A sea of democracy activists once again flooded the streets of Hong Kong on Sunday in a defiant show of broad public support for the movement, despite recent setbacks that amounted to a black eye.
Ten weeks of demonstrations have plunged the city into crisis, with images of masked black-clad protesters engulfed by tear gas during street battles with riot police stunning a city once renowned for its stability.
Communist-ruled mainland China has taken an increasingly hardline tone towards the protesters, decrying the “terrorist-like” actions of a violent hardcore minority among the demonstrators.
Despite the near-nightly clashes with police, the movement has won few concessions from Beijing or the city’s unelected leadership.
Every possible streets are occupied via friend #antiELAB #ExtraditionLaw #HongKongProtests pic.twitter.com/loF2wor2x8
— Galileo Cheng (@galileocheng) August 18, 2019
Whatever the the movement’s missteps, however, the city’s Beijing-backed government remains the villain in many citizens’ minds.
“She didn’t realize majority of Hong Kong people are used to freedom and democracy, and they don’t relate to the communist rule,” one retired factory worker, who gave his name as Tsui, told Coconuts HK, referring to embattled Chief Executive Carrie Lam.
“She thought economic measures and giving out money is enough for Hongkongers, but look at this, people are showing up even there is this heavy rain, she doesn’t understand what we want.”
Indeed, even a torrential downpour wasn’t enough to clear the streets today, at a protest that was billed as a “rational” outlet for those uncomfortable with protesters’ more antagonistic tactics in recent weeks.
The spiraling violence, which last week saw protesters paralyze the city’s airport, has tarnished a campaign that had taken pride in its peaceful intent and unpredictability — which demonstrators have tagged with the slogan “Be Water.”
Organizers of Sunday’s rally, which started at the city’s Victoria Park, said it was an attempt to wrestle the narrative of the protest back to its peaceful origins.
It is a “rational, non-violent” demonstration, according to organizers the Civil Human Rights Front, the driving force behind record-breaking rallies in June and July that saw hundreds of thousands of people hit the streets.
Protesters flouted a police order not to march from the park, pouring across the heart of Hong Kong Island despite torrential rain.
Calling it a “flowing rally,” one protester said the leaderless movement was constantly adapting to outfox the police.
“We keep learning, the movement has evolved and become more fluid,” the 25-year-old recent graduate, who gave his name only as Lo, told AFP.
Today’s march was anything but radical, with families turning out with children and older parents to support the cause.
“We won’t betray them, even if they’re aggressive,” a 40-year-old man, who asked to be identified as Eric, said of younger protesters as he shielded his 3-year-old daughter from the rain.
“They should be having a wonderful summer holiday, but now they’re fighting for all of us. We have to stay united.”
Even a crew of committed hobbyists turned out to make miniature tableaus supporting the protest movement before the skies opened.
Someone has created a detailed diorama of the #HongKong #antiELAB protesters, down to the makeshift shields and puffs of cotton standing in for tear gas smoke. pic.twitter.com/3VR7f37BHW
— Coconuts Hong Kong (@CoconutsHK) August 18, 2019
Hong Kong’s police force, meanwhile, remain under intense pressure, stretched by flashmob protests and criticized for perceived heavy-handed policing including the use of tear gas, rubber bullets, and beating demonstrators — incidents that have pinballed across social media.
“I think the way police have dealt with this is absolutely out of order. You can make your own judgement based on the many videos out there,” protester James Leung told AFP.
Opinions among the protesters have diverged over the billowing violence, which has seen hardcore protesters using rocks, Molotov cocktails, and slingshots against the police.
Police had actually forbidden today’s march from leaving Victoria Park, but with the sheer number of people involved, it was all but impossible for the park to contain it.
Today’s rally has evolved into multi-directional marches — some citizens are marching away from Victoria Park in the direction towards Wan Chai; some are flocking into Victoria Park; while some are marching towards Admiralty and Central. pic.twitter.com/N61l302Jua
— Freedom HK (@FreedomHKG) August 18, 2019
Some say the violence has driven the pro-democracy movement into an uncomfortable direction.
“There are some expressing extreme views,” rally-goer Ray Cheng, 30, told AFP.
“But we have tried many times with peaceful approaches… I really hope the government can listen to us.”
Hong Kong’s unprecedented political crisis was sparked by opposition to a plan to allow extraditions to the Chinese mainland. But protests have since morphed into a wider call for democratic rights in the semi-autonomous city.
Beyond suspending the extradition bill, Beijing and city leader Carrie Lam have shown no desire to meet key demands such as an inquiry into police violence, the complete withdrawal of the bill, and an amnesty.
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