P H Yang Photography | Police Brace for National Education Showdown in Hong Kong

Police Deployed
Massive police numbers were deployed to stop potential clashes. The protest against the government's
recent introduction of a national education curriculum which many deem pro-Beijing and is opposed by
52% of the population.

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Massive police numbers were deployed outside Hong Kong Govt HQ for possible clashes between 6,000 protesters
against the patriotic Chinese 'National Education' program and 2,000 supporters. Police counts were
2,800 and 610 respectively. Only minor scuffles were reported.

As night fell on Wednesday, 6,000 people dressed in black flooded the "Citizens' Plaza", the name given
by activists to the open space outside Hong Kong government headquarters. This appeared to be a flash-back
to the days of sit-ins and hunger strike in summer when tens of thousands came here to support the Civil
Alliance Against National Education.

The massive turnout for over a week had forced the government to backdown and put the National Education
cirriculum on hold.

The Alliance was given only half of the space and the protesters spilled over into the streets.

The other half was given to the Federation of China and Hong Kong Youth Culture, which is hosting a rally
in support of the cirriculum at the same time. Both groups were unhappy with the police's arrangement to
split the space, separated by metal fences.

Hundreds of people riding multiple coaches arrived at the government headquarters to join the supporters'
event and their names were checked-off against a list. One of the participants, Ms Fang, acknowledged that
they are not from Hong Kong, herself living in Yangjiang City, Guangdong Province. She said her friend had
arranged for her to come to Hong Kong to attend a community "family reunion".

She admited that she "knows nothing about the National Education cirriculum and its content" and her visit
was arranged by the Compatriot Association of Sanwei, a town in Guangdong.

President Qiu Xuan Kong Federation of Youth Culture denied that the organization were bringing outside help.
When asked about Ms Fong's case, he refused to respond.

Minor scuffles occurred between a handful of people on both side with verbal exchanges and pushing. The police
then marched into a formation to separate the two sides which also form human chains to prevent further escalation.

The supporters' party ended at around 9:30 pm while the protesters' rally ended peacefully a little after 10 pm.
Police estimated 610 supporters and 2,800 protesters were there by 9 pm.
Yao Guan-dong, one of the parents participated in the hunger strike said, "I disagree with the party on the other
side but I will defend to my death their freedom of speech. Having two different views at the same plaza is one
of the core values of Hong Kong!" to a standing ovation.

"The anti-brainwashing campaign had brought a new hope for Hong Kong," Yao concluded.

Rally
6,000 protesters against the Chinese 'National Education' program, dressed primarily in black, gathered
outside Hong Kong Government HQ against 2,000 supporters, dressed mostly in white (top left corner).

Student Hunger Strikers
Three 18 year-old students (Ivan Long-yim Lam, Kaiser K S and Ms Lee-lee Wong) who started a three-day
hunger strike during a rally in August, shared their experiences with the rallying crowd.

We've Hon Lin-shan
Retired teacher James Lin-shan Hon, who had been on a hunger strike for 137 hours in Sept, addressed
the rallying crowd. The black banner reads "Citizens' Plaza".

Wave
Students sang and waved at the rally outside Hong Kong Government
Headquarters to celebrate their success in stopping the national education curriculum which many deem pro-Beijing.

No Brain-washing
Professor Leung Yan-wing of Hong Kong School of Education addressed the crowd.
The red banner reads 'No Brain-washing.'

Pro-Beijing
Lau Nai-keung, a Hong Kong delegate to the Chinese People's Political Consultative Committee (CPPCC),
speaks in support of the pro-Beijing national education curriculum.

Supporters
Pro-Beijing supporters of the national education curriculum blame the Government for backing down.

I 'Lub' HK
A protester masked as police chief Chow Wai-hung and a black T-shirt with 'I Lub HK' (a pun in Chinese
for 'con' but pronounced like 'love' satirizing recent removal of students during flag-raising on National Day).
Banner reads 'No explanation needed to remove you'.

Awakened
Protesters flashed cards with the word 'awakened' in Chinese during the rally. They protest against the
government's recent introduction of a national education curriculum which many deem pro-Beijing and is opposed by
52% of the population.

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