Over the past few months, Hong Kong has witnessed several protests related to the now suspended extradition bill. The protests’ massive turnout and initial peacefulness have made headlines in many parts of the world. Recently though, things have started to turn ugly. The protests are increasingly looking like riots with tear gas-filled streets, police firing rubber bullets and government buildings being ravaged. Last weekend, even triad gangs joined the fray, assaulting protesters and spreading further chaos. Although I work and live near the area where most protests are taking place, the effect on daily life has so far been limited. Whereas I have previously argued that China’s parliament is flawed, the risks of exposing Hong Kong citizens to the mainland’s opaque legal system needs no elaboration. What does deserve more attention is the fact that the world is closely watching these protests, while most protests on the mainland go by quietly.