It’s my first protest since coming back, and it was beautiful. Thousands and thousands of people were holding hands, creating a human link stretching for 33 kilometers. So far, most of the protests have been made up of young people. Tonight it was young, old, families, friends, strangers, tourists, and the curious showing unity in a city uncertain about its future.
The idea came about by strangers created on the Reddit-like social media platform LIHKG. Posters were made, and it spread through the messaging app Telegram and then through Facebook. What is impressive is it only took three days from the idea to get the people out. The Hong Kong Way comes 30 years after the joining of hands of the Baltic States when they were part of the USSR showing their determination to be free. It happened on the 50th anniversary of the Molotov-Ribbentrop pact that made the Baltic states part of the Soviet Union in 1939.
Tonight Hong Kongers linked arms, chanted, sang and showed support. An ambulance or fire truck would pass — there would be cheers. A police car — it would get rowdy with swear words, middle fingers, and a general anger towards them for their actions in the protests since the beginning of the protest movements back in June.
There was no police meaning no tear gas. There were no people in white, blue, or red shirts, so there was no violence. Just people are coming together to show unity.
