On Saturday, September 26, Hong Kong demonstrators celebrated the fifth anniversary of the Umbrella Movement by leading new protests through the chinese capital. The movement was born in 2014, when a Hong Kong electoral reform, considered unbalanced and restricted, was accepted by the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress.
Since then, activists have organized civil disobedience campaigns, calling for an electoral system capable of guaranteeing universal and equal suffrage. The Umbrella Movement owes its name to the great use of umbrellas during those demonstrations, as a defensive tool against Hong Kong’s use of pepper spray. Five years after the spread of these passive protests, police tactics have not changed.
During the protest last weekend, the police dispersed the crowds with tear gas and water cannons. Despite the police reaction to the protests, public support for the movement has increased rapidly over the years, as the use of unnecessary violence by the police against a peaceful movement has become increasingly criticized for its brutality.
Dixon Ming Sing associate professor at the University of Science and Technology, stated to the press: “The Umbrella Movement has taught them many lessons, including the importance of solidarity and how to keep the society vibrant by allowing a wide spectrum of people to participate”.
However, even more protests are expected in Hong Kong on October 1, as Beijing is preparing to celebrate the 70th anniversary of The People’s Republic, to whom Hong Kong has always tried to rivendicate its independence.
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