An eyewitness insight through powerful images from the student protests.
28.09.2014
Today, Central was occupied by peaceful citizens who gathered to demand a democratic election for our Chief Executive. We have never had a chance to elect our own leader. Instead, the Chinese government has decided to summarize the public opinion by a group 1200 representatives who are not popularly voted. The Chief Executive candidates will be decided by them, and this selected group of candidate will be our only choices to vote. This is not democracy.
We had no reply despite demanding a formal conversation with the government. Instead, we were attacked by tear gas, pepper spray, and perhaps rubber bullets (not confirmed by my own eyes) despite most of us not attempting any violent attack. I am not a good writer; I can only show you the anger, the sorrow, the fear and the sweat via my lens.
“If we left, there will be no one to record this heartbroken history.”
我不懂說話,寫作. 我只可把我看見和感受到的拍下來.
鏡頭下, 今天的憤慨, 害怕, 激動, 汗水, 還在心中抖動.
我也中了催淚彈, 但流下只有心中的淚.
My motivations for photography? To tell a story. To reflect on our lives. For pure aesthetics.
– Andrew Fan, Hong Kong
Images originally published at:
Facebook: http://goo.gl/T8yGxE
500px: https://500px.com/andrewfan/sets/occupancy_of_central_hong_kong
- Armed police force racing towards the protesters. The protesters were fleeing away after the tear gas was deployed. There had been no violence towards the police.
- Tear gas deploying. Background: Central, the richest economic district in Hong Kong.
- More tear gas bombs exploding.
- Barriers set up by protesters to protect themselves
- This photo speaks for itself. (The sign says “No”, “學/Learn”. Originally referred to “No learner drivers”, however, in the photo it is a tribute to the school strike)
- Crowd marching towards admiralty from central.
- The crowd gathering and getting ready.
- A faithful audience.
- Crowd standing on Connaught Road.
- Bus station on the left reads: ‘Protect Hong Kong. Refuse the corruption’.
- Protesters marching up Connaught Road from Central to join those in the admiralty.
- Police standing by.
- Preparing for the attacks. Plastic wrap is being used as a defence against tear gas and pepper spray.
- Barricades set up by protesters in order to prevent the police to march forward. It slowed their pace a little.
- Police (background), protesters (foreground).
- A time span of 30 seconds during which the police deployed 2 tear gas bombs and marched forward.
- Perhaps the only true and neutral witness to the events.
- Protesters keeping a distance.
- Groups of civilians gathering behind the police. Tear gas deployed again.
- Police frontline continues to push towards admiralty from central. Behind them is another group of protesters.
- A person in the shadow raises their hands. He meant no harm.