Private Story
Unrest in Hong Kong
I documented the decline of freedom in Hong Kong, including the abuse of power by the police, and the resulting increase in violence in a city once known for its safety. I also tried to capture the emotions: the deep love for Hong Kong, the intense frustration and anger in a situation with no solution in sight, the fierce determination to fight for freedom despite the seemingly insurmountable obstacles.
I first began photographing protests in Hong Kong during the 2014 Umbrella Revolution. During the past year’s protests, I felt I found my voice as a visual storyteller. In 2019, I worked for more than 20 media organizations across different mediums and grew a significant audience on social media, helping to redefine and expand the role a photojournalist can have in the reporting of an international story. Thousands grew to rely on my Instagram account for on-the-ground accounts from the protests.
I had to face increasingly dangerous conditions as the police grew more aggressive and as protester tactics took a violent turn. Tear gas, water cannons, rubber bullets and Molotov cocktails were constant risks. The police were verbally and physically abusive, with local female journalists bearing the worst of it. I have been shoved, threatened with violence, yelled at, and demeaned by the police and pro-police supporters.
Online, I encountered a relentless barrage of harassment, some of which appeared to originate from state-sponsored bots. I received threats to my life and my family on Twitter and Instagram. Many of the comments were gendered and racial. As a Chinese national, I face an increased risk to my personal safety (such as detention or imprisonment) when traveling to Macau or mainland China, which impedes my ability to work as a freelancer.
Anja believed in bearing witness to human struggles in the face of dangerous risks. I did not document the protests because of the danger, but despite it. My home, once somewhere I felt safe, became the place of a historical struggle with global implications, and I felt that it was my duty to document its story. I had a voice that others didn’t, and I worked hard to use it as effectively as possible, using photography to inform the world of what was happening in my city.
Like she did, I strive for my work to be compassionate and empathetic and I aim to tell all the complexities and facets of any given story, not ignoring the voices often overlooked, like those of the city’s ethnic minorities.
Finally, Anja broke barriers for women. I believe I was the only woman who photographed the protests for several media organizations including the New York Times, Getty and EPA, and the only local woman who photographed for other organizations like Reuters and Bloomberg. I hope that like Anja, I helped to pave the way for other women, especially in more traditional societies in Asia.
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