FADE IN:
INT. SLEEPING ROOM - DAY
Waking up, PETER checks his phone and sees a video clip showing a group of youngsters blocking an old gentleman's way to an airport bus stop.
PETER (V.O.)
He's calm...
INT. STUDY - DAY
Working behind his computer, Peter watches TV and checks his phone messages from time to time.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd)
Today, the protesters will
use Yuen Long as their combat
field at least with the Police
again.
Pausing.
PETER (V.O.)(Cont'd)
Yuen Long wasn't known
internationally...
FLASHBACK
INT. WIPO, GENEVA - DAY (2007)
A public forum. Peter (53) is having an exchange with a SPEAKER (50s).
PETER
...I often use the success
story of Finland's Nokia
to encourage Hongkongers
to be innovative and to
manage well their IPs...
SPEAKER
...In the 1980s, I was an
engineer, managing a
Nokia factory in Yuen
Long...
PETER (V.O.)
This's probably the first
time Yuen Long is mentioned
in an international context.
Who would care about
Yuen Long?
END FLASHBACK
On TV, a BBC anchor is reporting live in Yuen Long. We see masked youngsters in black T-sheets. Some get close to the camera.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd)
The human crowd, like
other animals, has the
herd morality or instinct -
they act in the same way
at the same time. They
follow others and mimic
or mimic each other.
Pausing.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd)
Herding behaviour is
irrational. It's driven by
emotion intertwining fear
and desire. Recent Hong
Kong statistics indicate
that around 15% of all
sectors of the public are
easily persuaded, and
they tend to follow the
crowd.
Pausing.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd)
Generally, such a crowd
voluntarily agrees to any
suggestion without research
and critical analysis. They
think it is Okay as others
have the same mindset.
Pausing.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd)
What's worrying is that
the herd behaviour of such
a crowd can be easily
controlled by other powers
governing them, likening
them to herd animals that
can be easily led about.
The social media plays
a pivotal role in framing
the crowd's value towards
certain issues.
BBC reports live from Yuen Long again.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd)
For over seven weeks,
there're always protests
on any non-work day.
It's now also summer
holidays for the students.
Pausing.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd)
I've struggled a lot to
make me the man I'm
today. I had to learn
many things the hard
way. The upside of it is
that I won't be led like
a herd animal.
Pausing.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd)
Perhaps, the crowd has
to learn the hard way too.
Peter sees an incoming mail from Quora, asking Peter if he can answer the question "Why was Yuen Long attacked?"
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd)
Yes, I can... My simple
answer must be factual
though.
He then keys:
It was believed that Yuen Long, a big town in the New Territories, would be targeted as a protest venue on July 28, 2019.
In the evening of July 21, 2019, at the Yuen Long train station, people in white T-shirts waited for the return of people in black ones.
After some exchanges, they combated and some blood was shed on the black side. The Police arrested some suspects later.
Some people then called for the protest in Yuen Long on July 27, 2019. The Police objected with reasons; and the appeal was also rejected.
A beat.
Peter signs in Quora again.
PETER (V.O.)
Wow, so many views...
Another question for me
answer?
We see the question in bold type: "Can China's authorities allay Hong Kong's worst fears by addressing its frustrated democratic dreams?"
Peter begins to type his answer.
FADE OUT. The End