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- 20 Pulitzer Prize-winning photographs capture the stunning violence from last year's Hong Kong protests
20 Pulitzer Prize-winning photographs capture the stunning violence from last year's Hong Kong protests
Natalie Colarossi
- On Monday, Reuters was announced the Pulitzer Prize winner of the "Breaking News Photography" category for its coverage of last years violent protests in Hong Kong.
- "Our photographers brilliantly captured the magnitude of the protests in Hong Kong," Reuters editor-in-chief, Stephen J. Adler said in a statement. "Their images were beautiful, haunting, illuminating, and deeply memorable."
- Taken as the protests raged on from June to November, these photos revisit the turbulent nature of the demonstrations, with coverage provided by Insider.
- Visit Insider's homepage for more stories.
Millions of protesters took to the streets of Hong Kong last year in a battle for democracy that at times turned violent, destructive, and deadly.
From June to November, protests largely defined the political landscape of the semi-autonomous country, and journalists were at the forefront to document the fight.
On Monday, a Pulitzer Prize – the most prestigious award in journalism – was granted to the Reuters photography team for documenting months of breaking news in Hong Kong.
These incredible photographs give insight into how Hongkonger's and the police clashed during months of turbulent demonstrations.
Read the original article on InsiderBy the end of November, the university protests had subsided but demonstrators still gathered to stand in solidarity with one another in the pro-democracy battle for Hong Kong. "We can't back down," one protestor told Business Insider. "We have reached the point of no return."
Source: Business Insider
The protests lasted weeks and resulted in mass destruction of the campuses, huge amounts of weaponry debris, and the arrests of citizens and students.
Source: Business Insider
Protestors used weapons including bows and arrows, catapults, and Molotov cocktails. Riots took place in numerous locations throughout the city, and destruction occurred in public spaces including malls and major roads.
Source: Business Insider
Police charged both universities, fired tear gas at students, and arrested protestors for rioting. "There seems to be no end to protests," Harvey, a 22-year-old student at the University of Hong Kong who participated in protests at PolyU, told Insider. "But I'll do whatever I can to support the cause."
Source: Business Insider
The Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK) and Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU) became battlegrounds, and students as young as 15 years old took over campuses to barricade themselves from the police and create weapons to use against them.
Source: Business Insider
The violence from these protests quickly spread to university campuses, and became the most intense of the demonstrations to date. Police began firing hundreds of rounds of tear gas and water cannons at protestors who gathered throughout the city.
Source: Business Insider
In November, the clashes grew even worse. Following the death of a 22-year old related to tear gas firings by police, protestors began implementing a new strategy called "blossom everywhere," which included building roadblocks, disrupting transportation, and vandalizing public areas.
Source: Business Insider
Officers fired tear gas, water cannons, rubber bullets, and were armed with live ammunition. In some cases, protestors used bricks, barricades, and firebombs. "I believe almost all frontline protesters, including myself, are ready to be arrested or die in protests," Chan told Business Insider.
Source: Business Insider
Tens of thousands of demonstrators continued to take to the streets, and clashes between the police and protestors began to increase.
Source: Business Insider
In the following weeks, large-scale demonstrations continued amid two major celebrations: the five-year anniversary of the Umbrella Movement on September 28 and the 70th anniversary of the establishment of the People's Republic of China on October 1.
Source: Business Insider
In mid-September, hundreds of protestors formed a human chain and climbed to the peak of Lion Rock, a hill located above the city. They held up signs that read "Free HK" and chanted "Stand with Hong Kong, fight for freedom."
Source: NBC News
But many saw this decision as "too little and too late," and the protests – particularly among the youth – continued to brew.
Source: Business Insider
To some degree, the protests worked: On September 4, Hong Kong Chief Executive Carrie Lam dismantled the extradition bill, and promised to formally withdrawal the legislation in October.
Source: Business Insider
The presence of the protests could be felt widely throughout Hong Kong. In this photo, travelers at the Hong Kong International Airport are seen pushing their luggage past bricks and barriers set up by demonstrators.
What began as a fight against the extradition bill quickly transitioned into a symbolic pro-democracy battle for protections against Chinese authority.
Source: Business Insider
Organizers of the protests put forth five key demands: to completely withdrawal the extradition bill; to refrain from classifying the protests as riots; to release protestors who were unlawfully arrested; to investigate police brutality; to establish fair and free elections in the city.
Source: Business Insider
The demonstrations became largely popular amongst the youth. One study conducted from June to August found that 60% of protesters were younger than 29 years old. "We believe this is the last stand for our future and freedom," Chan, 22, a recent college graduate and protester told Business Insider in early August.
Source: Business Insider
Many viewed the bill as a threat to Hong Kong's sovereignty and the protests raged on. In some cases, the demonstrations grew violent and police began firing tear gas and rubber bullets in the streets.
Source: Business Insider
On the 22nd anniversary of the transition from British to Chinese rule and Hong Kong's establishment as a semi-autonomous territory until 2047, protesters stormed the Legislative Council Complex in opposition to the extradition bill.
Sources: Business Insider, CNN, Reuters
In June, hundreds of thousands of people marched against a bill that would allow Hong Kong residents to be extradited to China for trial. Critics feared it would subject residents in the semi-autonomous region to unfair trials and fewer legal protections.
Source: Business Insider
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