Protests erupted in June 2019 across Hong Kong over a now-axed extradition bill. They escalated into sometimes violent displays of dissent against police behaviour, amid calls for democracy and anger over Beijing’s encroachment.
LATEST NEWS & VIEWS ON THE 2019 PROTEST MOVEMENT
Taiwan’s political precipice: Foreign policy heavyweights weigh in, as island welcomes a new leader
When Lai Ching-te addressed reporters in the evening of January 13, minutes after his victory in Taiwan’s presidential election was announced, he struck what some analysts and media outlets called a “conciliatory” tone. The next time he steps onto an official stage – one that has been erected in front of the imposing Japanese colonial-era…
Explainer: How, and why, the gov’t banned protest song ‘Glory to Hong Kong’
Four years on from the 2019 protests and unrest, Hong Kong was finally able to legally restrict the performance and distribution of the movement’s anthem Glory to Hong Kong – a move that its composer foresaw back in 2020. But why is the song controversial, and where did it come from? How did the government…
COMMENTARY & ANALYSIS
Hong Kong gov’t uses 2019 protests to justify new security legislation without fully learning from them
For months during 2019, Hong Kong was rocked by increasingly violent anti-government protests. Demonstrators focused initially on an unpopular extradition bill that the government seemed determined to legislate despite strong opposition. Authorities eventually withdrew the bill, but by that time street rallies drew protesters numbering in their hundreds of thousands who called for “five demands…
Universal Children’s Day: Post-Covid, Hong Kong must ensure children’s rights, let them be heard, and tackle self-harm
By Billy Wong, Hong Kong Committee on Children’s Rights On Universal Children’s Day in 2022, society was still living under the pandemic. One year later, wearing a mask has become a personal decision. However, many children are still wearing them in public. Are they telling us that they still haven’t recovered? At the initial stage…
FEATURES
Learning their red lines: Hong Kong’s drama groups struggle to set boundaries as performances are axed
Theatrical and awards events hosted by at least four organisations and student groups have been axed so far this year, sparking fears in the performing arts community and anguished debate over where the “red lines” now run. The sector depends heavily on government and charity funding. But for those who work in it, many of…
‘I go almost every day’: The elderly Hong Kong democracy advocates following 2019 protest court cases
When Poon walks into Hong Kong’s District Court, it feels like home. Like clockwork, the sexagenarian opens her bag for a security check, fills her empty bottle – no liquids are allowed past the screening – and makes sure her phone is on silent. Then she settles into a plastic chair in the courtroom’s public…
A taste of home: How Hongkongers overseas preserve and adapt the city’s famed cuisine
After more than three years in Britain, Hongkonger Charlotte Wong, her husband William Kan and their two children are getting used to a completely different lifestyle. Before leaving the city in the summer of 2020, they rarely cooked. “We were busy with work, so for our three meals a day relied on a domestic helper,”…
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FRONTLINE PHOTOGRAPHY
HKFP Lens: Hong Kong press group announces winners of news photo contest
The Hong Kong Press Photographers Association (HKPPA) announced the winners of its annual news photo contest “Focus at the Frontline” on Sunday. Ming Pao Weekly’s Tan Chi-wing won Photo of the Year award with a picture of the International Commerce Centre in West Kowloon, with what appeared to be stars projected on the building exterior,…
HKFP Lens: Before and after – Hong Kong protest scenes one year on, Part 3
City-wide demonstrations erupted in 2019 over an ill-fated extradition bill in Hong Kong and developed into large-scale pro-democracy protests. HKFP commissioned United Social Press photojournalist Jimmy Lam to revisit protest sites where traces of clashes remain.
HKFP Lens: ‘The Nature of Water’ captures intense and intimate photojournalism from Hong Kong’s 2019 demos
The Nature of Water, a historic photojournalism and commentary book, captures the people, places and culture that shaped the 2019 anti-extradition law protests and the ultimate fate of Hong Kong. The title refers to the protesters’ self-proclaimed philosophy in the face of police action, inspired by the Bruce Lee quote – ”Be Water.” Over 50 photographers contributed to the book. “With intense and intimate photojournalism, protest artwork created by…
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