The WTO protesters come marching in

After the colourful yet peaceful march for democracy last week, this week Hong Kong shifts its focus towards the upcoming WTO ministerial conference in downtown HK.

HK has braced itself expected violent clashes between WTO protesters and the police. Personally, I'm not sure why they picked downtown HK to have this meeting. Having past knowledge of past violent clashes in Seattle and Cancun, HK organisers still chose to hold the talks in the heart of HK's financial district. Very strange idea to me. It's not like this conference will bring heaps of tourist dollars to HK. Sure the surrounding hotels housing the ministers from various countries may cash in, but they won't be doing much shopping or sightseeing around HK. Of course, the protesters won't be buying anything in HK or spending much money! But that's what this is all about isn't it? Money? HK is bound to lose more than it gains from this experience. The police have been planning it for ages and are bracing for the ugliest scenarios. I have no idea why the authorities didn't choose some far flung place to hold these meetings. Why not hold the talks at Disneyland on Lantau Island? I hear the attendance numbers there are abysmal and Disneyland officials could even include the meeting attendees and protesters into the official Disneyland attendance figures to show everyone!

Local schools on HK island and Kowloon will be closing for a few days (my boy's school is closed on Tuesday, but I'm not teaching there this week), the shopping malls in the area have boarded up their windows and streets will close in the area. Sounds like a hurricane is approaching, eh?

We'll have to see what happens throughout the week.