A year ago, on Monday 11 Nov, Operation Dawn - what was supposed to be a series of city-wide strikes and acts of civil disobedience - began.

Source: L: Telegram, Anon (Nov 2019); R: Telegram, Heung Shing (Nov 2019)
A year ago, on Monday 11 Nov, Operation Dawn - what was supposed to be a series of city-wide strikes and acts of civil disobedience - began. Source: L: Telegram, Anon (Nov 2019); R: Telegram, Heung Shing (Nov 2019)
A year ago, on Monday 11 Nov, Operation Dawn - what was supposed to be a series of city-wide strikes and acts of civil disobedience - began. Source: L: Telegram, Anon (Nov 2019); R: Telegram, Heung Shing (Nov 2019)
The day started with the police shooting an unarmed, 21 year-old protester...

Source: Telegram, Anon (Nov 2019)
The day started with the police shooting an unarmed, 21 year-old protester... Source: Telegram, Anon (Nov 2019)
The day started with the police shooting an unarmed, 21 year-old protester... Source: Telegram, Anon (Nov 2019)
... and a policeman recklessly - deliberately - driving into protesters in Kwai Fong (cops are the same the world over)...

Source: Telegram, Anon (Nov 2019)
... and a policeman recklessly - deliberately - driving into protesters in Kwai Fong (cops are the same the world over)...Source: Telegram, Anon (Nov 2019)
... and a policeman recklessly - deliberately - driving into protesters in Kwai Fong (cops are the same the world over)...Source: Telegram, Anon (Nov 2019)
... and it marked the start of the sieges on HK's universities, with police mercilessly firing teargas and worse into campuses of the major education institutions in the city.

Source: Telegram, Anon (Nov 2019)
... and it marked the start of the sieges on HK's universities, with police mercilessly firing teargas and worse into campuses of the major education institutions in the city.Source: Telegram, Anon (Nov 2019)
... and it marked the start of the sieges on HK's universities, with police mercilessly firing teargas and worse into campuses of the major education institutions in the city.Source: Telegram, Anon (Nov 2019)
... and it marked the start of the sieges on HK's universities, with police mercilessly firing teargas and worse into campuses of the major education institutions in the city.Source: Telegram, Anon (Nov 2019)
HKers didn't know what was to come, but even then, they feared the worse.

We know what happened at Yonsei University, Korea in 1987. And we all remember what happened in Beijing, 1989...

Source: Telegram, Anon (Nov 2019)
The images of young people shielding themselves from police projectiles with mattresses from dorms, tables from canteens aren't really ones anyone should live to see. But they steeled HKers for the horrors to come...

But enough for today.

Source: Telegram, Anon (Nov 2019)
The images of young people shielding themselves from police projectiles with mattresses from dorms, tables from canteens aren't really ones anyone should live to see. But they steeled HKers for the horrors to come... But enough for today.Source: Telegram, Anon (Nov 2019)
The images of young people shielding themselves from police projectiles with mattresses from dorms, tables from canteens aren't really ones anyone should live to see. But they steeled HKers for the horrors to come... But enough for today.Source: Telegram, Anon (Nov 2019)
And the original photo: https://twitter.com/Lazyyyyyyy/status/1326551176427446276?s=20
A year ago, on 12 November, HKers watched shocked as black smoke started billowing from CUHK, like some desperate SOS signal. We all knew right away what it was - the HKPF had began their assault on the students barricaded inside their school.

Source: Telegram, Anon (Nov 2019)
A year ago, on 12 November, HKers watched shocked as black smoke started billowing from CUHK, like some desperate SOS signal. We all knew right away what it was - the HKPF had began their assault on the students barricaded inside their school.Source: Telegram, Anon (Nov 2019)
A year ago, on 12 November, HKers watched shocked as black smoke started billowing from CUHK, like some desperate SOS signal. We all knew right away what it was - the HKPF had began their assault on the students barricaded inside their school.Source: Telegram, Anon (Nov 2019)
The police started the day by bombarding the the CUHK sports field - and the students gathered there - with an endless rain of teargas and rubber bullets.

"Does the govt love HK, our home?" - one poster asks. Well...

Source: Telegram, Anon (Nov 2019)
The police started the day by bombarding the the CUHK sports field - and the students gathered there - with an endless rain of teargas and rubber bullets."Does the govt love HK, our home?" - one poster asks. Well... Source: Telegram, Anon (Nov 2019)
The police started the day by bombarding the the CUHK sports field - and the students gathered there - with an endless rain of teargas and rubber bullets."Does the govt love HK, our home?" - one poster asks. Well... Source: Telegram, Anon (Nov 2019)
The Siege felt like a violation, the repression of HK's academic freedoms taken to its cruelest extreme.

"You're suppose to get into college by applying to it, not attacking it!"

"And we thought you said politics has no place on campus?"

Source: Telegram, Anon (Nov 2019)
The Siege felt like a violation, the repression of HK's academic freedoms taken to its cruelest extreme. "You're suppose to get into college by applying to it, not attacking it!" "And we thought you said politics has no place on campus?" Source: Telegram, Anon (Nov 2019)
The Siege felt like a violation, the repression of HK's academic freedoms taken to its cruelest extreme. "You're suppose to get into college by applying to it, not attacking it!" "And we thought you said politics has no place on campus?" Source: Telegram, Anon (Nov 2019)
The images from CUHK of heavily armed HKPF launching attacks on young people seeking democracy also spoke to HKers' worst fears - that we'd see a repeat of 1989, that if we did nothing, by the morning there'd be nothing left but ashes and dust.

Source: Telegram, Anon (Nov 2019)
The images from CUHK of heavily armed HKPF launching attacks on young people seeking democracy also spoke to HKers' worst fears - that we'd see a repeat of 1989, that if we did nothing, by the morning there'd be nothing left but ashes and dust.Source: Telegram, Anon (Nov 2019)
The images from CUHK of heavily armed HKPF launching attacks on young people seeking democracy also spoke to HKers' worst fears - that we'd see a repeat of 1989, that if we did nothing, by the morning there'd be nothing left but ashes and dust.Source: Telegram, Anon (Nov 2019)
The images from CUHK of heavily armed HKPF launching attacks on young people seeking democracy also spoke to HKers' worst fears - that we'd see a repeat of 1989, that if we did nothing, by the morning there'd be nothing left but ashes and dust.Source: Telegram, Anon (Nov 2019)
So, as battle raged on inside CUHK, HKers outside rose up in support. Cars, taxis, trucks packed the highway to CUHK, partly to head off police armoured vehicles from reaching the university...

"Resist tyranny, all! Protect the students!"

Source: Telegram, Anon (Nov 2019)
So, as battle raged on inside CUHK, HKers outside rose up in support. Cars, taxis, trucks packed the highway to CUHK, partly to head off police armoured vehicles from reaching the university..."Resist tyranny, all! Protect the students!" Source: Telegram, Anon (Nov 2019)
So, as battle raged on inside CUHK, HKers outside rose up in support. Cars, taxis, trucks packed the highway to CUHK, partly to head off police armoured vehicles from reaching the university..."Resist tyranny, all! Protect the students!" Source: Telegram, Anon (Nov 2019)
...and partly to provide students with gear & supplies. Where roads were blocked, motorbikes (and long-forgotten routes mapped out by alumni) came through.

"Remember that night, how HKers did everything in their power to save CUHK"

Source: Telegram/ IG Anon, Phesti (Nov 2019)
...and partly to provide students with gear & supplies. Where roads were blocked, motorbikes (and long-forgotten routes mapped out by alumni) came through. "Remember that night, how HKers did everything in their power to save CUHK"Source: Telegram/ IG Anon, Phesti (Nov 2019)
...and partly to provide students with gear & supplies. Where roads were blocked, motorbikes (and long-forgotten routes mapped out by alumni) came through. "Remember that night, how HKers did everything in their power to save CUHK"Source: Telegram/ IG Anon, Phesti (Nov 2019)
Inside CUHK, things felt dire. On that one day alone, HKPF shot more than a thousand teargas canisters, more than a thousand rounds of rubber bullets, and hundreds of beanbag rounds, most of them directed at students at CUHK.

Source: Telegram, Anon (Nov 2019)
Inside CUHK, things felt dire. On that one day alone, HKPF shot more than a thousand teargas canisters, more than a thousand rounds of rubber bullets, and hundreds of beanbag rounds, most of them directed at students at CUHK. Source: Telegram, Anon (Nov 2019)
Inside CUHK, things felt dire. On that one day alone, HKPF shot more than a thousand teargas canisters, more than a thousand rounds of rubber bullets, and hundreds of beanbag rounds, most of them directed at students at CUHK. Source: Telegram, Anon (Nov 2019)
The kids protecting their campus knew what they were up against, the risks they were taking.

"Don't die", one of them was videoed saying, as they hugged their loved one, maybe for the last time.

"Don't die", all of us watching from afar prayed.

Source: Telegram Anon (Nov 2019)
The kids protecting their campus knew what they were up against, the risks they were taking."Don't die", one of them was videoed saying, as they hugged their loved one, maybe for the last time."Don't die", all of us watching from afar prayed.Source: Telegram Anon (Nov 2019)
The kids protecting their campus knew what they were up against, the risks they were taking."Don't die", one of them was videoed saying, as they hugged their loved one, maybe for the last time."Don't die", all of us watching from afar prayed.Source: Telegram Anon (Nov 2019)
The kids protecting their campus knew what they were up against, the risks they were taking."Don't die", one of them was videoed saying, as they hugged their loved one, maybe for the last time."Don't die", all of us watching from afar prayed.Source: Telegram Anon (Nov 2019)
The young people at CUHK fought like hell anyway, despite the fear & despair. A medieval assault called for a medieval defense - the fire archer appeared on the frontline, an instant icon of HK's defiance. We will see them again.

Source: Telegram Anon (Nov 2019)
The young people at CUHK fought like hell anyway, despite the fear & despair. A medieval assault called for a medieval defense - the fire archer appeared on the frontline, an instant icon of HK's defiance. We will see them again. Source: Telegram Anon (Nov 2019)
The young people at CUHK fought like hell anyway, despite the fear & despair. A medieval assault called for a medieval defense - the fire archer appeared on the frontline, an instant icon of HK's defiance. We will see them again. Source: Telegram Anon (Nov 2019)
The young people at CUHK fought like hell anyway, despite the fear & despair. A medieval assault called for a medieval defense - the fire archer appeared on the frontline, an instant icon of HK's defiance. We will see them again. Source: Telegram Anon (Nov 2019)
The young people at CUHK fought like hell anyway, despite the fear & despair. A medieval assault called for a medieval defense - the fire archer appeared on the frontline, an instant icon of HK's defiance. We will see them again. Source: Telegram Anon (Nov 2019)
The most recognizable images from the Siege came from the Battle at No.2 Bridge: Students shielding themselves with tables & umbrellas, standing firm in the fog of war, our revolutionary flag flying high...

Source: Telegram Anon (Nov 2019)
The image is the HK pro-democracy mvmt boiled down to its essence - ordinary people, armed with ordinary objects, caught in an extraordinary moment. HKers, moving heavens, raising hell, just to protect their city, their home.

Source: Telegram Anon (Nov 2019)
The image is the HK pro-democracy mvmt boiled down to its essence - ordinary people, armed with ordinary objects, caught in an extraordinary moment. HKers, moving heavens, raising hell, just to protect their city, their home.Source: Telegram Anon (Nov 2019)
The image is the HK pro-democracy mvmt boiled down to its essence - ordinary people, armed with ordinary objects, caught in an extraordinary moment. HKers, moving heavens, raising hell, just to protect their city, their home.Source: Telegram Anon (Nov 2019)
The image is the HK pro-democracy mvmt boiled down to its essence - ordinary people, armed with ordinary objects, caught in an extraordinary moment. HKers, moving heavens, raising hell, just to protect their city, their home.Source: Telegram Anon (Nov 2019)
The image is the HK pro-democracy mvmt boiled down to its essence - ordinary people, armed with ordinary objects, caught in an extraordinary moment. HKers, moving heavens, raising hell, just to protect their city, their home.Source: Telegram Anon (Nov 2019)
How did it come to this? These are students who should be chilling with their friends, looking forward to a future. And yet...

"They are just youths. Return them their innocence."

"Your so-called easy life - someone helped you fight for it."

Source: Telegram Anon (Nov 2019)
How did it come to this? These are students who should be chilling with their friends, looking forward to a future. And yet..."They are just youths. Return them their innocence.""Your so-called easy life - someone helped you fight for it."Source: Telegram Anon (Nov 2019)
How did it come to this? These are students who should be chilling with their friends, looking forward to a future. And yet..."They are just youths. Return them their innocence.""Your so-called easy life - someone helped you fight for it."Source: Telegram Anon (Nov 2019)
It was clear that de-escalation was going to be hard. HKers saw CUHK in flames, students bloodied, and called it 'war'. The fiery sentiment would go on to influence what happened at Poly U a few days later...

Source: Telegram Anon (Nov 2019)
It was clear that de-escalation was going to be hard. HKers saw CUHK in flames, students bloodied, and called it 'war'. The fiery sentiment would go on to influence what happened at Poly U a few days later...Source: Telegram Anon (Nov 2019)
It was clear that de-escalation was going to be hard. HKers saw CUHK in flames, students bloodied, and called it 'war'. The fiery sentiment would go on to influence what happened at Poly U a few days later...Source: Telegram Anon (Nov 2019)
It was clear that de-escalation was going to be hard. HKers saw CUHK in flames, students bloodied, and called it 'war'. The fiery sentiment would go on to influence what happened at Poly U a few days later...Source: Telegram Anon (Nov 2019)
It was clear that de-escalation was going to be hard. HKers saw CUHK in flames, students bloodied, and called it 'war'. The fiery sentiment would go on to influence what happened at Poly U a few days later...Source: Telegram Anon (Nov 2019)
What did Siege of CUHK achieve? Students have been arrested and the govt has tightened its grip on academic freedoms since. It seems with hindsight HKers have lost so much by taking a stand. What did it all achieve?

That's the wrong question.

Source: Telegram Anon (Nov 2019)
Remember why we fought, remember why we fight. It has always been about HK, it has always been about our people.

"If you give up, who will protect our city?"

Source: Telegram Anon (Nov 2019)
Remember why we fought, remember why we fight. It has always been about HK, it has always been about our people. "If you give up, who will protect our city?"Source: Telegram Anon (Nov 2019)
Remember why we fought, remember why we fight. It has always been about HK, it has always been about our people. "If you give up, who will protect our city?"Source: Telegram Anon (Nov 2019)
Remember why we fought, remember why we fight. It has always been about resisting the suffocation of the city's freedoms. It has always been about fighting for fundamental rights for all.

"Rather die with a voice than live but be silenced."

Source: Telegram Anon (Nov 2019)
Remember why we fought, remember why we fight. It has always been about resisting the suffocation of the city's freedoms. It has always been about fighting for fundamental rights for all. "Rather die with a voice than live but be silenced."Source: Telegram Anon (Nov 2019)
Remember why we fought, remember why we fight. It has always been about resisting the suffocation of the city's freedoms. It has always been about fighting for fundamental rights for all. "Rather die with a voice than live but be silenced."Source: Telegram Anon (Nov 2019)
Remember why we fought, remember why we fight. It has always been about resisting the suffocation of the city's freedoms. It has always been about fighting for fundamental rights for all. "Rather die with a voice than live but be silenced."Source: Telegram Anon (Nov 2019)
Remember why we fought, remember why we fight. The world is dark but others before us have lit a path, and there're those who'll come after us. We were inspired, we have inspired, we will inspire.

"A single spark can start a prairie fire."

Source: Telegram Anon (Nov 2019)
Remember why we fought, remember why we fight. The world is dark but others before us have lit a path, and there're those who'll come after us. We were inspired, we have inspired, we will inspire."A single spark can start a prairie fire."Source: Telegram Anon (Nov 2019)
Remember why we fought, remember why we fight. The world is dark but others before us have lit a path, and there're those who'll come after us. We were inspired, we have inspired, we will inspire."A single spark can start a prairie fire."Source: Telegram Anon (Nov 2019)
HKers fought because we had to. Otherwise it would be giving up, giving in, accepting the cruelties inflicted on the city as right & fair. None of it is right or fair.

"Don't persist only when you have hope. Persist so that there can be hope."

Source: Telegram Anon (Nov 2019)
There's some new art memorializing the Siege of CUHK. This one's of the teargas buffet on the sports field ...

Source: Telegram Anon (Nov 2020)
https://twitter.com/NiaoCollective/status/1326811963767349255?s=20
And a lot more of *that* iconic scene...

Source: Telegram Anon/ IG @RickerChoi faat3mung6, icefordogs (Nov 2020)

https://twitter.com/NiaoCollective/status/1326812017420873728?s=20
And a lot more of *that* iconic scene...Source: Telegram Anon/ IG @RickerChoi faat3mung6, icefordogs (Nov 2020) https://twitter.com/NiaoCollective/status/1326812017420873728?s=20
And a lot more of *that* iconic scene...Source: Telegram Anon/ IG @RickerChoi faat3mung6, icefordogs (Nov 2020) https://twitter.com/NiaoCollective/status/1326812017420873728?s=20
And a lot more of *that* iconic scene...Source: Telegram Anon/ IG @RickerChoi faat3mung6, icefordogs (Nov 2020) https://twitter.com/NiaoCollective/status/1326812017420873728?s=20
And a lot more of *that* iconic scene...Source: Telegram Anon/ IG @RickerChoi faat3mung6, icefordogs (Nov 2020) https://twitter.com/NiaoCollective/status/1326812017420873728?s=20
It's also worth noting how some of these art now use a black flag. Probably a stylistic choice, but hard not to wonder whether NSL might have something to do with it. The words on that flag are dangerous, apparently.

Source: Telegram Anon/ IG hkersart, hksymbolendar (Nov 2020)
It's also worth noting how some of these art now use a black flag. Probably a stylistic choice, but hard not to wonder whether NSL might have something to do with it. The words on that flag are dangerous, apparently.Source: Telegram Anon/ IG hkersart, hksymbolendar (Nov 2020)
It's also worth noting how some of these art now use a black flag. Probably a stylistic choice, but hard not to wonder whether NSL might have something to do with it. The words on that flag are dangerous, apparently.Source: Telegram Anon/ IG hkersart, hksymbolendar (Nov 2020)
It's also worth noting how some of these art now use a black flag. Probably a stylistic choice, but hard not to wonder whether NSL might have something to do with it. The words on that flag are dangerous, apparently.Source: Telegram Anon/ IG hkersart, hksymbolendar (Nov 2020)
One more for CUHK. "Glory to HK" came before all this, but if you had told us the lyrics were about the Siege, we'd have believed you:

在晚星墜落 徬徨午夜
迷霧裡 最遠處吹來 號角聲
捍自由 來齊集這裡 來全力抗對
勇氣 智慧 也永不滅

Source: Telegram / IG small._.tt (Nov 2020)
And there are those who, one year on, are trying to remember the events at CUHK, at the places where they happened, as much as the school's administration would rather we all forget their students' defiance...

Source: Telegram, Anon (Nov 2020)

https://twitter.com/NiaoCollective/status/1326812010810662912?s=20
And there are those who, one year on, are trying to remember the events at CUHK, at the places where they happened, as much as the school's administration would rather we all forget their students' defiance... Source: Telegram, Anon (Nov 2020) https://twitter.com/NiaoCollective/status/1326812010810662912?s=20
And there are those who, one year on, are trying to remember the events at CUHK, at the places where they happened, as much as the school's administration would rather we all forget their students' defiance... Source: Telegram, Anon (Nov 2020) https://twitter.com/NiaoCollective/status/1326812010810662912?s=20
Also, let's not forget - while students were battling HKPF at CUHK on 12 Nov a year ago, office workers - in suits & designer clothes, no less - were in formation in Central, facing off riot police. It was on this day, we first met frontline OL:

Source: Telegram, Anon (Nov 2020)
Also, let's not forget - while students were battling HKPF at CUHK on 12 Nov a year ago, office workers - in suits & designer clothes, no less - were in formation in Central, facing off riot police. It was on this day, we first met frontline OL:Source: Telegram, Anon (Nov 2020)
Also, let's not forget - while students were battling HKPF at CUHK on 12 Nov a year ago, office workers - in suits & designer clothes, no less - were in formation in Central, facing off riot police. It was on this day, we first met frontline OL:Source: Telegram, Anon (Nov 2020)
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