Hong Kong's Pro-Democracy ‘Occupy Central’ in Photos
Pro-democracy protesters in central Hong Kong on October 1, 2014. Photo by Flickr user Mario Madrona. CC BY-NC-SA 2.0
Peaceful protests demanding free elections in Hong Kong have entered their sixth day.
Hong Kongers are calling on Beijing to allow the people to nominate the candidates themselves in city's next chief executive election. China has said it will allow Hong Kong, a special administrative region that enjoys a certain amount of autonomy from the mainland, a direct vote in 2017 for the first time, but has ruled that a largely pro-Beijing nominating committee select the candidates before they are allowed on the ballot.
Protesters are also pushing for current Chief Executive CY Leung, who has refused to back down but has agreed to hold talks with the movement, to resign.
Occupy Central, as the sit-in in central Hong Kong is called, attracted tens of thousands of people at its peak. Footage from a drone, vetted by Storyful, captured just how far the protest stretched on September 29:
The rally has so far stood its ground against police attempts to clear the area with tear gas, pepper spray and batons. Protesters have used umbrellas to shield themselves from the aggressive tactics, leading some to call the movement the “umbrella revolution” or “umbrella uprising.”
Take a look at photos below for a further glimpse of Occupy Central.
Protesters tie yellow ribbons to the arms of those who wish during the Hong Kong protest in Causeway Bay on October 1, 2014. Photo by Guillaume PAYEN. Copyright Demotix
Protesters at the Central Government Offices in Hong Kong use cellophane wrap and surgical masks to protect themselves against the use of pepper spray on September 27, 2014. Photo by Robert Godden. Copyright Demotix
Protesters staged a sit-in outside government headquarters on September 27 at Admiralty, demanding CY Leung, chief executive of Hong Kong, to meet them to have a dialogue. Photo by P H Yang. Copyright Demotix
Protesters in Hong Kong stand together after police begin to tear gas the gathering on September 28. Photo by P H Yang. Copyright Demotix
A barricade with a meaning, Causeway Bay, Hong Kong. September 29, 2014. Photo by Pete Walker. Copyright Demotix
Signs in various languages supporting democracy on display in Hong Kong on October 1, 2014. Photo by Flickr user Mario Madrona. CC BY-NC-SA 2.0
A protester holds a sign of ‘civil disobedience’ in front of a line up of riot police on September 27, 2014 as part of Occupy Central protest outside government headquarters at Admiralty, Hong Kong. Photo by P H Yang. Copyright Demotix
Dubbed the politest protesters, Hong Kongers have set up a recycling station to keep the protest sites clean. Photo by Pete Walker. Copyright Demotix
Follow our in-depth coverage: Hong Kong's Umbrella Revolution
