Pro-democracy protesters gathered once again at Hong Kong International airport today to vent their anger at the government and police, making a new addition to their oft-repeated list of five demands: that police restore the sight of a woman believed to have been shot in the eye with a bean bag round during a protest last night.
The impromptu extension of a three-day airport rally that began on Friday was sparked by police’s particularly heavy-handed response to guerrilla-style protests across the city last night, and especially by the shocking images of the young woman being treated by paramedics as blood streamed from her face.
“An eye for an eye! Shame on police!” protesters chanted, sometimes at a deafening level of almost 100 decibels, or roughly as loud as a crowded stadium. “F**k Hong Kong police! Don’t trust Hong Kong police!”
Thousands upon thousands of black-clad protesters flooded the arrivals and departures areas of the airport, leaving only narrow paths for travelers to navigate.
One medical student, who wore a mask and black blindfold in reference to the injured woman, broke down into sobs repeatedly as he spoke of the situation in the city.
“The tragedy that happened yesterday was a result of the government not listening to the people,” he told Coconuts HK, his voice breaking.
“Whether or not it’s true that the victim was a first aid responder [as some have suggested], she was unarmed and wasn’t doing anything violent. She still got shot regardless. That is unforgivable,” he added. “We cannot kneel to this tyrannical government.”
Today's impromptu protest at #HongKong International Airport looks like it's shaping up to be even bigger than past demonstrations there. #antiELAB pic.twitter.com/ZbsM8PSZij
— Coconuts Hong Kong (@CoconutsHK) August 12, 2019
Shannon, a University of Hong Kong student, said her emotions were raw as well.
“I was so nervous on the way here that I wanted to throw up… It feels like I got here just to run away,” she said. “This is white terror.”
“When the people were crying out the slogans, I had to stop my tears from flowing. Why is our society like this?” she added.
The two-month-old protest movement was initially prompted by a now-suspended bill that would have allowed extraditions from Hong Kong to mainland China, however, the demonstrations have now evolved to include calls for broad democratic reforms, the complete withdrawal of the bill, and an independent investigation into alleged police brutality.
Canaan Wong, an ex-police officer who is still in touch with his old colleagues, said many frontline officers spent so much time “fighting the protesters that they don’t have time to read the news or reflect on themselves.”
“I think this is what the government wants — for there to be conflict between police and citizens, so as to distract everyone from the main problem. This is a strategy typical of the Chinese Communist Party,” Wong said.
“The police have used some really stupid strategies, though, so kudos to them, I guess,” he added.
At around 4pm today, authorities announced that all outbound flights that had not already completed check-in would be cancelled due to the overwhelming mass of protesters.
Having accomplished their goal of paralyzing the busy international hub, at about 5pm protesters began leaving en masse, snarling ground transport.
With ground transport paralyzed, airport protesters are making the long slog to Tung Chung MTR station on foot. #HongKong #antiELAB pic.twitter.com/zqHRmxNVTJ
— Coconuts Hong Kong (@CoconutsHK) August 12, 2019
But as of about 9:40pm, a number of protesters remained in the terminal, with some reporting that more had actually returned since the exodus earlier in the day.
Crowds have definitely gotten bigger since the mass exodus earlier. pic.twitter.com/xHUYhwTh3w
— Laurel Chor (@laurelchor) August 12, 2019
