The Siege

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No one saw it coming. Hong Kong -the year of the protests and the violence stunned everyone from the observer to the participant. What began, was The Crisis politically, But the emotion put it.

We got to explain seven, the year of tears, joy, broken relationships, and personal pride. Text of the BBC's grace Tsoi, portrait photography of Curtis Lo Kwan for a Long Time .

Saturday, 30 March 2019 was The Last normal day. Clear and Sunny, it started Out like any other weekend in Hong Kong with its unique cocktail of frantic Leisure - Family -lunch, shopping until late in the neon-lit night and sweet selfies at every opportunity.

the next day, something began to be more political. A few thousand people marched in the drizzle through a daunting to protest against a proposal, it would have been possible extradition to China: "With the delivery on the mainland and Hong Kong becomes a dark prison," they sang.

she has not much coverage then. But The City was to be heard.

Within six months, Hong Kong is the place the huge protest marches, street battles, and an untouched response, The Police used tear gas, rubber bullets, water cannons and live fire. Young People shot arrows and bows, the Parliament was devastated, hundreds of Young People who now know How To fire Molotov cocktails and start. But After The Bill was withdrawn, the anger was always felt, if something.

policy Can be The Trigger , But reckless passion is the fuel and the one on display anywhere. Arguments have broken, on The Street Between Strangers : a man was set On Fire , while you argue with anti-government protesters, a Taxi Driver full of anger, His car ran through a group of protesters; a student fell to His death in unclear circumstances; an elderly cleaner in The Middle of The Road staring in a battle was hit by a stray brick resting through the air. He died.

It is a difficult thing to report dispassionately on the departure from Home , a city, which is famous for stability, in a surreal dystopian vision. People are worried about China's rule, But they are also concerned about what it has done violence to the fabric of society. It seems As If no one sleeps well.

The textbook factors of politics, Economics, demographics, and even democratic ideals, ideology, and identity does not fully explain - But the emotional intensity generated by the interaction of the whole completes the picture.

to understand although the policy splits, The Emotions are the thing That divides the town - and these stories have helped me, Hong Kong is full of Dilemmas.

"am I now committed to The Marriage for the sake of The Family . He is no longer attractive for me. "When Fiona met her husband in high school, you knew you'd get married One Day it would be Him . Now, in her late 30s, she is a picture-perfect Family with Two Children . But this year everything is different.

she is a protester. He is a Police officer.

"I tell Him , I feel less love for Him ," Fiona says.

you didn't discuss about politics, if they were dating it was a bit of politics to discuss then.

It was only during the 2014 Occupy Movement That tries to make changes to Hong Kong 's electoral system, the political differences arose. She left Home for the protest-zone a month After she gave birth to her son, But felt wounded by the contempt of her husband.

in Spite of, That you believed That love Can bridge any differences. This is not the case any more and the Turning Point for you - as for Many others in Hong Kong - came at the 21. July.

had That Night saw protests erupt across The City . But like the people on the Way Home in the late evening, a further element entered the battle. In the rural district of Yuen Long, a large group of white-clad pro-government men, the speech, the associated with triad gangs, and armed with rods and sticks, waited at The Train station. They began against the people believed to be protesters.

"I ran Out of the toilet with my phone in my hand. I told Him the white T-shirts were hitting the average citizens in Yuen Long. He said he knew and went into the bedroom. He slept That Night , while I remained wide awake. "

indignation swept over Hong Kong and the next morning, there were accusations That The Police had not done enough. Their denials were not sufficient to prevent That Yuen Long is used to prove That The Police are not there for the people, But for the gentlemen. The next weekend the protest was one of The Most violent seen, up to this point.

Fiona's anger only grew, as The Police became more heavy-handed. She and her husband began to quarrel over alleged Police Brutality .

support for the protesters, even as they went further in their violent action, is confirmed by opinion polls. Protesters turn their anger on the companies seen as pro-government: the MTR train drivers saw The Train stations and ticket vending machines vandalized, Chinese-owned ATMs were destroyed - this in a city famous for its respect for the rule of law. However, the results of the district-election last month saw a landslide victory for the pro-democratic figures.

Fiona's husband, But was not deterred.

"Why is he so stupid? He thinks there is nothing wrong with the Chinese Communist party and the extradition bill," Fiona says.

And so of contempt crept into their relationship.

her husband, But still loves them very much. "He keeps me sending heart emojis. I replied to Him with a heart, But now I don't feel How To do it. And he keeps ask.

"I really want To Love Him again, But I Can 't. "

she recognises, however, That "this is to be proud of. This is His identity. "

It is a recognition of the need for those in Hong Kong , the support of The Police and the government. For you, the one of The Most disturbing things about Hong Kong 's year is not to clashes between Police and protesters, But the political fights That break Out on The Road .

"they have really treated us As If we murdered their fathers. "Just over a month ago Crystal-Chu, a 49-year-old business woman, arrived at The Border station, Sheung Shui , to the reputation of a pro-Beijing group, the protest planned on the stage. About 100 of them were soon outnumbered by pro-democracy protesters.

she was thrown at The First with eggs and shot, And Then she was hit in The Head - she needed three stitches.

"this moment was terrible. I feel like they came From Hell ," she says to understand in the case of a loss, an inhumane cycle of hatred against people who just expressed their views.

"you do this in the name of freedom. But it is only naked Force . "

The intensity of this hatred, as a direct challenge to a system That guarantees stability, prosperity and a quiet life. For you, the pro-democracy movement occupied by thugs with little understanding of political realities.

"Why don't you identify yourself as Chinese? You Can 't deny it, because we have black hair and yellow skin," Ms Chu.

"do you think Hong Kong will ever be separated from China?"

a Few - on both sides - have a clear understanding of the legal complexity of the Hong Kong special status That makes backing up His fate even more precarious. The arguments to the very end of ideology, identity, and history. Ms Chu came from the mainland, in their 20s. Many others of her generation, But born and raised in Hong Kong , remember grandparents stories about life in China. In the 1960s, such grandparents may had floated. Even though they leave China behind, it is a part of your identity remains.

The younger generation on The Streets do not share these Memories - it's easier for you to ignore the older ties That bind. Your "hanger" to be globalized cultural meme of spite: "If we burn, you burn With Us " - you sing, point to The Hunger Games; are You Listening to Sing the people? You crush from "Les Miserables "; Pepe the frog, a symbol for the alt-right movement, has also been Adopted - certainly unintentionally.

Ms Chu, though, to feel alarm when strangers go by quickly.

"a Lot of people always say those who are in The Front , are very brave. But it is not true. We are not brave. We are scared. "In The Past six months, Celine, a protester in her 20s, visited almost every March or rally and has been fighting hard.

"Every Time I'm scared. But I always do the same the next Time . "

The Fear of you is at The Front , she says, in the shadow of their fear of what could come, if you act. She's afraid of the Way China is weighted in Hong Kong politics. After a five-book dealer, selling salacious books about the Chinese leadership was already in Chinese custody, according to China Hong Kong ' s interpreted mini-Constitution, so That a few pro-democracy legislators, could be disqualified, she asked herself: if you Can , do this now, what could happen if the mini-Constitution runs in the year 2047?

This is a fear shared by a whole generation. You are in your 50s. Your generation of parents. What will become of your children?

"I thought I might die on the Inside . "

hong kong anti-government protests, china, hong kong

Source of news: bbc.com