Wednesday, December 3, 2014

Change and continuity at Admiralty in the wake of late Sunday/early Morning violence (Photo-essay)

It's currently raining, the cold weather warning has been issued for the first time this winter, and a friend of mine just texted me to say "Poor people camping. It's all very depressing." This towards the end of a day that saw Occupy Central's three co-founders farcically try to surrender to the police, only to be let go without any charges place against them

Still, to put things in context, I honestly don't think that many members of the Umbrella Movement consider Benny Tai, Chan Kin Man and Reverend Chu Yiu Ming as their leaders.  After all, wasn't one of the main defining features of the Umbrella Movement that it was a leader-less movement that spontaneously arose out of the frustrations and hopes that many Hong Kongers felt after seeing unarmed protesters being tear-gassed, yet continuing to resist, that fateful day in September -- i.e., more than two months ago now?

In any case, when I visited the Admiralty protest area yesterday, I saw signs both of the aftermath of the violent clashes that took place late Sunday evening into early Monday morning, but also that the spirit of resistance remains alive...

 Flat brown spaces mark the spots where there used to be 
many more tents in Tamar Park than was the case yesterday

 ... but many tents remain pitched to the north, west 
and south of the Legislative Council Complex

A policeman and dog patrolled the overhead bridge
over the central section of the Admiralty protest site...

...while one of the two escalators connecting that 
overhead bridge to the "Occupied" ground level -- and 
half of the other escalator -- is now obstructed by barriers

 The site's Lennon Wall remains -- but near the top
of the stairs has been erected another barrier

Signs -- with still relevant messages
-- also continue to be found in the area

 You won't get any argument from me re that sentiment!

 
A banner that spoke to me when I first saw it on October 1
still remains at Admiralty -- and remains pertinent to my mind

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