GeoExpat and the Umbrella Movement

 
GeoExpat and the Umbrella Movement ansel.ma / Flickr

Four weeks in and Hong Kong’s Umbrella Movement, a protest of unprecedented scale that first started as Occupy Central, is still going strong. What began as a week-long boycott of classes by thousands of university students in late September evolved quickly into a full-blown city-wide protest, as thousands of protestors took to the streets to demand universal suffrage from the Chinese central government.

 

University students walked out of classes on Sept 22 to protest against the Chinese government’s August decision to backtrack on their promise to allow the Chief Executive to be elected by universal suffrage in 2017. On Sept 28, when the students orchestrated a sit-in just outside the government headquarters in Admiralty, Occupy Central with Peace and Love, a fellow pro-democracy group, quickly joined in and kick-started their campaign (originally planned for Oct 1) early, effectively piggybacking on the momentum and lending huge support.

 

The excessive pushback by the police on Sept 29, which included firing 87 rounds of teargas into the non-violent crowds mostly made up of students, fuelled public anger. Their attempt to contain the crowds backfired, as the public outcry that followed led to a surge in the number of protesters who took to the streets. The result? Passionate yet peaceful protests that have cut off some of the city’s major transportation routes. Since then, Occupy movements have popped up all over Hong Kong and have occupied key areas in Central, Admiralty, Wan Chai, Causeway Bay, Mong Kok and Tsim Sha Tsui.

 

Here, we take a look at some of the best posts we’ve seen on GeoExpat regarding Occupy Central in the past few weeks. We’ll be updating this article on a weekly basis for as long as the Umbrella Movement goes on. Stay tuned.

 

Kun-chia Wu / Flickr

 

Week 1

"I personally think it's going to be a battle of numbers. Protesters in Hong Kong are not as aggressive as those in other countries." alph (More)

 

"The leaders in Beijing are not idiots - they'll know exactly how sending the PLA in would look to the rest of the world. They are playing the long game - and they have Taiwan to think about too. They've handled this pretty adroitly so far and I don't expect them to slip up now." TheBrit (More)

 

"[Facebook link] US consulate statement on facebook, with fun to read comments. I guess you can't have democracy without oil!" robertlempriere (More)

 

"CY may be guilty of blindly following Beijing's orders, but I don't think he wishes to go down in history as the stooge who turned guns against peacefully protesting Hongkongers." Mefisto (More)

 

"I am not sure how this whole protest thing will end...but one thing for sure....all the posts have read on here in the last 10 years about the locals and their lack of compassion, political activism, outside thinking etc etc etc, sound in the face of what we witness, very daft to say the least." Mat (More)

 

ansel.ma / Flickr

 

Week 2

"I'm surprised some of you miss the benefit of this demonstration. The PRC will think twice about pushing their agenda on HK. HK probably won't have full democracy in 2017 after this demonstration. But if the PRC wants to amend the Basic Law, or make a change to the curriculum to be more nationalistic, etc, they know that any attempt to push their agenda can lead to mass demonstrations like this one." orionx999 (More)

 

"These protests should be seen as act one of a very long process and complicated relationship between HK and mainland China. While HK 'belongs' to China under the one country two system principle, a percentage of the population has made it clear to Beijing that it could not to as it does in the mainland ie decide without consulting. It may well be that in 2017 nothing changes ...but what about 2022 for example?" Mat (More)

 

"I think this movement has been a great little exposé of gummint collusion with triad society and the (ab)use of the popo as agents of fear." Deadnought (More)

 

"I don't disagree that CY is hopeless...but I think you're living in a dream world if you think the PRC is ever going to allow a pro-democracy CE. The PRC will 'think twice' before pulling anything like this again? You mean there'll be a couple of days of drama in the news and a road or two will be closed for a few days then everyone gets over it. I bet they're terrified." mid-gen (More)

 

"Passed through the Occupy/Umbrella area of Hong Kong today. The atmosphere is still pretty special even without huge crowds. The area cordoned off surprised me - much bigger than I had realised - and SO peaceful! Tourists wandering around; office workers sitting on the central reservation eating lunch and enjoying the peace and quiet. Maybe a few hundred actual "occupiers" quietly resting or chatting. Lots of posters in many languages. It's impressive." HK_Katherine (More)

 

Pasu Au Yeung / Flickr

 

Week 3

"No live coverage on Hong Kong TV channels within the first hour apparently. INews' "Good Morning Hong Kong" was showing extended scene of some bank cashier counting thick stacks of Mao-emblazoned 100 RMB notes when I checked... figures. It's been picked up by TV since. Seems like a carefully planned operation with lack of coverage and timing. The administration has finally entered into talks with the protesters using the arguments (arsenal?) at their disposal." Mefisto (More)

 

"Don't you find it strange how the pro-establishment media and figures condemn the OC movement as leading to chaos while it is in fact the triad thugs hired by the the pro-establishment folks who are causing all these chaos? They accuse the OC movement of being organized secretly by nefarious foreign forces bent on destruction of China. Yet they conveniently forget that they have quietly organized this current anti-OC protest as well with nefarious triads." Cho-man (More)

 

"In some cities, there would have been looting by now." Claire ex-ax (More)

 

"The main issue for the students now is that they are losing the general population support/symphatie it seems. Not at all a scientific view only based on a small sample of colleagues/friends/family." Mat (More)

 

"It is a sad state of affairs that the only people trying to protect the future of HK are "children". But then again I know plenty of people who would be down there if they didn't have to work." usehername (More)

 

"I am tired of hearing the government refrain that all the protesters demands are ‘impossible’. Their call for ‘rational dialogue’ on electoral reform while at the same time refusing, or delaying, talks is also very hypocritical." David Smith (More)

 

"I heard on the radio that the government cannot offer a supplementary report to the NPCSC because it will negatively impact their governing "authority". What a load of crap if you asked me. It is precisely because of the government's unwielding attitude against the OC movement that is causing it to lose "authority"." Cho-man (More)

 

"I don't think anyone in HK is trying to revolt. They are just asking for something that was promised to them to be delivered. Huge difference." HK_Katherine (More)

 

Trey Menefee / Flickr

 

Week 4

"So CY has said they can't have civil nomination because then the poor would have too much political influence :banghead: :banghead: :banghead:" usehername (More)

 

"The injunction is so useless, it's basically telling the students to clear out MK. That's pretty much what the govt has been telling them for the past 3 weeks and look how far it got them. If the cops should enforce the injunction and clear everyone out, they will just be back later." mrgoodkat (More)

 

"The police should BEAT THOSE VIOLENT STUDENTS WHO HAVE CONSISTENTLY ATTACK THE POLICE!!!! THIS ELECTORAL SYSTEM IS A WELL THOUGHT SYSTEM BY OUR MOTHERLAND, THIS IS THE MOST SUITABLE SYSTEM, IF THE STUDENT DON'T LIKE IT THEN LEAVE HONGKONG! AND IF YOU EXPATS SUPPORT PLEASE LEAVE TOO! BECAUSE THE MAJORITY OF THE HONG KONG PEOPLE HATE THEM AND YOU EXPATS!!! YOU EXPATS JUST COME TO HONG KONG AND INSTIGATE TROUBLE!!!!!" ILoveHKG (More)

 

"CY “Napoleon” Leung: “All Hong Kongers are equal, but some Hong Kongers are more equal than others.” Cho-man (More)

 

“HAHA, what a twat [Kenny G]. Haven’t even heard about him before the pics. Maybe somebody should inform him that those Twitter comments won’t fix anything in the eyes of the CCP. He should do a “Love HK, Support Police, CY for President” Tour.” mrgoodkat (More)

 

“I absolutely adore the Lion Rock stunt. Good imagination and execution.” HowardCoombs (More)

 

Doctor Ho / Flickr

 

Week 5

"Remarkable how even after such a blatant attack on journalists (some arguably on the same side as the anti-OC movement, like TVB) by the pro-Beijing mob, many of the pro-establishment printed media still keeps a strange silence on it on their editorial pages. This silence is becoming deafening.” Cho-man (More)

 

"First, let me make it clear, I am very much in the pro-democracy/pro occupy camp. But. It has now been a month. There is clearly [retracted] all action from the CCP/HK government.” pin (More)

 

"Tycoons have been very restrained in their political lambasting of a generally peaceful protest that has backing or sympathy from large swatches of the general public. This is even after a session in Beijing to remind them who provides their bread and butter.” East_coast (More)

 

"I had a pretty negative image of HK students before the protests (mainly driven by their uselessness at work once you hire them) but these protests have reinstated my view of them as having an opinion, being articulate, and being creative. It’s all perception I guess.” cookie09 (More)

 

“Maybe I move in all the wrong circles, but I really don’t know that many people who’d be afraid of young kids doing their homework, creating impressive works of art and generally busy keeping everything neat and clean!” Mefiesto (More)

 

alcuin lai / Flickr

 

Week 6

“What’s silly is everyone comparing our system to that of big countries. The models they should be studying are the mayors of cities like New York and London for ideas as that’s much closer to what we need.” HK_Katherine (More)

 

“Many of the protestors, i.e. those who are students, not just the dossers, will have exams next month. Things will either have to move quickly, or there will be a lot of empty tents. They might as well downsize to one area.” Claire ex-ax (More)

 

“Regina’s suggestion is based on an oversimplification – the students are complaining, so we give them a few seats. Problem solved! Except it’s not just students protesting.” David Smith (More)

 

“It’s incredible how it appears that some Hong Kongers are willing to eat their own young. They say they are for democracy/universal suffrage and don’t agree with the Umbrella Movement approach; stand on the sidelines berating the young people, yet can’t propose a viable alternative – and can’t seem to see what the end-game is.” threesummers (More)

 


 

Opening photo credit:
ansel.ma / Flickr