Visions of AsiaSeeing things differently.
The journal / Visions of Asia
One year ago, I reflected on the path completed after my starting barefoot running in 2017. As we are now in December, it is time to reflect once more on the progress since then. And one of the best indicators of progress is probably the fact that I was able to complete a half-marathon barefoot […]
It was a couple of weeks ago that we found ourselves in one of the most intense fights of the time between protesters and police in Hong Kong (where even Wanchai looked tame). For six to seven hours, I was literally in the war zone, between relentless assaults by protesters equipped with molotov cocktails and […]
Since about August 2019, the Hong Kong Protests have incorporated targeted vandalism as part of their modus operandi, as well as targeted violence towards police foces. Often directed towards the MTR, the local metro, or against mainland-related companies, the issue of “redecoration” as protesters rebaptized these acts sometimes leave uneasy. The Beginnings: MTR shuts down […]
The protests on 28 September 2019 promised to be a tough confrontation between police and protesters. Both parties knew it would be a “general rehearsal” for what would take place on October 1st, 2019, on the occasion of the 70th anniversary of the foundation of the People’s Republic of China. And we were not disappointed, […]
Things have been a bit busy for me, as I posted an article for insider on the protests. But since my last post, things have only worsened in Hong Kong. On Friday, 4 October, the HK government decided to invoke the Emergency Regulations Ordinance, a law dating back to the colonial era to ban all […]
Shatin has been a flashpoint several times already, especially after police carried out a brutal clearance in July. Once again, a protest in the New Town Plaza mall of Shatin became a ritual celebration, something which made me think of a “Rite of Autumn”. The feeling was truly that of revenge and liberation from Chinese […]
Friday 13 September, on the occasion of the Mid-Autumn Festival, the peaceful and cheerful celebrations on several mountains of Hong Kong gave a glimmer of hope and peace. Within the same week-end, however, we moved from mid-autumn lanterns to days of fire in Hong Kong. In the case you would understandably lose track of the […]
Mid-Autumn festival is linked to the harvest and thus an important traditional occurrence in Hong Kong and also in China. In full Black Bauhinia Revolution, it made sense that the protesters would try to celebrate mid-Autumn festival in a special manner. Lights on the mountains The previous “Hong Kong Way”, had a great success, principally […]
Since a couple of weeks, and after the emergence of prohibitions of protests by the Hong Kong Police, the protesters have switched to another form of protests: flash mobs in malls, creating mall singalongs for their new “National Anthem”, “Glory to Hong Kong. A mall as a place to live Part of the reason for […]
At long last, after 14 weeks of turmoil in Hong Kong “The Withdrawal” finally came. As recounted earlier, massive protests were sparked in the month of June by the introduction of a bill allowing the extradition of suspects to China. The attempt of the Chief Executive, Carrie Lam to force the bill through the HK […]