have been marred by violence which flares mostly during weekends, with demonstrators throwing Molotov cocktails, destroying shops seen as pro-Beijing, vandalizing train stations and engaging in running battles with police.

 

“Not only the frontliners or the youngsters, we all need to learn these skills to protect ourselves,” said William Cheung, the organizer of one self-defense class held regularly at the Chinese University of Hong Kong.

 

On a recent morning outside the university’s library, around a dozen students fenced with foam sticks representing the black batons used by police, and practised shielding blows with their backpacks.

 

“The topic of today’s lesson is escaping,” said R., a 19-year-old participant who asked to be named only by his first initial for fear of retribution.

 

“It looks like the fight is not coming to an end soon, and I don’t know for how much longer it will last,” he said, explaining why he felt the classes were necessary.

 

Demonstrators have also been fearful of attacks from other groups, particularly after suspected triad members set upon activists and commuters at a train station in Yuen Long district in July.

 

“If you don’t protect yourselves well, then you don’t know whether you’ll be beaten to death, or something bad may happen like being injured and hospitalized,” said Cheung.

 

Police did not immediately respond to request for comment about this story.

 

Pino, who volunteers as a medic during protests and attends to those injured, said she has learned how to disarm an attacker.

 

It might be some time, though, before she goes back to dance classes.

 

“I think in this society, we need to fight, not dance,” she said.

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2019-11-01

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Good move, it is always good to learn how to defend yourself.

On 11/3/2019 at 12:14 AM, yuyiinthesky said:

Good move, it is always good to learn how to defend yourself.

 

Which your not going to do with a few 'lessons" like this.

 

A little knowledge is a dangerous thing, especially when it emboldens false security.

Troll post removed

On 11/3/2019 at 10:44 PM, Baerboxer said:

 

Which your not going to do with a few 'lessons" like this.

 

A little knowledge is a dangerous thing, especially when it emboldens false security.

 

You can actually learn quite a bit in a very small amount of time. It isn't about becoming the karate kid. The first lessons you will be taught is how to avoid conflict. After that you will most likely learn to avoid being taken to the ground at all costs. 

 

Also staying active and strengthening your body is a good thing either way. Probably more productive than typing nonsense on TV.