Asia-Pacific News

Solidarity for Hong Kong swells globally

People are staging solidarity protests across the globe and expressing support for Hong Kong's pro-democracy movement via social media.

Occupy Central's week-old mass campaign shows no sign of slowing as thousands of activists, students and ordinary citizens call for the city's chief executive to resign.

Organizers launched a website called 'Stand By You' to promote international participation; visitors can leave short messages. On the night of October 1, the start of China's national day holiday, these messages were projected onto a government building.

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Across the internet, social media users have changed their profile pictures to a yellow ribbon, a symbol that represents Hong Kong's wish for universal suffrage.

People have massed on streets with umbrellas, another symbol of Hong Kong's pro-democracy movement, in over 26 cities including New York, Auckland and Paris. Even in orderly and controlled Singapore, hundreds of people held a candlelight vigil to show support.

People demonstrate in New York's Times Square on October 1.
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A group called 'United for Democracy' started a Facebook page earlier this week with a schedule of international protests.

Facebook

Solidarity in Taiwan is being closely watched after Chinese President Xi Jinping's recently said that Taiwan should adopt the same 'one country, two systems' formula that Hong Kong operates under. President Ma Ying-jeou has publicly thrown his weight behind Hong Kong's movement.

Some Americans were also particularly supportive after Hong Kongers employed the same 'hands up, don't shoot' gesture popularized in recent demonstrations in Ferguson, Missouri. In August, residents of the American town used the gesture in defiance over police brutality and the alleged racial shooting of 18-year old Michael Brown.

"My buddy KWRose has the best sign ever. We stand with all who are oppressed. #Fergsuson."

"Heather, a #Ferguson protester, wearing a sign that says "Stay strong #HongKong."