In Pictures: Hong Kong protesters commemorate Umbrella Movement anniversary
September 28, 2017 marks the third anniversary of the Umbrella Movement – the pro-democracy protests that shook Hong Kong.
Pro-democracy protesters holding iconic yellow umbrellas marking the third anniversary of the start of the Occupy Central civil disobedience movement on September. 28, 2017
Hundreds of pro-democracy activists in Hong Kong gathered outside the government headquarters to commemorate the anniversary of the Occupy Movement, holding a three-minute moment of silence.
In September 2014, Joshua Wong and his fellow student activists barged into the Hong Kong’s government headquarters opposing China’s growing interference in Hong Kong’s politics.
Wong and his fellow activists launched a 79-day protest demanding a full-fledged democracy.
Things escalated and riot police were called in, who then used tear gas and rubber bullets to quell the protests. To defend themselves from the police atrocities, people used umbrellas.
Since then, the umbrellas have become the movement’s most visible symbol, and the revolution came to be known as the Umbrella Movement.
Umbrella’s were the main line of defence for a huge crowd trying to push past barricades manned by police dousing the crowd with pepper spray from backpack sprayers.
In 1847, Hong Kong ceded to the UK after the Opium Wars and was under colonial rule until 1997. Once the lease expired, China resumed its sovereignty over Hong Kong.
Hong Kong has been under a one country, two systems framework. Beijing controls the city’s defence and foreign affairs while Hong Kong controls judiciary and press.
China had promised that Hong Kong would be allowed to hold its first democratic elections in 2017 and elect their head of the government without its interference.
While residents want to nominate and elect their own head of government or chief executive, Beijing asserts that candidates must be examined by an electoral committee that includes pro-Beijing figures.
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