Silver linings amid fear, anguish

TARGETED FOR SPEAKING OUT

Kate Lee Hoi-wu's small family business suffered a setback after she spoke out against the violence in Hong Kong at a pro-police rally in late June.

The owner of Ngan Loong Cafe, a restaurant in Lei Yue Mun at the east entrance of Victoria Harbour, suddenly became the target of hateful telephone calls and nasty complaints online against her cafe and herself. Most comments were attributed to radical anti-government protesters, resentful over her outspoken support for the city's police force.

As a result, her business plummeted by more than half during the three weeks after she expressed her views at the rally. Anti-government protesters called for a boycott of her cafe. She lost some loyal customers.

Bogus complaints citing food safety and sanitation snowballed, prompting visits by officers of the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department and Labour Department.

"Many said businesspeople should not be at the front line of political disputes. I know if I shut up, protesters would leave me alone," she said. "But I told myself, stand with conscience."

Lee said she wanted to do her part for the police officers who have made a lot of sacrifices in the face of great physical danger and unfair accusations, as the unrest has seen police become a target of violence and online abuse.

The 51-year-old single mother took over the family business a few years ago after the deaths of her father and younger brother. She took on the roles of cook, cashier and cleaner.

Much to her surprise, the cafe's revenues, which had bottomed out in August, soon reached a record high. Her business won the support of retired and off-duty police officers, lawmakers, teachers and other civic-minded Hong Kong residents. She also has had offers of support from visitors from the mainland.