Thread by @BeWaterHKG

A few things which we felt we need to reiterate about #HongKongProtests:
1. HK is not fighting for independence
2. The 5 core demands does NOT include HK independence. If anything it safeguards the 1C2S status quo
3. @joshuawongcf doesn't "lead" the protests. Netizens do.
1/n

4. When the 1st marches/dissent against the bill came, Joshua wasn't even freed yet. Most demonstrators couldn't care less what he thinks.
6. @lihkg_forum is instrumental early on, in particular the G20 ads around the world. They just got nominated in Nikkei Advertising Awards.

Alright that should've been #5.
6. Protesters have been buying their own gear out of pocket. Many HK citizens privately pooled money to buy masks for gears. These are mostly done as guerilla efforts, in groups of 3,4 out on the streets distributing. Their courage isn't any less.

7. They keep saying the US funds the #HongKongProtests. 🤔 FYI #HongKong has a LOT of private wealth. A lot. In the second round of global newspaper ads, the writing team raised USD 1.9 million in a mere 5 hours. You can easily find info to their crowdfunding page online
#BeWater

8. When people can afford putting down HKD 1 million for down payment towards a home, and when families who make HKD 80k~100k a month is still officially part of the middle class, you bet HK citizens can easily fund the frontline protesters without “foreign interference”
#BeWater

9. @demosisto might've been the main leaders back in the 2014 Umbrella Mvmt, but in 2019 it's the people. Uncles at Wong Tai Sin and Sham Shui Po, 2 local communities showing strongest pushback against HKPF, would prob tell Joshua to f off and leave them alone if he shows up lol.

10. Unlike the Umbrella Movement, in 2019 we see a much more diverse crowd coming out to protests across a much wider age, income range, with local communities "staging" their own actions. It's not all concentrated in Central/CWB/Admiralty anymore.
#BeWater #StandWithHK #HongKong

11. There are now unofficial and humourous polls about which of #HongKong's 18 constituencies are the strongest and most battle-ready 😂. So far Wong Tai Sin, Sham Shui Po, Shatin are leading ahead. TKO, Kwun Tong, Tuen Mun earn honorary mentions 🤣🤣
#HongKongProtests #BeWater

12. There are fundamental differences in average income, housing availability, rent level, access to public services, school ranking and even ease of travel between these "leading" constituencies, with some of them being traditional stronghold ridings of pro-CCP parties.
#BeWater

12b. Kinda hard to explain how foreign powers are $, locally well-versed, knowledgeable enough to "pick" these constituencies for protests, no? Esp. when many smaller ridings within these communities are very much "deep blue" ever since HK can vote for its legislative council? 🤔

13. Joshua, Nathan, Ray Kwok, Jeremy Tam, and many other democratic legislators also openly endorse and support the idea that the #HongKongProtests are led by HK netizens. Everyone does their part all with the same goal in mind: suspend the bill, have #HongKong's voice heard.

Ahh, autocorrect...It's Ray Kwong. Many District Counsellors have also taken a much more active role, often the 1st to be on-site when conflicts arise. They have been instrumental in mitigating conflicts, assisting protestors (and police actually!) in keeping things under control

14. One of the most popular slogan is 兄弟各自上山 as in "bros climbing to top/reaching the goal by ur own means". So while everyone won't always agree with each other, we let the front liners do their thing, the pro-US folks fly their flags, writers keep writing. No infighting.

15. Another noticeable thing is how many unlikely ppl have taken to the streets in marches/actions such as #HongKongWay this time: moms, middle-agers, young parents. Remember the very moving Silver Haired marches in Central? The law industry, accounting industry's silent March?

16. Many seniors and middle-agers have also been much more proactive in this year's #HongKongProtests. Many when interviewed vowed to protect youngsters. See this brave man and how the crowd in Sham Shui Po reacted when a student was arrested for buying laser pens.
#BeWater

17. The list can go on, but we wish to stress the importance of the whole #HongKongProtests = a huge collective of ideas, trial and error. All those who openly speak up are appreciated/applauded, but no one leads anyone. We avoid the term 大台 (main leader) as much as possible.

Other than local/intl journalists relaying their great reporting, many netizens can share their POV and contribution to the #HongKongProtests, whether physically or in the form of writing, translations (like us), etc. @chercywong @anti_elab @tweets_hk @Comparativist thoughts?

And a final disclaimer: these thoughts are from this account only and not representing anybody else's. Within our own team we have quite the fair share of arguments as well but we all work hard to reach a compromise, just like the spirit of #HongKongProtests.

Add oil #HongKong!