A year after : Umbrella Movement

By Janet Sun, Fred Lai, Tanya McGovern and Crystal Tse

It is the one year after the police fired tear gas to disperse pro-democracy protesters in Admiralty, followed by a 79-day civil disobedience campaign named the Umbrella Movement. From September 28 last year, thousands took to the streets and occupied the busiest business districts. Yellow umbrellas representing the movement became a new logo of Hong Kong.

The movement was an attempt to gain the right of electing Hong Kong's chief executive democratically. Protesters accused a Beijing-backed political reform proposal of being a "fake universal suffrage" for requiring the candidates to be filtered before entering the public vote. Earlier in June this year, the Legislative Council rejected the controversial proposal, leaving no timeline for future discussion on political reform.

On the first anniversary of the Umbrella Movement, political groups and individual protesters are heading towards Admiralty again. Some are trying to bring back memories, and many are coming up with their own plans of what Hong Kongers should do next.

People's Power Tam Tak-chi tells TYR why the party called off the occupy plan.

Follow TYR reporters for the latest updates on the 1st anniversary of Umbrella Movement.

Yellow Umbrella Blossoms @tyr_mag pic.twitter.com/eqNabAVkwJ — Fred Lai (@Fredlai_) September 28, 2015

Police warning Chan Tak Chi stop provoking ppl to crash into the police front line" @tyr_mag pic.twitter.com/xvKapMHprd

— Fred Lai (@Fredlai_) September 28, 2015

Police warning protestors and journalists not to attempt to breakthrough the security at Harcourt Road pic.twitter.com/38OyLffR8L

— Crystal Tse (@crystalttc) September 28, 2015

Participants gathering at Lennon Wall pic.twitter.com/m7X1DnZ58R

— Fred Lai (@Fredlai_) September 28, 2015

Yellow Umbrella Christian Base Community pray in memory of OC outside LegCo Complex @tyr_mag pic.twitter.com/wRzVsgAW86

— Fred Lai (@Fredlai_) September 28, 2015

The group then set up sign-up station under Canal Road Flyover, urging HKU to fire Mr Johannes Chan @tyr_mag pic.twitter.com/nQ75klRait

— Janet Sun (@janetsun1202) September 28, 2015

They are raising their hands with black gloves to depict the organisers of Occupy Central as "black hand" @tyr_mag pic.twitter.com/GI05D53urs

— Janet Sun (@janetsun1202) September 28, 2015

Preparation for parade from Causeway Bay to Tamar Park. Signs condemned OC "harming business", "hindering democracy" pic.twitter.com/xtoadLuR0t

— Fred Lai (@Fredlai_) September 28, 2015