Under the circumstances I believe the Beijing police demonstrated remarkable restraint. It is difficult for anyone who has never faced such overwhelming crowds of people to understand just how quickly a couple of almost innocent infractions can turn into a brutal and out of control riot where there are many more injuries, or worse, on both sides. The best way to quell the danger of a riot
is to be firm and hold the line. This they did. I have spent many years as a businessman in China and have never felt the least threatened by the police or soldiers as long as I was doing what I should be. I never had any desire to do otherwise.