Resolute Occupy protesters raise umbrellas to commemorate firing of tear gas
A month after humble item became their shield and symbol, protesters hold them up for 87 seconds to mark firing of 87 rounds of tear gas
A sea of umbrellas covered all three Occupy Central protest sites yesterday as thousands observed an 87-second silence to mark one month since police fired 87 rounds of tear gas to disperse crowds at the start of the pro-democracy rallies.
Protest leaders hope the ceremonies will inject fresh momentum into their civil disobedience campaign and reverse its loss of direction and leadership. Protesters on the ground are also contemplating what to do, with most determined to stay put.
Watch: Hong Kong protesters mark one month of Umbrella Movement
Yesterday, silence descended on the sites in Admiralty, Causeway Bay and Mong Kok at 5.57pm - the time when riot police fired the first canisters of tear gas in Admiralty on September 28 after extensive use of pepper spray failed to bring protesters under control.
At the time, protesters used umbrellas to shield themselves, turning the humble item into the symbol of Occupy Central and prompting overseas media to dub it the "umbrella movement".