Benny Tai, a leading Hong Kong activist who was jailed for his role in the 2014 pro-democracy "Umbrella" movement, says that the campaign "revolutionized" youngsters and set the stage for the current protests on the streets of the China-ruled territory.

Speaking to Reuters ahead of the fifth anniversary of the start of the Umbrella, or "Occupy" movement, Tai said he watched from jail in disbelief as one million people thronged the streets of Hong Kong on June 9 to launch the latest bout of pro-democracy <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/hong-kong-protesters-trap-carrie-lam-for-hours-in-stadium-after-open-dialogue-252281">protests</a>.

"The young people, in some ways, they have been changed by the Umbrella movement," said Tai, a law professor.

"We have revolutionized, in some ways, the hearts of <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/hong-kong-leader-carrie-lam-to-hold-first-talks-in-a-bid-to-end-crisis-252148">Hong Kong </a>people in preparing them for fighting for democracy in a more persistent way."

To mark the anniversary on Saturday, thousands of people are expected to rally at Tamar Park near government headquarters.

Tai, who was released on bail in August, said while leaders of the Umbrella movement were in some ways unprepared for the massive response at the start of the rallies that paralyzed parts of the financial hub for 79 days, they helped to sow the seeds for future protests.

The Umbrella sit-in protests, also known as the Occupy Central with Love and Peace campaign, were first suggested by Tai in 2013 and were later led by a core group, some of who remain in prison. It became known as the Umbrella movement after activists used umbrellas to shield themselves from tear gas and pepper spray.

Hong Kong returned to China from British rule in 1997 under a "one country, two systems" formula that guarantees freedoms not enjoyed on the mainland but many activists accuse Beijing of tightening its grip on the city and eroding those freedoms.

The Umbrella protests blocked major roads in the Asian financial hub for more than two months in a push for full democracy, although they failed to wrest concessions from Beijing.

Colourful tents, art installations, and music created an almost carnival atmosphere at times, in stark contrast to the current anti-government protests that have increasingly degenerated into running battles between activists and police.

"I think the tension now is how far we should go, especially the more radical protesters, how far they should go," said Tai.

Tai said he doesn't think the current movement will last forever, although that won't mean people have given up.

"Maybe after a few months the streets will become more quiet and when another triggering point (comes), you will rise again and the scale will be even bigger than the 'Water-Revolution'," he said. In the current campaign, activists are using what they call a "Be Water" strategy that encourages them to be flexible or formless.

The current protests have no discernible leaders or structure, which Tai believes is a better strategy than the "top-down" order of the Umbrella Movement.

"It's a more decentralized network way of co-ordinating action and it seems to be much more effective than the Umbrella movement," Tai said.

The softly-spoken professor, who said he read around 20 books during his three months in prison, said he was hopeful about the future, although he expects more suppression from the government.

"Some protesters, think this is the last battle but I would say this may not be the last battle because we have a long war to fight and no matter what happens to this particular battle if we could not have democracy, the war will continue."

Benny Tai, a leading Hong Kong activist who was jailed for his role in the 2014 pro-democracy "Umbrella" movement, says that the campaign "revolutionized" youngsters and set the stage for the current protests on the streets of the China-ruled territory.

Benny Tai, a leading Hong Kong activist who was jailed for his role in the 2014 pro-democracy "Umbrella" movement, says that the campaign "revolutionized" youngsters and set the stage for the current protests on the streets of the China-ruled territory. Speaking to Reuters ahead of the fifth anniversary of the start of the Umbrella, or "Occupy" movement, Tai said he watched from jail in disbelief as one million people thronged the streets of Hong Kong on June 9 to launch the latest bout of pro-democracy protests. "The young people, in some ways, they have been changed by the Umbrella movement," said Tai, a law professor. "We have revolutionized, in some ways, the hearts of Hong Kong people in preparing them for fighting for democracy in a more persistent way." To mark the anniversary on Saturday, thousands of people are expected to rally at Tamar Park near government headquarters. Tai, who was released on bail in August, said while leaders of the Umbrella movement were in some ways unprepared for the massive response at the start of the rallies that paralyzed parts of the financial hub for 79 days, they helped to sow the seeds for future protests. The Umbrella sit-in protests, also known as the Occupy Central with Love and Peace campaign, were first suggested by Tai in 2013 and were later led by a core group, some of who remain in prison. It became known as the Umbrella movement after activists used umbrellas to shield themselves from tear gas and pepper spray. Hong Kong returned to China from British rule in 1997 under a "one country, two systems" formula that guarantees freedoms not enjoyed on the mainland but many activists accuse Beijing of tightening its grip on the city and eroding those freedoms. The Umbrella protests blocked major roads in the Asian financial hub for more than two months in a push for full democracy, although they failed to wrest concessions from Beijing. Colourful tents, art installations, and music created an almost carnival atmosphere at times, in stark contrast to the current anti-government protests that have increasingly degenerated into running battles between activists and police. "I think the tension now is how far we should go, especially the more radical protesters, how far they should go," said Tai. Tai said he doesn't think the current movement will last forever, although that won't mean people have given up. "Maybe after a few months the streets will become more quiet and when another triggering point (comes), you will rise again and the scale will be even bigger than the 'Water-Revolution'," he said. In the current campaign, activists are using what they call a "Be Water" strategy that encourages them to be flexible or formless. The current protests have no discernible leaders or structure, which Tai believes is a better strategy than the "top-down" order of the Umbrella Movement. "It's a more decentralized network way of co-ordinating action and it seems to be much more effective than the Umbrella movement," Tai said. The softly-spoken professor, who said he read around 20 books during his three months in prison, said he was hopeful about the future, although he expects more suppression from the government. "Some protesters, think this is the last battle but I would say this may not be the last battle because we have a long war to fight and no matter what happens to this particular battle if we could not have democracy, the war will continue."

Hong Kong's 'Umbrella' protests sowed seed for future: Freed activist Benny Tai

Carrie Lam, who won an election to become Hong Kong&#39;s first female chief executive on Sunday, is a former student activist who climbed the rungs of the civil service over 36 years, and a tough, capable and possibly divisive Beijing-backed leader.

Lam, 59, most recently Hong Kong&#39;s number two official, has to unify the Chinese-ruled city as public resentment swells at Beijing&#39;s growing interference in its affairs despite being promised a high degree of autonomy.

She also has to reinvigorate the economy and address growing social inequalities and high property prices.

Several sources who have worked with Lam say she&#39;s intelligent, hard-working and able to push controversial government policies, earning her the trust of Beijing factions who strongly lobbied for votes on her behalf.

But her hardline and pro-Beijing tendencies, say critics and opposition democrats, risk sowing further social divisions in the former British colony that returned to China 20 years ago under a &quot;once country, two systems&quot; formula that guarantees it wide-ranging freedoms. &quot;Carrie Lam...is a nightmare for Hong Kong,&quot; said student activist Joshua Wong, 20, one of the leaders of the student-led &quot;Umbrella Movement&quot; protests in 2014 which blocked the streets for 79 days demanding full democracy.

&quot;Theoretically, the chief executive is a bridge between the central government and the Hong Kong people. But Lam will be a tilted bridge. She will only tell us what Beijing wants, and won&#39;t reflect what the people want to the communist regime.&quot;

Lam, 59, dubbed &quot;the fighter&quot; by media, was once the most popular official in the cabinet of staunchly pro-Beijing incumbent chief executive, Leung Chun-ying, who in 2012 won a similar election restricted to just 1,200 voters.

&quot;Picking Carrie as chief secretary was Leung&#39;s best appointment,&quot; said a senior government official who declined to be identified because he was not authorised to speak to the media. But she could also sometimes be a &quot;bully&quot;, he added.

&nbsp;

SOFTER IMAGE

Lam&#39;s popularity began to slip just as a younger generation of protesters rose to prominence, and tumbled further during the course of her election campaign this year.

Her attempt to push through a planned Palace Museum in Hong Kong, showing artefacts from the museum in Beijing&#39;s Forbidden City, was criticised for being presented as a done deal without public consultation, highlighting what some describe as her &quot;autocratic&quot; style, according to a source who knows her.

She is not well regarded by the opposition democratic camp, with most of the 300 or so democrats seen having voted for former Financial Secretary John Tsang.

The bespectacled Lam was also criticised by student leaders for being &quot;vague&quot; after their televised meeting failed to defuse the 2014 protests. The demonstration ran out of steam two months later and ended with police clearing the streets.

During her campaign, Lam attempted to present a softer, more populist image, but was ridiculed for gaffes including not appearing to know how to use subway turnstiles.

She was also lampooned for a late-night hunt for toilet paper which took her to her posh former home on the Peak after she failed to find any at a convenience store.

The daughter of a Shanghainese immigrant who worked on ships and a mother who had never received a formal education, Lam grew up in a cramped apartment shared by four siblings and several families.

A devout Catholic and a student of sociology at the University of Hong Kong, Lam took part in social activism before joining the government. She is married with two sons.

Lam formally becomes head of the global financial hub on July 1.

She joins a select group of female leaders who have risen to the top job in Asia in recent years including Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen, hugely distrusted by China, and ousted South Korean president Park Geun-hye, who angered Beijing with her plans to deploy a US&nbsp;missile defence system to counter the threat from North Korea.

(Reuters)

She will only tell us what Beijing wants, and won't reflect what the people want to the communist regime: Umbrella Movement protester

Carrie Lam, who won an election to become Hong Kong's first female chief executive on Sunday, is a former student activist who climbed the rungs of the civil service over 36 years, and a tough, capable and possibly divisive Beijing-backed leader. Lam, 59, most recently Hong Kong's number two official, has to unify the Chinese-ruled city as public resentment swells at Beijing's growing interference in its affairs despite being promised a high degree of autonomy. She also has to reinvigorate the economy and address growing social inequalities and high property prices. Several sources who have worked with Lam say she's intelligent, hard-working and able to push controversial government policies, earning her the trust of Beijing factions who strongly lobbied for votes on her behalf. But her hardline and pro-Beijing tendencies, say critics and opposition democrats, risk sowing further social divisions in the former British colony that returned to China 20 years ago under a "once country, two systems" formula that guarantees it wide-ranging freedoms. "Carrie Lam...is a nightmare for Hong Kong," said student activist Joshua Wong, 20, one of the leaders of the student-led "Umbrella Movement" protests in 2014 which blocked the streets for 79 days demanding full democracy. "Theoretically, the chief executive is a bridge between the central government and the Hong Kong people. But Lam will be a tilted bridge. She will only tell us what Beijing wants, and won't reflect what the people want to the communist regime." Lam, 59, dubbed "the fighter" by media, was once the most popular official in the cabinet of staunchly pro-Beijing incumbent chief executive, Leung Chun-ying, who in 2012 won a similar election restricted to just 1,200 voters. "Picking Carrie as chief secretary was Leung's best appointment," said a senior government official who declined to be identified because he was not authorised to speak to the media. But she could also sometimes be a "bully", he added. SOFTER IMAGE Lam's popularity began to slip just as a younger generation of protesters rose to prominence, and tumbled further during the course of her election campaign this year. Her attempt to push through a planned Palace Museum in Hong Kong, showing artefacts from the museum in Beijing's Forbidden City, was criticised for being presented as a done deal without public consultation, highlighting what some describe as her "autocratic" style, according to a source who knows her. She is not well regarded by the opposition democratic camp, with most of the 300 or so democrats seen having voted for former Financial Secretary John Tsang. The bespectacled Lam was also criticised by student leaders for being "vague" after their televised meeting failed to defuse the 2014 protests. The demonstration ran out of steam two months later and ended with police clearing the streets. During her campaign, Lam attempted to present a softer, more populist image, but was ridiculed for gaffes including not appearing to know how to use subway turnstiles. She was also lampooned for a late-night hunt for toilet paper which took her to her posh former home on the Peak after she failed to find any at a convenience store. The daughter of a Shanghainese immigrant who worked on ships and a mother who had never received a formal education, Lam grew up in a cramped apartment shared by four siblings and several families. A devout Catholic and a student of sociology at the University of Hong Kong, Lam took part in social activism before joining the government. She is married with two sons. Lam formally becomes head of the global financial hub on July 1. She joins a select group of female leaders who have risen to the top job in Asia in recent years including Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen, hugely distrusted by China, and ousted South Korean president Park Geun-hye, who angered Beijing with her plans to deploy a US missile defence system to counter the threat from North Korea. (Reuters)

Hong Kong elects its first female leader, Beijing-backed Carrie Lam

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Hong Kong's 'Umbrella' protests sowed seed for future: Freed activist Benny Tai

Hong Kong elects its first female leader, Beijing-backed Carrie Lam