Policing the umbrella movement in Hong Kong

Abstract

The Umbrella Movement was one of the most significant and large-scale demonstrations happened in Hong Kong’s history. It is the culmination of political demand for genuine universal suffrage. The sudden outbreak of the democratic protest surprised many, in terms of its scale, patterns observed and its duration. It also encountered unprecedented policing from the Hong Kong Police Force (HKPF). This research primarily aims to examine the controversial issue of policing in the Umbrella Movement, with particular focus on the police use of force. Initially, the historical background of Hong Kong will be briefly introduced to familiarize our readers; then a comparison with other Anglo-American countries as well as Asian counterparts will be made. As a result, such a comparative approach has allowed us to comprehend the picture better. Nevertheless, the controversial issues of protest policing and use of force will be individually examined for a clearer understanding of our subject. Methodologically, individual interviews were conducted in order to unveil and assess the different perspectives and experiences of police officers and demonstrators with regard to the degree of use of force in the Movement respectively. Discussions such as ethics, limitations and suggestions for future research will also be derived.