While any metropolis of seven million will have some crime, violence is incredibly uncommon -- around 2,600 violent crimes were recorded by police in the first four months of this year, compared to over 70,000 cases of violence against the person in metropolitan London, a similar-sized city. 一個有七百萬人的大城市當然會有罪案....本年頭四個月警方錄得的暴力罪案數字是2600，相比之下，人口相約的倫敦超過70000宗。
Even amid mass protests and marches....the mood has almost always been peaceful.The 2014 Umbrella Movement was the exemplar of this attitude, with protesters setting up recycling stations, internet cafes and art installations in the main occupied areas, and parents with small children and businesspeople visiting them during lunch hours and on weekends.
...Police fired round after round of tear gas, much of it without warning, and deployed pepper spray and rubber bullets at protesters who would not move. 警方多次在沒有發岀警告下不斷發放催淚彈，還有胡椒噴霧和橡膠子彈，但示威者都不為所動。
Videos showed police on several occasions pulling unarmed protesters to the ground and beating them with batons, and CNN saw police point guns which fire rubber bullets at journalists and retreating protesters. 多段片段中都看到警方將手冇寸鐵的示威者拉倒在地，再用警棍打他們，而CNN親眼見警方將橡膠子彈的槍口對著記者和撤退中的示威者。
Police and government officials described Wednesday's protests (which broke out as a highly controversial extradition bill with China was due to have its second reading in the legislature )as a riot, and said they were handled accordingly, by officers in heavy protective gear and gas masks. 警方和政府把星期三的示威行動定為暴動，並表示他們以適當的方式應對--警員都配備重型防護裝備和防毒面罩。
For several hours early on Wednesday, it seemed like a repeat of the Umbrella Movement. Protesters had seized control of the main roads around the legislature and were bedding in, setting up first aid stands and distributing food, water and anti-tear gas supplies. 星期三的示威，在一開始的時候就如雨傘運動的翻版。未威者占據了立法會附近的馬路，並設立了急救站和分發食物、水、抵抗催淚彈的防備。
.... But police tactics this week were completely different to five years ago. Far from retreating, heavily armed riot squads converged on the downtown district of Admiralty, as protesters attempted to push barricades further towards the legislature and central government buildings. 然而警方的對應與五年前截然不同。當示威者開始嘗試推進，以進入立法會大樓，配著重型裝備的防暴隊伍也覆蓋了金鐘區。
After protesters rushed Tim Wa Avenue, the road leading to the building's entrance, police fired their first tear gas canisters. More quickly followed, though protesters were able to occupy the street and trap many officers inside the government complex. 當示威者衝進直通立法會大樓的添華道，警方發放了第一枚催淚彈。隨後發放更多的催淚彈，同時示威者成功進佔(該段)馬路，圍困了警方於大樓範圍內。
Reinforcements came in hard, firing tear gas and pepper spray before charging protesters with batons. In public statements Wednesday, government officials said protesters threw bricks and sharpened poles, but CNN only saw umbrellas, plastic bottles and plastic protective helmets used as projectiles.
.... At least 79 people were injured in the clashes, several seriously, compared to around 40 in the first night of the 2014 protests, none of whom were seriously hurt. 衝突中最少79人受傷者，幾人傷勢嚴重。相比起來，2014年第一晚的衝突中大約40人受傷，當中並沒有人傷勢嚴重。
The violence seen on Wednesday has shocked Hong Kong, particularly videos of police firing rounds at point blank range and beating protesters on the ground, a visual reminder of the fears many have about what could happen if the city loses what freedom it has to Beijing. 星期三的暴力事件震驚香港，由其是警員開槍和追打倒在地上的示威者，這個畫面正正是大家最恐懼的，當北京奪走香港的自由時會發生的事。
However, the more aggressive tactics of young protesters compared to 2014 -nearly all of whom came masked and wearing protection against tear gas and pepper spray - have also attracted some criticism, especially from pro-government sectors, and reinforced Lam's claims that they had started a riot.
Undeniably, protesters took the fight to the police more than they did in 2014, but compared to scenes from Paris or Catalonia, where demonstrations have also faced very heavy policing, they were far less destructive and aggressive towards officers. 無可否認，比起2014年示威者向警方發動了更多衝擊，但與同樣面對重警裝備的巴黎或加泰羅尼亞示威者比較，針對警員的攻擊遠遠的少殺傷力和挑釁性。
While the Hong Kong government accused protesters of "setting fires (and) damaging nearby public facilities," CNN reporters throughout the protests saw no evidence of this. No cars or tires were burned, and protesters were careful to keep sites clean, even setting up recycling stations. 香港政府指控示威者”放火及損毀附近公共設施”，本報記者並沒有看見這些情況。沒有車輛或車胎被焚燒，示威者亦盡力保持環境清潔，甚至設立回收站。
Peace was restored Thursday, but with the government refusing to back down over the extradition bill and protesters determined to stop it, it remains to be seen how long that will last. 星期四市面回復平靜，但隨著政府對通過引渡條例拒絕退步而示威者決心阻止，事件會持續多久還有待觀望。
一個有七百萬人的大城市當然會有罪案....本年頭四個月警方錄得的暴力罪案數字是2600，相比之下，人口相約的倫敦超過70000宗。
警方多次在沒有發岀警告下不斷發放催淚彈，還有胡椒噴霧和橡膠子彈，但示威者都不為所動。
多段片段中都看到警方將手冇寸鐵的示威者拉倒在地，再用警棍打他們，而CNN親眼見警方將橡膠子彈的槍口對著記者和撤退中的示威者。
警方和政府把星期三的示威行動定為暴動，並表示他們以適當的方式應對--警員都配備重型防護裝備和防毒面罩。
星期三的示威，在一開始的時候就如雨傘運動的翻版。未威者占據了立法會附近的馬路，並設立了急救站和分發食物、水、抵抗催淚彈的防備。
然而警方的對應與五年前截然不同。當示威者開始嘗試推進，以進入立法會大樓，配著重型裝備的防暴隊伍也覆蓋了金鐘區。
當示威者衝進直通立法會大樓的添華道，警方發放了第一枚催淚彈。隨後發放更多的催淚彈，同時示威者成功進佔(該段)馬路，圍困了警方於大樓範圍內。
衝突中最少79人受傷者，幾人傷勢嚴重。相比起來，2014年第一晚的衝突中大約40人受傷，當中並沒有人傷勢嚴重。
星期三的暴力事件震驚香港，由其是警員開槍和追打倒在地上的示威者，這個畫面正正是大家最恐懼的，當北京奪走香港的自由時會發生的事。
無可否認，比起2014年示威者向警方發動了更多衝擊，但與同樣面對重警裝備的巴黎或加泰羅尼亞示威者比較，針對警員的攻擊遠遠的少殺傷力和挑釁性。
香港政府指控示威者”放火及損毀附近公共設施”，本報記者並沒有看見這些情況。沒有車輛或車胎被焚燒，示威者亦盡力保持環境清潔，甚至設立回收站。
星期四市面回復平靜，但隨著政府對通過引渡條例拒絕退步而示威者決心阻止，事件會持續多久還有待觀望。