Published 17:58 IST, September 30th 2019
Hong Kong's older protesters in awe as younger protesters march on
The older protesters in Hong Kong witnessed a lot of young people protesting in all black against the incident of the police resorting to the use of tear gas
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The older protesters in the semi-autonomous state of Hong Kong witnessed a lot of young people protesting in all black against the latest incident of the police resorting to the use of tear gas on the commoners. A resident, Edmund Lau, called the movement a very brave tactic by the youngsters who were seen helping the people who were affected during the protest.
Older protesters in awe
With the protesters going all in to thwart the Chinese celebrations taking place to mark seven decades of the Communist rule, Lau stated that it was from this younger generation that they learned the meaning of unity and togetherness as her generation never worked towards ensuring or asking for a democratic or for that matter the rights that focused on their freedom.
The amount of support being given to the demonstrators by the older generation even though they are not on the frontlines, the authorities in Hong Kong are feeling the heat as the problems are getting more complicated as days pass by.
With the measures adopted by the Hong Kong police being termed as insensitive in relation to the months-long protest, a new sight could be witnessed as the old people on the sidelines could join the protests that will, in turn, show the authorities that the protest is not just an aimless protest but something that comprises of people from all age groups, heading towards a set direction.
A resident of Hong Kong by the name of Samuel Yip stated that he saw the demonstrators forming long human chains wherein they were seen handing out the required gear for all those who were at the frontlines when they were hit with tear gas.
He further added that this protest or in simple words, this movement, has given a direction and an identity to all those living in Hong Kong. Yip stated that such violent measures adopted were worse than what the criminal world was known for as the rubber bullets and tear gas were bought from the taxes paid by a common man.
A hazy memory of a long-forgotten past
A considerable amount of protesters are not of age to even think about having a solid memory of Hong Kong under British control. Yet, many of the older residents recollect the 1980s, when Britain and China were deciding on the terms of the 1997 handover, and the 1990s, when the last British representative, Chris Patten angered Beijing with an overdue British push for a more full vote based system and well thought about promises for civil rights.
In the midst of older demonstrators getting involved, admiration for the energy of young protesters is additionally tinged with regret that they weren't as vocal when their future was being discussed in the year 1997. Influxes of individuals wanted to leave before the handover, a channel of riches and ability prodded to a limited extent by the Communist Party's crackdown on pro-government demonstrators in Beijing's Tiananmen Square in 1989.
In spite of the fact that Hong Kong's yearly candlelit vigils to honor the gore have for some time been attended in full strength, the region frequently appeared to be progressively engrossed with the matter of profiting than free decisions in the disappearing long periods of British rule.
Beijing's refusal to permit democracy and with the suggestion for a Hong Kong government this year that would have enabled criminal suspects to be moved to territory China for trials in Communist Party-controlled courts, have resulted in trust being broken even among a portion of the individuals who celebrated when 156 years of British rule ended when the clock struck 12 on July 1, 1997.
13:09 IST, September 30th 2019