The Circus is back in town.

"Young people filled with passion, impulsive and inclined to act on their emotions, are led astray with ease."

With a vengeance, the heat of a Hong Kong summer has arrived. A typhoon is lingering south of us, as the cool weather of our Covid-19 period retreats.

Likewise, the militant protesters are back. They're testing the limits of the social distancing laws, testing the police and everyone's patience.

​With the economy in decline and unemployment rising, it's debatable whether large numbers of citizens will risk everything by returning to the streets. 

Last night, the black shirts made a reappearance in Mongkok, only to face a swift intervention by the increasingly assertive police. As the courts jail rioters for up to seven years, we all debate whether this will dissuade the militants. Everyone has an opinion that draws off a thousand variables. 

The calm we enjoyed during the Covid-19 semi-lockdown was an opportunity for Chief Executive Carrie Lam to step forward as the people's protector in these dangerous times.

After all, people will cleave to robust leaders. And while Lam and her team did exceptionally well in containing the virus, she's failed to ride the wave of success. 

Currently, only the Commissioner of Police, Chris Tang, is showing the sort of robust leadership needed in times of crisis. He stands tall amongst a field of mediocre, sheep-like, officials.

You can see that Tang trucks no nonsense from his officers nor opponents. The recent arrest of officers indicates he will hold them to account. 

No politician has succeeded in landing a damaging blow on Tang despite repeated attempts in district councils and at LegCo. I sense he enjoys sparring with those people while they seek to score cheap points.

Of course, they don't like it when he retorts to their misplaced attacks with polite derision and hard facts.

Meanwhile, the LegCo circus is in full swing. On Friday, after seven months of delays, the pro-establishment camp swept into the chamber to seize the House Committee. This body controls the business of LegCo; thus, whoever directs the committee sets the pace in LegCo.

The committee failed to elect a chairperson since October 2019, as filibustering blocked progress. Acting chair Dennis Kwok allowed endless arguments about procedures and brought LegCo to a halt. 

Starry Lee from the pro-establishment camp, acting on legal advice, marched-in, under escort, to seize the chair. An outflanked opposition reacted by charging forward; scuffles followed, as the two sides faced-off. Lee then declared the meeting in session. 

As trouble rumbled on, she ordered eleven opposition councillors out of the chamber for causing disorder. The rest soon followed.

With fourteen bills cleared that afternoon, the opposition was left claiming assault and foul play. There is no shortage of evidence with live CCTV coverage, the media on scene and councillors filming events.

Opposition legislator Ray Chan charged back and forth in a comical manner before he's dragged away shoeless. At the same time, Eddie Chu demonstrated remarkable skills by climbing the chamber walls. His attempt to breach the cordon-line protecting Starry Lee failed. 

This unedifying spectacle sets a terrible example. No wonder the kids believe it is acceptable to throw petrol bombs and beat up anyone who questions their methods.

Doubtless, this is far from the end of the matter. Last Friday's skirmish is part of an evolving opposition rear-guard action. They believe that in September's election they'll gain controll in LegCo.

So until then, the plan is to stall all legislation, especially the national anthem law and anything related to Article 23. I expect more shenanigans in the weeks ahead.

And yet, life goes on because Hong Kong is a resilient city. In my forty years here, she's survived typhoons, riots, refugees, financial collapses and pandemics.

As Donald Tsang asserted at the height of the 1998 financial crisis, "No one makes money by betting against Hong Kong." 

Yet, how many times do all-knowing foreign journalists come here, sniff around, do a cage-home story and then feel able to write their 'fall of Hong Kong' article? In truth, they know next to nothing.

This place has a tremendous capacity to absorb a crisis, brush it off and then move forward, cushioned by the vast Chinese hinterland.

Despite last year's wide-spread unrest with some terrorist activity, we are still here. The property market didn't crash, the Hong Kong dollar is intact, and business activity is returning.

In other places, when this state of affairs has continued for long enough, they have a revolution. Here that's not an option. 

"We made the wrong decision." That's from a friend who jumped too early as Covid-19 took hold here in January. They put their faith in the US by fleeing to the safety of New York with three kids. That's not something they'll do again. Despite everything, Hong Kong looks like a sanctuary of safety. 

Watching all this unfold, I feel things are rarely black and white. While the protests are back, the determination of the violent militants remains open to question. Many of their mistakes are due to the excess and overzealousness of youth.

​Young people filled with passion, impulsive and inclined to act on their emotions, are led astray with ease. And because they know everything, their confidence knows no bounds. Then reality bites with arrest, court and jail time. Life is a severe teacher.

With one of the five demands met, the other four languish in the bin. The militants must have noticed that the courts have designated that the events of 12 June 2019 as a riot. 

​Their demand for a retraction of the riot characterisation is now impossible without suspending the rule of law. If suspending the rule of law is possible, then we are truly lost.

Moreover, the protesters now face a unified and blooded Police Force, who have grown in confidence. Anyone thinking they can win this struggle on the streets is taking a considerable risk.

​Their best bet is the LegCo elections, if the opposition doesn't blow that with their infighting.

Either way, it's a long hot summer coming.