How Hong Kong lost its will to protest, and why an author accuses government of using laws to crush dissent
From the 1966 riots to the 2014 ‘umbrella movement’, Hongkongers have hit the streets to air their grievances. But after authorities recently handed down harsh prison sentences and banned some protesters from politics, it seems the city no longer has the heart to demonstrate
Hong Kong has a proud reputation as a city of protest, but things are changing fast. The number of protests is down, attendances are diminishing, and young activists inspired by the 2014 “umbrella movement” say they have turned away from protest as a means of achieving political or social change.
“It’s hard to say if anything could get me back on the streets. I won’t say I have completely given up – I just feel frustrated and tired,” says Carmen Li Ka-man.
The third-year sociology undergraduate at Hong Kong Shue Yan University was eight years old when she first attended a protest with her parents and, like thousands of other locals, has participated in dozens since.
After the disqualification of the Legco councillors, people realised that government could just stop you doing anything constructive and useful
Li was pepper sprayed in the face by police while taking video as a citizen reporter outside Government House at the July 1 pro-democracy rally in 2016, and afterwards lost faith in the value of protest.