Occupy is still happening. It’s not as violent as the 2014 Keene Pumpkin Fest or as luridly shocking as the story about the recent murder in Wan Chai, so it doesn’t warrant headlines in the US. The news here revolves around what comes next. One of the main highways in HK is still blocked by a tent city. Will the HK government do something that shows thoughtful leadership? Will infighting amongst the Occupy factions cause the movement to fizzle? As you can see from the pictures below, it certainly doesn’t seem like things (that’s a highway) will be back to normal anytime soon.
As for us, we feel safe. Our day-to-day is surprisingly ordinary, given there’s a major protest happening. I hope it stays that way.
Occupy Central has grown since I visited in early October. This picture was taken at the end of October.
Neat. orderly, peaceful. When we visited on a Sunday AM in late October, there were people dozing tents.
Painstakingly cleaning the carpet of lint with bits of duct tape.
Entrance to the study area.
The two rows of blue marquee tents (with the two yellow peaks in the front) form a Study Corner set up by students.
Protesters are worried about being identified in photos posted to social media.
Homemade barriers protect the tent city beyond.
These barriers have been reinforced in all sorts of creative ways after attempted removals by police, with everything from chains to zip ties to chairs to hastily-mixed cement.
