Frankly, the French didn't look to the "west" when cutting the heads of antonets. The Brits didn't look to the "west" when they took off the head of King James and then invited his child back. The Americans didn't look to the "west" when they burned the tea and all the rest. And the Russians didn't look to the "west" when they sent their czar packing.

Why should Hong Kongers look to the west when people in France are on the streets for themselves? What's this expectation that power is granted, and someone else should step in and grant it?

They can take over the official buildings, declare themselves new rulers, and done.

If they gone sit there expecting others to grant them anything, well, you can be sure they'll be granted nothing.

There has never been a time when power was granted by asking. You take power.