There can be few in Hong Kong who have not been touched in some way by the pro-democracy Occupy protests. The Post talked to people around the city to find out what life has been like in occupied Hong Kong. "I'm weak in body but strong in spirit" Benny Mok Siu-man, 51, knelt down in front of police officers firing tear gas at Occupy protesters on September 28. On Tuesday, the former government surveyor was on the sixth day of a hunger strike outside government headquarters in Admiralty. “I'm weak in body but strong in spirit," Mok said. Greeted by passers-by from time to time, Mok said he wanted to “occupy people's hearts" and awaken Hongkongers to the need for democracy. He sees major problems with the government's campaign to "pocket" a reform package for the next chief executive election that would fulfil Beijing's demands, with the chance that further democratisation could be possible for future elections. He wants officials to answer his questions about that strategy. Watch: Occupy Central hunger striker 'weak in body but strong in spirit' Of the Occupy movement, Mok said: “It's a very good campaign. Hongkongers are highly disciplined." But he urged organisers to form a committee to prioritise future action. “[The organisers] are afraid of being criticised for dominating the campaign. But I think they have overreacted." Looking pale, Mok said doctors and nurses had visited him regularly to monitor his health. He has high blood pressure and low blood sugar, according to a nurse who visited him on Monday. Family members who visited on Sunday expressed concerns over his health, he added. As well as the medical team, Mok was also constantly visited by foreign and local press. “I've given interviews in many languages in the past few days, almost all except Korean and Japanese," Mok joked. He will go to police headquarters in Wan Chai to turn himself in on Wednesday for occupying the road. “It will mark the end of my strike," he said. Thomas Chan "I’ll stay at my post and hold on to our protest areas for as long as I can" The protests are abating in Causeway Bay but for 42-year-old Lee Ching-hong, the stakes just got higher. He quit his job as a mechanical engineer two days ago to join the protest full time. "I’ll stay at my post and hold on to our protest areas for as long as I can," he said. "We have to make sacrifices, and some fellow protestors are also thinking about how long we’ll keep doing this. With that in mind, I decided to leave my job." Lee now walks around the protest area in Causeway Bay with a towel over his head and a face mask, cleaning up litter and arranging the supplies piled in what used to be a tram station. He says he goes back home to shower and see his wife once in a while, and that she supports his decision. He slept on the street in Causeway Bay on Sunday and Monday. "I’ve been following the movement closely since it started, and all this time I’ve been thinking if I should keep going to work and watch how it develops, or if I should make one last push so my generation and the one after can finally choose the chief executive they want." He says the recent rules set out by the National People’s Congress showed that not even proposals from scholars or pro-government, pro-Beijing parties could make it past the central government. Past political efforts had all been for nothing. "CY Leung never disclosed or explained his negotiations with the central government," Lee said. "That’s enough to make Hongkongers from all walks of life come out and tell the world what they really think." Lee will leave the protest site once the Hong Kong government abolishes the non-directly elected functional constituencies for the 2016 Legislative Council elections; once Hongkongers can choose who to nominate for their chief executive; and once the National People’s Congress takes back its ruling on universal suffrage in Hong Kong. Alan Yu "This is going to be a long fight" Peter Wong has been kicked, pushed and punched by anti-Occupy activists but it hasn’t deterred him from joining the Mong Kok protesters for the long term. And to prove it he has just bought a bed. “I bought the bed to mark the 10th day here in this movement. This is going to be a long fight and there is no reason not to make myself comfortable,” said the 23-year-old who runs an online shop. Wong said he joined the Occupy movement in Mong Kok when the police fired tear gas at protesters and had been there since. “I have a lot of memories here. It’s where I hung out when I was a kid. It is also where I used to take my girlfriends.” He and friends have a roster to ensure someone is always on guard and he’s on the night shift. “I sleep until noon every day, go home take a shower, and I come back,” he said, adding that he was attacked "by gangsters a few days ago, and the police did not offer to help". "We have never had any movements as big as this one," said Wong. "If we don’t get what we are fighting for this time, I doubt if we can ever get it." Phila Siu "Hongkongers can live a harmonious life only when the city has true democracy" Joining a handful of protesters outside the Chief Executive's Office at Tim Wa Avenue on a sweltering Monday morning was 58-year-old retiree Alexandra Wong, who has travelled back and forth between her Shenzhen home and Admiralty during the Occupy protests. Wong said the lengthy commute was worth it in order to stay with the students, because she believes true democracy will shape a better Hong Kong. “I lived in Austria and the USA for many years. I understand the beauty of democracy," she said. “Hongkongers can live a harmonious life only when the city has true democracy." Her recent years living in mainland China also made her understand how frustrating the Chinese political system is, Wong said. “Politicians can lie. Officials can lie. Basically everyone can lie," she said, adding that she did not want to see Hong Kong turning into yet another Chinese city. Wong had been an accountant, a teacher and a shop manager before her retirement. “Whenever I saw unjust things in my workplace, I would surely argue with my bosses. This is my personality," she said. Wong, who is recovering from breast cancer surgery, said she had lost five pounds during the protests, and was mentally tired after sleeping for a few nights on the street. But she planned to stick with the occupation as long as her health allowed. “I’m going home to take a rest this afternoon. I will be back," she said. Thomas Chan "At least we can tell our children that back then, we took to the streets to fight for democracy" Ku Wai-kit doesn't remember what it feels like to sleep in a proper bed. For the past 10 days he’s been protesting, first with the students boycotting classes, then as part of the larger Occupy Central movement. The 19-year-old mathematics major at Chinese University slept on top of a garbage bag for the first week or so, and only got a sleeping bag and bamboo mattress from home this weekend. That was also the first time he saw his parents again since he had started protesting. “My father questions why we’re causing trouble and he doesn’t see the point," he said. "My mother knows that we’re trying to do some good, but they both say what we’re doing is futile, because in the end the chief executive has to answer to Beijing.” Ku says he, like many Hongkongers, didn’t really understand democracy at first. “I think a lot of Hongkongers want democracy, but they never thought they’d have to fight for democracy like this. They’d come and sit for one night on June 4 [the anniversary of the Tiananmen crackdown], and come out again on July 1 [for the annual pro-democracy march], and that’s it. "After walking for a day, they won’t do anything else for the rest of the year; like that annual walk is enough to soothe their conscience. I think this movement is a vast improvement,” said Ku. He has not been to any of his classes for the past two weeks, choosing to go to public lectures at the protest zones. He says he’s still learning a lot, particularly about politics. Ku goes back to his dormitory once a day to shower and change, and he’s been to all three protest zones in Admiralty, Causeway Bay and Mong Kok. With friends he takes turns to make sure there’s always someone at the protest areas. “Maybe we’re still young, but nothing’s going to happen if you don’t take a stand," he said. "At least I tried. When we have sons and Hong Kong becomes just like another city on the mainland, at least we can tell our children that back then, we took to the streets to fight for democracy.” Alan Yu "I can express my feelings through sketching" While photography has been the dominant way to capture the extraordinary scenes at the three Occupy sites, some have used illustrations to record the historic events. Yu Pak-to, a 27-year-old artist, made sketches as he took part in the sit-ins. “Many photos are being shared [on social media],” he said in Mong Kok on Monday night. “But I can express my feelings through sketching. The colour yellow is used to represent the movement.” The sky over Mong Kok and Causeway Bay is painted black in Yu’s latest artwork. “That’s to represent Hong Kong’s gloomy future. We can’t see tomorrow, including for the democratic movement.” Yu, a graduate from City University, said Mong Kok is the most special Occupy site to him. The people there come from all walks of life. “People came to me and ask me what am I drawing, it’s quite warm here,” he said. Despite his parents warning that the protests were dangerous, Yu said he wanted to experience them for himself. “I want to record it and share it on my Facebook page. It is another way to show my concern.” Timmy Sung "One has to sacrifice" Sunny Cheung Kuan-yang, 18, has been at the protests for so long that he can hardly remember which was the first day he embraced the fight. "I think it was on Friday [September 26]. I don't even know what day it is today," he said. Cheung, a social sciences student at Baptist University, has helped however he could, from "safeguarding the streets" to shouting slogans on the main stage at Causeway Bay. "We want to have true universal suffrage and get a satisfactory response from the government," he said. Cheung said that the use of tear gas by police had driven his dissatisfaction. But his interest in politics and social issues began long ago, when he was just a child. "I started watching the news and reading. I became aware of social inequality and injustice in Hong Kong... So a feeling grew inside of me... I started feeling that I wanted to change that," he said, holding a book about political philosophy. Cheung has been skipping classes and is ready to repeat his first year in university, since he doesn't think that he will fulfil the required number of classes to be eligible for exams. "One has to sacrifice," he said. His parents haven't tried to deter him from taking to the streets. "They don't support me, but they also don't oppose me." Cheung stressed that the protest has been led by spontaneous organisers. "We don't belong to any organisation, we are here to represent ourselves. No one can do that for us." He plans to join the student union of his university and then the Federation of Students. Raquel Carvalho "Young people should understand that adults need to raise their children as well" Mok Yuk-lun hopes the Occupy movement will end soon as business at the tiny Admiralty Centre tailor shop he runs with two other people has plunged 30 per cent in the past 10 days. Most of his customers are people working in nearby offices and blockage of the bridge between Queensway Plaza and Admiralty Centre have kept them away. “Usually our shop opens from 10.30am to 7.30pm. Now we open on time and close at 4.30pm,” said the tailor. Despite the effect on his business, he said he was amazed at how disciplined the protesters had been. “They put the rubbish into the bins themselves. I think they have done a great job.” Mok, who has worked at the shop for four years, marched for democracy on July 1 and says he respects the occupiers’ goals but says it should be on condition that it does not affect others’ lives. "Everyone has different perspectives,” he said. “Businessmen have to earn money, while students want to ask for democracy … young people should understand adults need to raise their children as well.” Elizabeth Cheung "Usually we open on public holidays, but this time we had to close" Kenny Ho knows fewer people have visited his stationary shop in Admiralty Centre since the protests began but can’t put a figure on it. The news hasn’t been all bad however. Surrounded by paper goods, toys and children’s favourite cartoon accessories, he says that while toy sales have dropped significantly, yellow ribbons, towels and masks have been great hits. Because of the protests, he closed the shop from Monday to Thursday last week. “Usually we open on public holidays, but this time we had to close,” he said. A veteran of pro-democracy protests in 2005 and 2006 who is also a businessman, he hopes the movement will end soon but not without achieving some goals. “If they dismiss now without any accomplishment, there will only be an endless cycle and people will come out to protest and protest again.” He is not against the principle of fighting for democracy. “Making a living is important, but I think I can afford the economic impact brought by the movement,” he said. But he thinks a more feasible method should be adopted. Elizabeth Cheung "I have lost at least a third of my business" Tse Wah-chung has strongly opposed the Occupy movement from the beginning and his business has suffered from the disruption. He also signed the anti-Occupy petition. But that didn’t stop the 57-year-old taxi driver from taking bread to the protesters after police fired tear gas at them. “I have lost at least a third of my business,” Tse said while eating his roasted duck and rice in his taxi. Trips in the affected area take much longer than usual. A journey from Hong Kong Station to Old Peak Road, for example, usually takes 10 minutes but he has had to switch to a route that takes up to an hour. With this in mind, he confesses his act of kindness on September 29 didn’t result entirely from a change of heart. “My daughter urged me to support them, so I just did it,” he smiled, referring to the 21-year-old who lives in Switzerland. “Don’t look down on the value of stuff in these two small plastic bags, the bread I bought was expensive and good quality,” he said, showing a photograph he took at the time. "Even during Sars business was better than now" Eva Yuen owns a small Chinese herbal tea shop close to Nathan Road. She complained that her business has dropped 30 per cent after the Occupy movement took over parts of Mong Kok. As many of her customers are from other districts, blockades of roads and diversions of bus routes mean that customers are diverted away as well. “My shop has been running for more than 10 years…even during Sars [in 2003] business was better than now,” said Yuen. She admitted that she does not support the Occupy movement as it has stirred up chaos. “It is fine to fight for freedom and universal suffrage, but don’t affect others and break their ‘rice bowls’,” she said. “Ordinary citizens just want prosperity and jobs.” Yuen is also sceptical about the true motivation of the protesters. “Are they being manipulated? Maybe they do not know…now they are destructing themselves and creating internal conflicts.” Elizabeth Cheung "Without any business, what am I going to eat?" Wong Yau-cheung operates a street food stall on Nathan Road. “I cannot even earn enough money for my rent now…business has fallen more than 50 per cent,” she said. Having run the food stall for about seven years, she said that the past weeks have been the first time her business has been badly hit. As the flow of customers has dried up, her wish now is that the Occupy movement comes to an end as soon as possible. “Everyone is working for money. I am also working for banknotes only,” Wong said. “Without any business, what am I going to eat?” Wong agrees with the cause of fighting for democracy, but said that the struggle must not put peace and safety at risk. Putting food on the table comes before anything else. Elizabeth Cheung
