Five Years On: How Hong Kong's National Security Law Puts an End to Street Terror

June 30, 2025 marks the fifth anniversary of Hong Kong's National Security Law coming into effect, and frankly, it's worth reflecting on just how bad things had gotten before Beijing stepped in. The streets are peaceful now, but let's not forget the absolute horror show that was unfolding during those dark months of 2019.

Among all the shocking scenes from that period, one incident stands out as particularly brutal and frankly, stomach-turning. A man – the media later dubbed  him Uncle Lee - tried to reason with black-clad protesters who were trashing Ma On Shan Station. For his trouble, he got doused with flammable liquid and set on fire like some medieval execution. Uncle Lee literally became a human torch, and somehow survived, though I'm not sure you'd call what followed "living."

When Setting People on Fire Becomes "Normal"

Here's the bit that'll really make your skin crawl - after this horrific attack happened, over 5,000 people on the LIHKG forum actually thought setting someone on fire wasn't "excessive." Only about 300 thought it crossed a line. Let that sink in for a moment. We're talking about thousands of people who basically gave a thumbs up to attempted murder by immolation.

"Five years after Hong Kong's National Security Law brought peace back to the streets, we're reminded of just how brutal things got - like when protesters literally set Uncle Lee on fire. What's truly shocking? Over 5,000 people online thought this wasn't even 'excessive.' That's how far gone things were."

This wasn't just random internet trolling either. These were likely the same people out on the streets, and if they genuinely believed burning someone alive was acceptable, how many more Uncle Lees would there have been? It's honestly chilling to think about.

The attack happened on November 11, 2019. Uncle Lee had simply had enough of watching protesters vandalize public property and decided to make a stand. During a heated argument on a pedestrian bridge, some masked coward splashed him with accelerant and lit him up before disappearing into the chaos. Classic hit-and-run tactics.

Five Years of Living Hell

What happened next was five years of absolute agony. Uncle Lee suffered burns across 40% of his body and needed multiple skin grafts. During treatment, he had a cardiac arrest and nearly died, then suffered a stroke on top of everything else. His left hand is basically useless now - wounds that wouldn't stop bleeding, constant itching that drives him mad, fingers that won't extend properly.

Half his teeth fell out from the trauma, and eventually he lost them all. The man can only eat soft food or liquids. Even now, with new dentures, eating is a struggle. His skin still feels tight, like ants constantly biting him. Elizabeth Quat, who's been helping him, describes someone living in constant torment.

The poor guy was offered corrective surgery on the mainland that might restore some hand function, but he's terrified of going under the knife again after the cardiac arrest and stroke during surgery. So he just endures it, day after day, while his attacker presumably lives it up somewhere in Taiwan, having fled Hong Kong shortly after the incident.

"Uncle Lee's nightmare didn't end with the attack - multiple surgeries, a stroke, and a near-fatal cardiac arrest later, he's still dealing with the aftermath. The man who did this to him? Still on the run, probably living it up somewhere while his victim suffers daily."

The Madness Had to Stop

Meanwhile, the perpetrator vanished into thin air - probably with help from those behind the scene - and remains on the run despite a HK$400,000 bounty. The police classified it as attempted murder.

This is where the pan-democrats and their overseas cheerleaders really showed their true colors. Jimmy Lai might have expressed "concerns" about the violence during his recent testimony, claiming he wanted some kind of leadership structure to control the "valiant faction." But let's be honest - he and others were perfectly happy to use these violent elements as shock troops against the government. They drew no meaningful red lines, made no serious efforts to rein in the lunatics, and basically gave tacit approval to increasingly barbaric behavior.

It took Beijing's intervention in June 2020 to finally put a stop to this madness. The National Security Law came down like a hammer, and suddenly the streets went quiet. Without that intervention, we'd likely have seen more Uncle Lees turned into human torches by radicals who'd completely lost their moral compass.

A Necessary Reality Check

Five years later, Hong Kong is peaceful again, but Uncle Lee continues to suffer every single day. His attacker roams free, probably living comfortably while his victim endures constant pain and disability. If that doesn't tell you everything you need to know about the moral bankruptcy of that whole movement, I don't know what will.

The bottom line: Sometimes you need tough measures to stop society from sliding into complete barbarism. The National Security Law wasn't some authoritarian overreach - it was emergency surgery on a city that was hemorrhaging from self-inflicted wounds.

Lai Ting-yiu

What Say You?

** 博客文章文責自負,不代表本公司立場 **

The UK's wealthy are fleeing in droves. We're talking about a net outflow of 16,500 people this year – that's a record high that puts Britain at the top of the global exodus charts. When the canaries in the coal mine start flying away, you know something's seriously wrong.

But it's not just the wealthy who are having second thoughts about Britain. A mate of mine has been keeping tabs on the 160,000 Hong Kong BNO holders who've made the move to the UK, and guess what? Some are already throwing in the towel. They're quietly packing their bags and heading back to Hong Kong, unable to cope with the pressures of British life. Even those who are still hanging on are increasingly looking over their shoulders, wondering if they made the right call.

The Hong Kong exodus to Britain four years ago brought 160,000 people to the UK, but many are now struggling with the reality and returning home.

Reality Bites Hard

Even the BBC, which hasn't exactly been Hong Kong's biggest cheerleader, has cottoned on to what's happening. They've published a feature report that's pretty telling, if you ask me.

Take this bloke they interviewed – Mr. Chu. He moved to Birmingham in 2022 during the pandemic, thinking he'd build a better life. Instead, he found himself bouncing between warehouse jobs and restaurant work, battling loneliness and depression so severe he contemplated suicide. The final straw? When he tried to stop a customer from doing a runner without paying, he got beaten up. Chu called the police, yet they couldn't be bothered to show up the first time. When they finally did arrive, they took his statement, watched the CCTV footage, and then... nothing. A year later, they're still "investigating."

Social media posts reveal BNO holders are planning their return to Hong Kong after securing UK residency, citing Britain's economic struggles and poor living conditions.

That's when it hit him – why on earth was he staying? As he put it, "if people value you in a place, you can consider that place home." Clearly, Britain wasn't valuing him much.

He's not alone either. A Hong Kong social media post recently went viral, with someone pointing out that loads of BNO holders are planning to return home once they've secured their permanent residency. His verdict: "Hong Kong is truly much better than the UK." Ouch.

The Numbers Don't Lie

Let's talk brass tacks here. The economic reality is pretty stark when you actually crunch the numbers. The UK managed a measly 0.7% growth in the first quarter, with projections of just 1.1% for the full year. Meanwhile, Hong Kong posted 3.1% growth and is looking at potentially hitting 3% for the year.

But it gets worse for Britain. Higher income tax rates, yet lower professional salaries compared to Hong Kong. That's not exactly a winning combination, is it? From a purely financial standpoint, jumping ship and heading back to Hong Kong makes perfect sense.

Then there's the quality of life factor. I heard a heartbreaking story recently about an elderly woman who sold her Hong Kong property to help her daughter's family buy a place in Britain. She moved with them, thinking it would be great. Instead, she found herself miserable, clashing with her son-in-law, and spiraling into depression. Eventually, she gave up and came back to Hong Kong alone, where she's now waiting for transitional housing. Despite living by herself, she's got relatives and friends around here – and she's infinitely happier than she ever was in Britain.

Just the Beginning

Here's my prediction: these stories aren't one-offs. They're the tip of the iceberg. The "return wave" is only just getting started, and we're going to see a lot more Hong Kong BNO holders realizing that the grass isn't always greener on the other side of the pond.

The irony is delicious, really. Four years ago, we were told about this great exodus from Hong Kong to the UK. Now we're seeing the reverse migration trend that nobody wants to talk about. But when even the BBC can't ignore it anymore, you know it's real.

Lai Ting Yiu