Protest – fighting for what we believe (Daily Prompt: Atmospheric)

I have not been to many protest in my life, this was one of them.  It was 2012 in London, and we were protesting for a cause 6000 miles away.  

We were protesting against a proposal by the Hong Kong government to implement compulsory ‘national education’ into the education system.  This was an attempt by the China mainland government to brainwash the younger generation through patriotic thoughts,  or in the government’s words through moral and national education to promote a deeper sense of identification with mainland China.

There were only a few hundred of us in London, a lot less than the 40,000 who had turned out to protest in Hong Kong.  Yet, the atmosphere was no less passion than that at the Hong Kong protest.

People came out with their children, as it is their future we were fighting for.

The government backed down in the end, but that was not the end to the battle. Changes are subtly and gradually seeping into our daily lives every day with the with the aim of eroding the freedom of our speech and thoughts in Hong Kong.  Major historical events such as the cultural revolution,  the 1967 Hong Kong riots and 4 June Tiananmen Square massacre, are all important historical events that have shaped the way Hong Kong has developed in the past decades.  These events are only briefly covered in the textbooks, and some are not even mentioned at all.   Our children deserve all the facts to decide for themselves.  The battle hasn’t ended, not does the passion of those who fight to protect our future.

Daily prompt : Atmospheric