Hong Kong's illegitimate Occupy Central movement has lasted for a month. Those who are perpetuating this farce seem tired out, but don't want to give up in shame. Benny Tai Yiu-ting, one of the initiators of Occupy Central, and Alex Chow, secretary-general of the Hong Kong Federation of Students, called for a referendum regarding the August decision by the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress. This demand is doomed to meet with objections.

Tai specializes in law. He should know that the Basic Law does not grant Hong Kong the right to hold referendums. He is just using this inflammatory slogan to mislead the Hong Kong public.

The Occupy Central movement is deadlocked. More and more people oppose it. Hong Kong society's respect for the rule of law is awakening. It has become clear what the activists have done to this place. This trend will continue until justice and all positive elements defeat the movement.

Even if the Occupy Central movement ends right now, the harm it has done to Hong Kong will last for a long time. It has shaken the authority of the rule of law in the city and driven a wedge among people. It has also endowed Hong Kong with political paranoia that does not match its status as a financial center. It looks like Cairo, Bangkok and Kiev now.

A modern metropolis that was developing rapidly, Hong Kong even allowed students to block the main roads and occupy business centers.

The police felt wary of carrying out actions. If they did, public opinion would condemn the police for being brutal.

Now a petition has collected almost a million signatures to support the police, but the Hong Kong government seems scared by public opinion. This poses divisions in Hong Kong.

Tai and Chow have uttered nonsense, but the Hong Kong government has to respond and the media will rush to expose their actions.

There are two possible means by which Occupy Central ends.

The first is that positive power imposes pressure on the Occupy Central forces and compels them to end their illicit actions. If this happens, then it is Hong Kong's foundation of the rule of law that will save it.

Another scenario is that the pressure from the Hong Kong public is not able to triumph over Occupy Central forces and the protesters will be forcefully removed.

This will lead to more severe divisions and lingering miserable memories in Hong Kong. If this comes true, then Hong Kong could be hurt more.

A third option is that the movement continues for one or more years. History has given Hong Kong the chance to become the financial center of Asia. But the chance will only be given once. Hong Kong faces competition with other metropolises. It has to struggle to keep its status even though society functions normally. Hong Kong is not the only choice for Asia. The third option will prove it.