1/ Roughly same time last year, I was dragged and surrounded, pushed on the ground, was punched and kicked by a dozen riot police, despite I was just standing on a footbridge. I got lucky, the police didn't press any charge, but they charged 44 of my inmate with rioting.

2/ Fast forward, one of the defender, Kun, is serving time in jail. He confessed, said it's hard to win the case (the rioting charge in #HongKong are constantly under criticism for its board and vague application). He sent a letter recently, said we can be humble as dust...

3/ not twisted like maggots. Another trio, including a married couple cleared of rioting several days ago. She said "Although we didn't do anything wrong, but the interrogation on trials had to take a toll, it is a form of (mental) abuses". Other 37 defenders' trials are pending

4/ With >9600 arrests in the past 13 months, it's almost natural for us to view these trials and cases as "just another number", but they aren't. These are ppl with flesh and blood, with desires and ideal, with a heart, crushed by a violent system. 70% of the arrested under 30.

5/ They were construction workers, teachers, high-school students, caregiver, cleaner, social worker, banker, migrant workers, sister, mother, grandparent, younger brother. They were ordinary citizens who stand up bravely for the truth, and be drawn into trouble.

6/ Needless to explain how much guilt I feel about surviving. Why on earth am I spare, while so many of them are suffering? Sense of guilty is so common, that 1/4 of the population show signs of PTSD. I am also furious, for some ppl framed protestors as agent provocateur...

7/ framed as losers, as right-wing provoked, pro-trump supporters, as Sociopath. We are much diverse & authenticate than one's asserted, we act b/c we want to protect a stranger, or b/c we think it is the right thing to do - the motives are diverse and complicated...

8/ and any grand theory or universal explainer to #HongKongProtest would risk losing focus. I am writing this b/c I want to tell one of the many sides of the story, the story I personally touched. Hong Kong is caught between crossfire between geopolitical politics...

9/ And before taking side instantly on Hong Kong and China issues, I urge everyone to dive deeper into the people involved in this movement, try to understand who they are, and what they think. And Yes, those on the left should reflect critically b4 judging us as pro-imperialism.