Hong Kong extradition law: Protest art from HK streets illustrate how people feel about fugitive bill
As well as joining the mass protests on June 9, June 12 and June 16, many people used their creativity to express their feelings about recent events
Oh my god – literally. Jesus and Guan Yu, a Chinese general who was considered a deity during the Han dynasty, are among the crowd in this image, each holding a yellow umbrella, because Carrie Lam “convened” everyone.
The illustration was initially created during Occupy Central – a 2014 protest that saw thousands of people blocking major roads in Hong Kong to call for democratic elections – because various deities were placed at the occupied zone in Mong Kok to “safeguard” the protesters.
It’s been re-shared on social media platforms recently, probably playing with the fact that a pastor has said he was told by a police officer to “ask your Jesus to come see me” during the protest on June 12. It could also be a reference to the fact that the current protests have brought people of different religions together while alluding to the alleged police brutality against protesters on June 12.
A group of anonymous street artists have put up several images, in a style reminiscent of famous street artist Banksy, around Hong Kong Island highlighting alleged police brutality during the June 12 protest. The image at the top shows two special tactical squad members hitting a protester with their batons. The image below shows a group of police officers firing tear gas.
This old-fashioned looking poster urges people not to support the extradition bill. These memes are usually sent by people in older generations to their younger family members. They are often good wishes, words of wisdom, or sometimes rumours not supported by facts. The poster above includes sayings such as “Once the bill is passed, a few hundred billion of foreign investments might be withdrawn [from Hong Kong]! Hong Kong’s [international] financial centre status is in peril! The property market will be over! The stock market will be over!” It also uses expressions common among the elderly, such as “May peace be with you for a lifetime, good people!”
This cartoon compares two “mums”: Chief Executive Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor (top) and a female protester who was urging the police to put down their weapons and end the violence against young protesters on June 12 – the day the police fired 150 rounds of tear gas, about 20 beanbag rounds, and several rounds of rubber bullets at people. Lam called the young protesters her children in an interview with TVB and refused to spoil them (withdraw the extradition bill). Lam is labelled as a “kind mother”, and the protester a “rioter”.
Heal or hurt? This image is a fun take on the Hospital Authority logo. The translation of “Polispital Authority” means a citizen-surveillance association managed by the Hospital Authority and the Hong Kong Police Force. It is a response to the suspected leakage of patient data by Hong Kong’s public hospitals to the police, as anti-extradition protesters were arrested after seeking medical treatment in these public facilities.
This stunning and moving illustration captures the march by two million people on June 16. On the same day, protesters also commemorated the June 15 death of a demonstrator wearing a yellow raincoat who fell from a podium at Pacific Place, where he had hung banners protesting against the bill and police brutality.
This painting by 19-year-old artist Steven Tang is a collection of events that happened during the June 12 protest. It includes police officers using pepper spray and tear gas, and shows protesters holding up umbrellas as a form of protection against them.
Wild Meal Skirt is a playful invention for people who were planning to gather at Tamar Park on June 12. Before permission was officially granted for the protest, people were asked to turn up to “picnic” on their own, because there’s no rule against having a meal outside on your own – with thousands of other people.
Local illustrator Cuson Lo (in blue hat) joins fellow protesters on June 16, while mourning for the dead protester. Lo depicts the late demonstrator’s banners in the picture. The sign on the left reads “Entirely withdraw China extradition bill. We were not rioting. Release students and the injured. Step down, Carrie Lam”.
Edited by M. J. Premaratne
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