9/28 was Hong Kong’s Pro-Democratic Wake Up Call

A Perspective from a Native Hong Konger

Why Me?

The city has a special place in my heart. I grew up in Hong Kong from age 0 to 18, and went to local schools in Hong Kong for the majority of my teenage years. I’m fluent in written and spoken Cantonese (slang included,) and I have always considered myself a native Hong-Konger despite my decision to move to New York two years ago.

As someone who inherently understands Hong Kong culture, I feel like I have a unique perspective to offer – one that is different than that of the English-speaking expat community or news sources overseas. Here is my observation as the rest of the English-speaking world tries to understand the emotional reasons behind why Hong Kong students took to the streets for the #UmbrellaRevolution.

(For a basic background of the protest, read this USA Today article.)

Why Now?

What most people from other countries don't understand, is that Hong Kong pride is deeply rooted in our right to protest. Hong Kong used to be and still is the platform for expression whenever there is any sort of unjust in Mainland China; Our grandparents flocked to Hong Kong for the sole reason of escaping oppression by the CPC; And Hong Kong children grew up knowing that their home is the one safe place they can express their opinions in – as long as they are peaceful and rational in their approach.

Especially in contrast to our Mainland Chinese neighbors who don’t even have the liberty to search on Google, the right to protest is a luxury that’s at the heart of what being a Hong Konger is about. On 9/28, the brutal police sweep was a wake-up call for Hong Kong people, when they saw that very right violated on live television.

These past few days, I consumed every second of my free time reading about Hong Kong. One news source talked to a middle-aged couple who came out to join the protest late Sunday night, after the tear gases were deployed and broadcasted. In an interview, they mentioned, “it wasn’t the students’ beliefs that drove us to join the protest, it was seeing how the police reacted.”

A lot of commentators may argue that tear gases and pepper sprays are relatively common crowd control methods. And I agree. The physical threat of tear gases is not what Hong Kong people are mad about. In fact, the threat of tear gas and pepper–spray is a largely symbolic one. It represents a drastic change in the core DNA of what the Hong Kong government should stand for: Instead of honoring our right to protest, the peaceful protest on 9/28 was met with violent defensive methods from the police. People in Hong Kong saw how our very own police force opted for the oppressive law enforcement methods we associate with manipulative Mainland Chinese law enforcement. That took everyone by surprise. We couldn’t help but think, “the Police I knew and respected would’ve never cracked down on a protest like this. What changed?”

Today – four days later on October 1st– the protest is still going stronger, with a huge turnout at the eve of China’s National Day. This is because people finally reached the last straw, and saw the true threat of not having a democratic government that puts the people first.

What worries and angers them the most is the fact that their government, time and time again, betrays what Hong Kong stands for. Ever since the 1997 handover, Hong Kongers knew that their government served the Chinese government’s interest over its people’s. After 9/28, it was evident that it affects more than their housing, education, and medical resources – it threatens the integrity of their police force and in turn, their basic safety.

9/28 made people in Hong Kong realize that without a truly democratic election, they will no longer be safe in their own homes, because who they once considered as guardians of their city, will no longer be fighting for the same values they hold dearly.

The crackdown of a student group’s protest on Sunday was the most impactful wake-up call for the rest of Hong Kong, because it shows how freedom of speech in Hong Kong would be treated in the future – if the Hong Kong government remain in control of a select 1,200 few, instead of the majority population.

Above, is the reason this particular protest touches so many Hong Kong people emotionally. For the silent majority that marched onto the street on 9/28, it’s not about police brutality vs. the people. It’s not even much about the democractic policies imposed. The driving force was the realization that this is their one chance to protect what defines Hong Kong – a right to speak up.

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Disclaimer: Strictly my personal opinion.