{"id":1278,"date":"2019-08-15T12:57:52","date_gmt":"2019-08-15T12:57:52","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.wendyzhou.se\/blog\/?p=1278"},"modified":"2026-03-19T17:58:50","modified_gmt":"2026-03-19T17:58:50","slug":"cyberpunk-hong-kong-during-the-2019-anti-extradition-bill-protest","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.wendyzhou.se\/blog\/cyberpunk-hong-kong-during-the-2019-anti-extradition-bill-protest\/","title":{"rendered":"Cyberpunk scenes &#8211; Hong Kong 2019 protest"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>The protest in Hong Kong continues on for the 3rd-month. The footage gathered shows that Hong Kong truly is one of the most cyberpunk settings in the world. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube aligncenter\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\nhttps:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=JvO9YVlvXVQ\n<\/div><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Cinemagraphic &#8211; What a wonderful world [Hong Kong]<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\n<p><strong>Cyberpunk<\/strong>\u00a0is a\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Subgenre\">subgenre<\/a>\u00a0of\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Science_fiction\">science fiction<\/a>\u00a0in a\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Futuristic\">futuristic<\/a>\u00a0setting that tends to focus on a &#8220;combination of lowlife and\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/High_tech\">high tech<\/a>&#8220;<sup><a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Cyberpunk#cite_note-1\">[1]<\/a><\/sup>\u00a0featuring advanced technological and scientific achievements, such as\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Artificial_intelligence\">artificial intelligence<\/a>\u00a0and\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Cybernetics\">cybernetics<\/a>, juxtaposed with a degree of breakdown or radical change in the\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Social_order\">social order<\/a>.<sup><a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Cyberpunk#cite_note-2\">[2]<\/a><\/sup>\u00a0<\/p>\n<cite>Wikipedia <a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Cyberpunk\">https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Cyberpunk<\/a><\/cite><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<p>The recent protests in HK have involved all of the aspects of the cyberpunk setting.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>For one, the protesters have used modern technology (the internet &amp; gadgets) and social media to stay connected. They are using technology to plan and organize their protest. <\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Secondly, they have developed science-based methods of dealing with tear gas (see below). And they are gearing up with protective armor.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Thirdly, the city&#8217;s social order is undergoing a radical change. These authorities have begun to be seen as oppressors, prompting the protesters to feel a sense of rebellion.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>Both reporters and photographers are capturing every movement of the protests. Part of the reason why Hong Kong is receiving so much attention is that it&#8217;s one of the world&#8217;s largest financial hubs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Protestors dealing with tear gas<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed aligncenter is-type-rich is-provider-imgur wp-block-embed-imgur\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<div class=\"oceanwp-oembed-wrap clr\"><blockquote class=\"imgur-embed-pub\" lang=\"en\" data-id=\"yFTGjhk\"><a href=\"https:\/\/imgur.com\/yFTGjhk\">How hong kong protesters deal with tear gas (full vid in link)<\/a><\/blockquote><script async src=\"\/\/s.imgur.com\/min\/embed.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/div>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed aligncenter is-type-rich is-provider-reddit wp-block-embed-reddit\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<div class=\"oceanwp-oembed-wrap clr\"><blockquote class=\"reddit-embed-bq\" style=\"height:500px\" ><a href=\"https:\/\/www.reddit.com\/r\/HongKong\/comments\/cxuti9\/the_new_way_of_hong_kong_protesters_deal_with_the\/\">The new way of Hong Kong protesters deal with the tear gas<\/a><br> by<a href=\"https:\/\/www.reddit.com\/user\/OWStep\/\">u\/OWStep<\/a> in<a href=\"https:\/\/www.reddit.com\/r\/HongKong\/\">HongKong<\/a><\/blockquote><script async src=\"https:\/\/embed.reddit.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"UTF-8\"><\/script><\/div>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Laser pen party<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>The protesters have even organized a laser pen party in the city center to demonstrate the laser pens&#8217; harmless nature. This happened after the police accused them of trying to blind the police with the laser pens. The protesters have been using laser pens to hide their faces and identities from cameras by pointing them at the camera sensors.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Background to the protests<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Britain colonized Hong Kong in 1841 but handed the city back to China in 1997. China agreed to let Hong Kong continue to be under its own rule (a democracy) for 50 more years &#8211; &#8220;One country &#8211; two systems&#8221;. This 50-year period isn&#8217;t over yet, but China has been trying to gain more control over the city ever since.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This year, China proposed a bill that would allow China (among other countries) to detain and extradite people from Hong Kong. Many fear that if this bill gets passed, Hong Kong will be under mainland China&#8217;s jurisdiction. It would mean that Hong Kong would no longer be a democracy and that the people would no longer have free speech as they do today.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>And understandably, the people, especially the young generations, who have enjoyed the freedom of democracy, want to keep it as it is today. And that&#8217;s why people in Hong Kong are protesting the extradition bill.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/anthonywallacephotography.com\/\">See photo by Anthony Wallace\/AFP<\/a> ><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Why are the protesters hiding their identities?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Standing up against the Chinese government isn&#8217;t something to be taken lightly. China has many times before in history treated anti-governmental actions with extreme methods like massacres (see<a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/1989_Tiananmen_Square_protests\" target=\"_blank\">\u00a01989 Tiananmen Square protest massacre)<\/a>\u00a0and making people mysteriously &#8220;disappear&#8221;, taken from their homes, work, school, or the streets to never be seen again.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Because of China&#8217;s extreme methods of dealing with anti-government actions, the protesters are trying to hide their identities out of fear of what the Chinese government will do to them and their families. That is why they are wearing facial masks during peaceful protests and speeches, using laser pens against police cameras, and recently also cutting down street lamps that supposedly have facial recognition software.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Disclaimer: While one can appreciate the cyberpunk-ness of the protests it&#8217;s important to keep in mind that it&#8217;s about real people fighting for their democracy and future. I wish the people of Hong Kong success in their protest and that the protesters receive their five demands. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">See more about the Hong Kong protests<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Live streams, websites, resources:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.reddit.com\/live\/133sixros7tu5\/\">Reddit Live Stream<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/freehk.live\/\">Live stream from various media<\/a><br><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/freedomhkg.net\/\">Free Hong Kong website<\/a><br><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.reddit.com\/r\/HongKong\/comments\/cxsz4i\/megathread_resources_for_antiextradition_protest\/\">Reddit Mega Resource Thread<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">More cyberpunk articles<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Make sure to check out my other articles on cyberpunk if you&#8217;re interested in seeing more.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.wendyzhou.se\/blog\/2019\/08\/27\/cyberpunk-2019-collection-of-images-megacities-skyscrapers-night-lights-fog\/\">Cyberpunk Images Collection &#8211; Skyscrapers in the night fog<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.wendyzhou.se\/blog\/2019\/08\/15\/cyberpunk-war-on-drones-organized-crime-vs-police\/\">War on drones &#8211; Criminals and police using drones<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The protest in Hong Kong continues on for the 3rd-month. The footage gathered shows that Hong Kong truly is one of the most cyberpunk settings in the world. Cyberpunk\u00a0is a\u00a0subgenre\u00a0of\u00a0science fiction\u00a0in a\u00a0futuristic\u00a0setting that tends to focus on a &#8220;combination of lowlife and\u00a0high tech&#8220;[1]\u00a0featuring advanced technological and scientific achievements, such as\u00a0artificial intelligence\u00a0and\u00a0cybernetics, juxtaposed with a degree [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":1518,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_uag_custom_page_level_css":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[69],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1278","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-cyberpunk","entry","has-media"],"gutentor_comment":12,"uagb_featured_image_src":{"full":["https:\/\/www.wendyzhou.se\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/img_4684.jpg",1000,667,false],"thumbnail":["https:\/\/www.wendyzhou.se\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/img_4684-150x150.jpg",150,150,true],"medium":["https:\/\/www.wendyzhou.se\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/img_4684-300x200.jpg",300,200,true],"medium_large":["https:\/\/www.wendyzhou.se\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/img_4684-768x512.jpg",768,512,true],"large":["https:\/\/www.wendyzhou.se\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/img_4684.jpg",1000,667,false],"1536x1536":["https:\/\/www.wendyzhou.se\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/img_4684.jpg",1000,667,false],"2048x2048":["https:\/\/www.wendyzhou.se\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/img_4684.jpg",1000,667,false],"ocean-thumb-m":["https:\/\/www.wendyzhou.se\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/img_4684.jpg",600,400,false],"ocean-thumb-ml":["https:\/\/www.wendyzhou.se\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/img_4684.jpg",675,450,false],"ocean-thumb-l":["https:\/\/www.wendyzhou.se\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/img_4684.jpg",1000,667,false]},"uagb_author_info":{"display_name":"Wendy Zhou","author_link":"https:\/\/www.wendyzhou.se\/blog\/author\/wendy1111live-se\/"},"uagb_comment_info":12,"uagb_excerpt":"The protest in Hong Kong continues on for the 3rd-month. The footage gathered shows that Hong Kong truly is one of the most cyberpunk settings in the world. Cyberpunk\u00a0is a\u00a0subgenre\u00a0of\u00a0science fiction\u00a0in a\u00a0futuristic\u00a0setting that tends to focus on a &#8220;combination of lowlife and\u00a0high tech&#8220;[1]\u00a0featuring advanced technological and scientific achievements, such as\u00a0artificial intelligence\u00a0and\u00a0cybernetics, juxtaposed with a degree&hellip;","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.wendyzhou.se\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1278","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.wendyzhou.se\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.wendyzhou.se\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.wendyzhou.se\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.wendyzhou.se\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1278"}],"version-history":[{"count":24,"href":"https:\/\/www.wendyzhou.se\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1278\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":8603,"href":"https:\/\/www.wendyzhou.se\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1278\/revisions\/8603"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.wendyzhou.se\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/1518"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.wendyzhou.se\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1278"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.wendyzhou.se\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1278"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.wendyzhou.se\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1278"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}