“We will accomplish what is left to be done,” wrote one.
The death of the woman — known to most of the world by her last name, Mak — was the fourth suspected suicide to be connected by local media to ongoing demonstrations, sparked initially by a controversial extradition bill that many feared could further limit freedoms in the semi-autonomous city.
Protesters have talked of sacrifice, hopelessness, and a loss of trust in their leaders. The four who died have become fixtures in protest art and been treated by some demonstrators as heroes of the cause.
The fight for Hong Kong
Table of Contents
The movement to block the extradition bill has been cast as a binary life or death struggle from the outset.
When at least hundreds of thousands — up to a million by some measures — marched at the start of June, it was described by activists as the “last chance to fight for Hong Kong.”
The deaths of the protesters only added to that intensity.
At demonstrations, protesters created banners from yellow raincoats, giving the illusion that the first death by suicide, a 35-year-old man who died wearing a distinctive yellow raincoat, was floating above them. Protesters wore black and waved black flags to honor the dead. In the mass outpouring of grief, some protesters pointed the finger at the government. For a time, a blood-red placard became ubiquitous. It read: “Stop killing us.”
“He sacrificed a lot for us,” a 16-year-old schoolgirl, who only gave her name as Athena, said of the man at one of the marches. “This is related to the political system of Hong Kong — it’s life-threatening and it’s fateful.”
In places around the city, demonstrators held memorials for the dead. They piled flowers on footpaths that formed little mountains of white and plastic, and left notes to the dead that they would never read.
“Dear Hero, we will fight for you,” read one on a piece of white paper decorated with a heart. “He was dragged down by the regime,” read another.
Those lost to suicide became fixtures in protest art, too. One showed the 35-year-old man and another victim holding hands as they walked toward the light with the words: “Friend, don’t leave. Hong Kong people, don’t give up.” Even messages that didn’t depict the protesters took on a darker tone. “If we burn, you burn with us,” read a huge, deep-red banner.
“We need to remind them that it is not worth it. Time is always on the side of the young,” she said.
The problem is, the young don’t necessarily feel like that.
Why things turned dark
Hong Kong is a city familiar with protests. But the protests haven’t always been like this movement.
Hope was in the air.
There was a sense that democracy might finally be possible.
So when protesters took to the streets earlier this year, they released years of suppressed anger and distrust of the government, according to Samson Yuen, a political scientist at Hong Kong’s Lingnan University.
The four suspected suicides added another emotional element — especially because many saw the deaths as the fault of the government, said Yuen.
“The protest is about the life and death of Hong Kong,” he said. “The protests are about continuing the wishes of those who ‘gave their lives.’
“It’s about how people trust the system, how people can still have confidence about the future of Hong Kong.”
At a press conference earlier this month, Hong Kong’s leader Lam said she was saddened by the protesters who had hurt themselves as a result of the bill. She added that the government had asked many non-governmental organizations to offer emotional consultation services, “hoping to ease the negative emotions that plague the Hong Kong society.”
A 34-year-old protester, who asked not to be named, said he joined the protests after seeing the “brutal” police actions on June 12 — and was given “faith and courage” by the death of the first protester on June 15.
“The death of (the protester) forced people to acknowledge our city’s government has changed,” he said. “Our impression of a government that cares for the people is shattered.”
“We chose to ignore it for years that our city is slowly changing. But this time, we can’t.”
A hopeless future?
The bleak language — and spate of deaths — has lawmakers and mental health experts worried.
Paul Yip, the director for the Hong Kong Jockey Club Centre for Suicide Research and Prevention (CSRP), was concerned about the risk of copycat suicides, and the effect the negative atmosphere could have on youth who are suffering from preexisting mental health issues.
Yip cautioned that turning people who may have had mental health issues already into martyrs risked glamorizing suicide, which could create a contagion effect.
“These people … are the victims of a mentally stressed environment,” he said.
And there’s evidence that mental health in the city has been negatively impacted by the protests. Clarence Tsang, executive director of Samaritans Befrienders Hong Kong, said his organization had seen 73 calls in June by people distressed about the social movement, compared to only a handful on this topic in the previous months.
In the face of all the negativity, some people in Hong Kong have rallied around each other. Candice Powell, a clinical psychologist, has set up a hotline for journalists who have been traumatized by the violence they have seen. Lawmaker Roy Kwong — a former social worker — has emerged as a volunteer, on-call support person to protesters.
In so-called Lennon Walls around the city, protesters have written notes on Post-its, spurring each other on. “Dear Hong Kong, everything will be alright,” read one.
Yong Pui-tung, the 28-year-old best friend of Mak, said others should talk more and not to feel alone.
“I’m really afraid there will be more and more, and I don’t want to see that kind of thing happen again,” she said. “We should all talk more to our friends — you shouldn’t feel alone because everyone is with us.
“Hong Kong people, we stand as one and we should stay strong.”
Kwong, meanwhile, urged protesters to think of the future, which he didn’t believe was as negative as many expected.
“I think people need to keep a normal, calm attitude,” he said. “They need to know this is a continuous fight.”
Contributions: CNN’s Stephy Chung, Maisy Mok, Jessie Yeung, Jadyn Sham and Charmaine Lee contributed to this report from Hong Kong.
“We’ll accomplish what’s left to be carried out,” wrote one.
The loss of life of the girl — identified to a lot of the world by her final title, Mak — was the fourth suspected suicide to be linked by native media to ongoing demonstrations, sparked initially by a controversial extradition invoice that many feared might additional restrict freedoms within the semi-autonomous metropolis.
Protesters have talked of sacrifice, hopelessness, and a lack of belief of their leaders. The four who died have grow to be fixtures in protest artwork and been handled by some demonstrators as heroes of the trigger.
The struggle for Hong Kong
The movement to dam the extradition invoice has been forged as a binary life or loss of life battle from the outset.
When a minimum of a whole bunch of hundreds — as much as one million by some measures — marched initially of June, it was described by activists because the “final probability to struggle for Hong Kong.”
The deaths of the protesters solely added to that depth.
At demonstrations, protesters created banners from yellow raincoats, giving the phantasm that the primary loss of life by suicide, a 35-year-old man who died carrying a particular yellow raincoat, was floating above them. Protesters wore black and waved black flags to honor the lifeless. Within the mass outpouring of grief, some protesters pointed the finger on the authorities. For a time, a blood-red placard turned ubiquitous. It learn: “Cease killing us.”
“He sacrificed lots for us,” a 16-year-old schoolgirl, who solely gave her title as Athena, stated of the person at one of many marches. “That is associated to the political system of Hong Kong — it is life-threatening and it is fateful.”
In locations across the metropolis, demonstrators held memorials for the lifeless. They piled flowers on footpaths that shaped little mountains of white and plastic, and left notes to the lifeless that they’d by no means learn.
“Expensive Hero, we are going to struggle for you,” learn one on a bit of white paper adorned with a coronary heart. “He was dragged down by the regime,” learn one other.
These misplaced to suicide turned fixtures in protest artwork, too. One confirmed the 35-year-old man and one other sufferer holding fingers as they walked towards the sunshine with the phrases: “Pal, do not go away. Hong Kong folks, do not quit.” Even messages that did not depict the protesters took on a darker tone. “If we burn, you burn with us,” learn an enormous, deep-red banner.
“We have to remind them that it’s not price it. Time is all the time on the aspect of the younger,” she stated.
The issue is, the younger do not essentially really feel like that.
Why issues turned dark
Hong Kong is a metropolis acquainted with protests. However the protests have not all the time been like this movement.
Hope was within the air.
There was a way that democracy would possibly lastly be potential.
So when protesters took to the streets earlier this 12 months, they launched years of suppressed anger and mistrust of the federal government, in line with Samson Yuen, a political scientist at Hong Kong’s Lingnan College.
The four suspected suicides added one other emotional aspect — particularly as a result of many noticed the deaths because the fault of the federal government, stated Yuen.
“The protest is concerning the life and loss of life of Hong Kong,” he stated. “The protests are about persevering with the needs of those that ‘gave their lives.’
“It is about how folks belief the system, how folks can nonetheless trust about the way forward for Hong Kong.”
At a press convention earlier this month, Hong Kong’s chief Lam stated she was saddened by the protesters who had damage themselves because of the invoice. She added that the federal government had requested many non-governmental organizations to supply emotional session companies, “hoping to ease the detrimental feelings that plague the Hong Kong society.”
A 34-year-old protester, who requested to not be named, stated he joined the protests after seeing the “brutal” police actions on June 12 — and was given “religion and braveness” by the loss of life of the primary protester on June 15.
“The loss of life of (the protester) pressured folks to acknowledge our metropolis’s authorities has modified,” he stated. “Our impression of a authorities that cares for the folks is shattered.”
“We selected to disregard it for years that our metropolis is slowly altering. However this time, we will not.”
A hopeless future?
The awful language — and spate of deaths — has lawmakers and psychological well being specialists fearful.
Paul Yip, the director for the Hong Kong Jockey Membership Centre for Suicide Analysis and Prevention (CSRP), was involved concerning the danger of copycat suicides, and the impact the detrimental environment might have on youth who’re affected by preexisting psychological well being points.
Yip cautioned that turning individuals who might have had psychological well being points already into martyrs risked glamorizing suicide, which might create a contagion impact.
“These folks … are the victims of a mentally burdened atmosphere,” he stated.
And there is proof that psychological well being within the metropolis has been negatively impacted by the protests. Clarence Tsang, government director of Samaritans Befrienders Hong Kong, stated his group had seen 73 calls in June by folks distressed concerning the social movement, in comparison with solely a handful on this matter within the earlier months.
Within the face of all of the negativity, some folks in Hong Kong have rallied round one another. Candice Powell, a scientific psychologist, has arrange a hotline for journalists who’ve been traumatized by the violence they’ve seen. Lawmaker Roy Kwong — a former social employee — has emerged as a volunteer, on-call help particular person to protesters.
In so-called Lennon Partitions across the metropolis, protesters have written notes on Submit-its, spurring one another on. “Expensive Hong Kong, all the things can be alright,” learn one.
Yong Pui-tung, the 28-year-old finest good friend of Mak, stated others ought to speak extra and to not really feel alone.
“I am actually afraid there can be an increasing number of, and I do not wish to see that sort of factor occur once more,” she stated. “We should always all speak extra to our mates — you should not really feel alone as a result of everyone seems to be with us.
“Hong Kong folks, we stand as one and we must always keep robust.”
Kwong, in the meantime, urged protesters to think about the longer term, which he did not consider was as detrimental as many anticipated.
“I feel folks must hold a traditional, calm perspective,” he stated. “They should know it is a steady struggle.”
Contributions: CNN’s Stephy Chung, Maisy Mok, Jessie Yeung, Jadyn Sham and Charmaine Lee contributed to this report from Hong Kong.