ANNIE WU SUK-CHING, chief of Maxim's Group, Hong Kong' s largest catering group, was verbally assaulted by some demonstrators in the special administrative region recently for trying to prevent students from taking part in a strike. China Daily's writer Zhu Yuan comments:

In an earlier interview, Wu said Hong Kong children should know they are Chinese, and the national flag should be hoisted and national anthem sung in all schools. With netizens welcoming her remarks, her company's moon cakes are selling like, well, hot cakes. In sharp contrast, consumers have given the cold shoulder to another Hong Kong food company's moon cakes because its chief's son supported the Hong Kong demonstrators. Some e-shops have even taken the company's moon cakes off their list.

Freedom of speech comes with some responsibilities and restrictions. Remarks advocating "Hong Kong independence" are not freedom of speech, but constitute subversion. Irrespective of the cause, vandalism and attacking police officers and other people are unacceptable in any country.

That Annie Wu was verbally attacked for what she said belies the very essence of the freedom of speech that the Hong Kong demonstrators take for granted.

Netizens have the right to boycott the moon cakes of a company whose chief's son supports the Hong Kong separatists.

With Mid-Autumn Festival round the corner, Chinese people are looking forward to family reunion. As for Hong Kong's problems, compatriots on the Chinese mainland sincerely hope the street violence will end soon, so they can return to their normal life.

But the central government will not stand by while some people disrupt the social order and threaten the socio-political fabric of Hong Kong, or endanger Hong Kong's status as a global financial hub and free port. And that is why mainland compatriots hate those who support the radical demonstrators in Hong Kong.