The Umbrella Revolution had taught me about the role of a photographer. Seeing all the great live images from the photojournalists, does make you wonder if you’d be able to get some. Answer is simple, yes and no. Yes, if you get paid. No, if you ain’t get a dime from a single image. There’s a fine line between your passion and your own personal safety. Riots and protests can go sour especially on the frontline when the civilians go against the police authority. You have 50% chance of getting hurt without any insurance coverage, damaging your gear (insurance associated). I just think it’s not worth it to risk on any of the above mentioned unless yourself is part of the protest party. Give the job to the journalists and leave your passion behind until the situation improved.
It was my first time in life remembering how a protest escalated and had turned into a riot of such scale in Hong Kong. My first reaction was ‘Oh my god! It’s really happening’. Right after the surprising announcement by Benny Tai of the Occupy Central founder which’s the same day midnight, they moved up the schedule to occupy Central as the students have gathered at the Government HQ and sparked a huge impact thru the news. It’s a statement just like declaring a war only the students were guerrilla and the Occupy Central with Love and Peace Movement Group is the mercenary backed by the news tycoon Jimmy Lai.
How quickly a movement like this had brought all the international news correspondents to town. I still remember I tuned in the 6pm news report just when I got home. Just when the live reporter about to describe the situation, the riot police popped a few gas grenades out. This type of scenes would only be seen through TV on the soccer-popular countries. The reporter got choked and people were escaping behind. I thought it was a surprise too, but surprises like these were necessary to contain the situation like all riot police in the world. It’s just rare happening here at our home turf. Really rare. The announcement last night I thought i was witnessing something, but then when the protesters gone mad with the tear gas i thought i was witnessing history. The history of how citizen protect their rights to protest and voice their views in indifferences.
The tear gas had brought more people out to the battle ground at the Government HQ the day after. The protesters had jammed the entire highway. That even brought more aware people to visit the site on foot on the first day of work after all the chaos happened over the weekend. All business district without traffic is a joke. It was a little jog from where I work but I made it there twice during lunch and once at night on the early few days of protest. The speedway of both direction to and out of Central is sealed off along with many other major passages, even the world famous double-decker Tram cannot run through Casueway Bay to Central (oops to tourists). It’s the artery to the heart of Hong Kong. Drivers are forced to drive up to the mountain to go pass all the roadblocks. That’s why business owners do not support this Occupy act.
So here I give you an exclusive view of what you might not be seen at the protest, A walk on the artery of Connaught Road.
å p i n h ø n g k ø n g 
Thanks for showing this, Alan. The pictures are proofing the peaceful atmosphere our media in Europe reported as well. And it reminds me of the protests in the former GDR exactly 25 years ago.
When the world’s attention is on one spot, anything happens can make of a big news. It’s unfortunately the last few days it’d turned into something ugly. I knew it’d happen but not believing until I see them. Citizens hold their own point of view were standing off, fighting with their mouth at first, then the body conflict. It showed the ugly side of Hong Kong. But you’re right, the affected people are still surviving fine, not that they’ll die in a few days.
This had been reported too. Our journalists refused to make clear who had been provocative in that special moment. Some paid guys? I hope the protests turning out as some legal protests of concerned citizens.
A bit of both. There’s some really angry men/women in town get even angrier when their daily lives get reasonably affected, ex. commuting, business, etc. Then there’re those who just want to beat up people. And there’re the real HK gangsters to take care of the unfinished business. And finally those who know nothing but to support the protest/reform. I think it’s one unique society that you could hardly find anywhere in the world.
A good visual insight, Alan. Real “de facto” democracy is always worth fighting for. I´m afraid that we here in the West are slowly forgetting it…
It’s slowing down. My observation is that lots of people here are just not so happy about their lives, not entirely about the chief executive popular vote system. The government is just not functioning too well for the best interest and prospect of Hong Kong people. Also anything relates to China can hit the nerves on many people. There’re many policies got voted down in our legislative council or even the just the closed-door meeting between government authorities which I believe could benefit the mass public, not the shareholders – for example a humbled TV network with lots of heart wished to apply for the free public broadcasting right. They got interesting dramas that has been filmed and hired lots of talented young actors/crews. Not only they got turned down by our government, they do not get any further answers rather than just a ‘no’ due to the government confidentiality. See that really ticks me as the one and only monopoly in Hong Kong (one TV network) is the only watchable channel not because of their production, because of their monopoly presence. You turn on the TV, you got two channels (news & drama/variety) to choose from basically.
All I want to say is, Hong Kong has good infrastructure that we’re proud off, financial institution to keep the a small population of people happy, laws to protect the citizens’ rights. Other than that, an average person is not getting benefit to improve our lives. Rents are so high that young fellows like me are forced to live with the parents even with a very stable job. Some of us are so desperate which no one can understand.
If I ever had a death wish. It’d be: I wish I could start over again with with a richer family. Life would get a lot easier. People would come to you, not I go to them a get ignored.
Thanks for reading, Antonio.