To many, Bersih 4 remains an image of a jubilant crowd coming together in solidarity to fight against corruption and to demand for the ouster of an unpopular prime minister.

Yet to others, the provocative images of a Chinese woman stepping on a picture of Hadi Awang and Najib Abdul Razak represent what Bersih 4 stands for.

This is certainly not the only provocative act done during the Bersih rally, but it is the most visible one that is condemned by many.

Still, there are those who defend the act of the woman; some comments suggest that the woman was too young and ignorant to understand the ramifications of her actions while others suggest that the woman was an agent provocateur who was meant to paint Bersih in a bad light.

Whatever the excuses are, they are invalid for one simple reason; Bersih supporters did nothing to stop the act. The fact that this incident happened at all means both Bersih 4 supporters and the 500 volunteer security personnel from Gerakan Harapan Baru (if any were present) failed to notice it or simply did not see the act as wrong when it happened.

It should not be surprising in the least if Bersih supporters did not see the act as wrong because they were busy condemning PAS and Najib in the lead up to rally and thus helped framed the overall mindset of the rally.

Indeed, some comments even suggest that it is the norm to insult people this way because Umno members has done it to Lim Guan Eng and Lim Kit Siang’s photos countless times and really should not be seen an insult at all. (I fail to follow this logic, but such are the arguments being put forth.)

The failure to recognise the act as an insult, the failure to prevent it from happening and the repeated defence of the act is why Bersih 4 is seen as an ugly affair purposefully done to provoke and insult by some rather than the stated intent of demanding for Najib’s resignation.

Our collective thoughts and actions determine our nation’s moral compass and our moral compass is all over the place right now.

The reality of Bersih 4 is that it has divided us more than it united us.