The democracy movement in Hong Kong is still alive, but the energy that brought almost one hundred thousand people to the streets last year has fizzled dramatically.
At last week’s anniversary of the 79-day protest only about one thousand activists were present, armed with the yellow umbrellas that defined their movement.
There wasn’t much to celebrate – the protestors did not achieve their goal. They brought Asia’s business hub to a standstill over the right to directly elect a leader, but the central government in Beijing did not yield.
Since the 1997 return of Hong Kong to Chinese rule, it has been governed by a principle of “one country, two systems.” Despite Hong Kong legally being a part of the People’s Republic of China, Beijing would allow Hong Kong—for a period of 50 years—to retain its capitalist economy as well as its political and legal system.
Hong Kong is led by a “Chief Executive” chosen by a 1,200-person pro-Beijing nominating committee. In 2007, the Chinese central government agreed that at the end of the current Chief Executive’s term in 2017, a new leader would be chosen in a direct election by the people of Hong Kong.
In August of 2014, Beijing changed the game, announcing that Hong Kongers could still elect that leader – but from a pool of 2-3 candidates vetted by another, similar, nominating committee. These candidates would be pre-approved by Beijing and would be people who “loved the country.”
Pro-democracy activists were outraged and took to the streets. On September 28, 2014, two university professors, a Baptist minister and a group of students marched on government offices. Police responded by firing volleys of pepper spray and tear gas at them and arresting scores of demonstrators. The heavy-handed government response galvanized the movement and the protest grew to almost one hundred thousand people.
In response to the use of tear gas, demonstrators opened umbrellas to protect themselves. The original slogan of the protest was “Occupy Central with Love and Peace,” but it soon became known as the Yellow Umbrella Movement as more and more people carrying the iconic umbrellas filled the streets.
Protestors held their ground for more than two months, forcing the closure of many streets in the heart of the business district. Despite all of this, Beijing did not change its position.
This summer, the pro-democracy faction of the Hong Kong legislature blocked the election plan originally proposed by the Chinese government, thereby ensuring that the Chief Executive will be chosen the way he always has been – by the pro-Beijing committee.
Pam Benson is the Senior Correspondent with The Cipher Brief.
