Down The River

FADE IN.

INT. SITTING ROOM - NIGHT

Sitting side by side with his WIFE, PETER has eyes on the clock.

PETER

It's midnight! It's Oct

5, the anti-mask law

has come into effect!

His wife looks at him.

PETER (Cont'd)

The Police can enforce

the new law now.

INT. SITTING ROOM - DAY

Peter and his wife are watching TV news. Against the scenes of destruction, we hear from the screen a WOMAN speaking:...the extreme action...a dark night...the city paralyzed...people scared...

PETER

Don't act like a reporter!

Deploy your power and

resources to get the job

done! No time to hesitate!

EXT. ROAD - DAY

Wife at passenger seat, Peter is driving. We hear from the car radio that: No one has been arrested under the new law.

PETER

What a shame! It's

worse than not having

the new law. There's

been laws that the

government hasn't

enforced. And now,

even if with the new

law, they do nothing

timely. Didn't they

think three steps

ahead? Action should

have been taken to

prevent the criminal

damages last night!

Traffic jams ahead. People then sees on his right a yellow temporary road sign: Traffic light out of order.

PETER (V.O.)

Many things're out

of order...totally

unnecessary. All due

to stupidity - of the

government and of

the revolutionary

sector.

INT. RESTAURANT - NIGHT

Phone in hand, Peter is editing a draft. We see the question and answer as below:

Q.

Is there data showing the success rate of a protest actually causing change?

A.

Success rate. Non-violent protests (52%) are twice likely to succeed than violent ones (25%).

Non-violent ones. Non-violent real protests can attract four times more participants than riots.

Moral grounds. Non-violent protests represent good, while terrorists-like riots signify evil.

Effective persuasion. Those responsible for law and order might be persuaded by the non-violent strategy.

Failing rate. Even so, around 47% of non-violent protests everywhere failed, without change.

Hong Kong. Since 1949, the success rate for both protests and riots in Hong Kong has been zero.

Peter then taps:Submit.

INT. STUDY - NIGHT

Working behind the computer, Peter hears a TV panel interview programme about Hong Kong:... if she still hesitates...

PETER (V.O.)

Even those who don't

know about Hong Kong

can feel her hesitation.

Peter's attention is distracted by a phone message. After taping a video clip arrow, he sees a clip.

PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd)

Oh, they've even gathered

together to form a

provisional government?

Pausing.

PETER (V.O.)(Cont'd)

Didn't the Police get any

intelligence? An timely

occasion to get something

done!

Peter is thoughts.

PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd)

I believe the participants

are all chief executive-

hopefuls in their own

democratic ways!

Pausing.

PETER (V.O) (Cont'd)

I've married for 40 years

and have worked for over

40 years with governments.

I've contributed to the

the Hong Kong as what

it is today.

Peter suppresses his lips.

PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd)

Now, both the "ruling"

government and the fake

"government", are selling

Hong Kong down the

river!

FADE OUT. THE END

#DownTheRiver