Hong Kong to mark anniversary of Umbrella Movement with more pro-democracy protests
Today, protesters in Hong Kong are expected to gather outside Chater House, a major business building, to mark the fifth anniversary of the ‘Umbrella Movement’ pro-democracy demonstrations, which brought parts of the city to a standstill for 79 days in 2014.
Hong Kong has experienced renewed protests since March. Initially sparked by a now-withdrawn bill that would have allowed Hong Kong’s courts to extradite citizens to mainland China, the movement has morphed to focus on expanding democratic freedoms—including demands for elections free from Beijing’s influence.
On September 26, Hong Kong Chief Executive Carrie Lam held talks with 150 pro-democracy advocates in an effort to defuse the crisis.
However, today’s protest will see thousands of people gather to mark the fifth anniversary of the Umbrella Movement, with protests increasing in intensity over the weekend. The largest of the demonstrations are expected on October 1—China’s National Day. Long-term, expect these protests to continue, forcing Beijing to choose between conceding to some of the protesters’ demands or risking a clampdown on dissent that could spark more violent unrest.
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