SCMP’sreportingteamlooksbackatHongKong’smostwrenchingpoliticalcrisissinceitsreturntoChineserulein1997.Anti-extraditionbillproteststhatmorphedrapidlyintoawideranti-governmentmovementin2019leftnoaspectofthecityuntouched,fromitssocialcompacttoitsbodypolitictoitsopeneconomy.Thedemonstrationswhichcontinuedwellinto2020havetestedeveryinstitutionofthecity,fromthecivilservicetothepolicetothecourtsandevenitsrailtransportoperator,andfromofficesandbusinessestouniversitiesandschools,andfromchurchestofamiliesandevenfriends.
ThisbookisforanyoneseekingtounderstandnotjustwhatHongKonghasgonethroughbutalsotheglobalphenomenonofincreasinglyleaderlessprotestmovements.Fueledbyprofoundangstabouttheplaceofmillennialyouthinsociety,wideningincomeinequality,andthespeedofdigitalcommunications,HongKongwasinretrospectripetobethelaboratoryforanew-ageprotestmovement,nearlyadecadeaftertheMiddleEast’sArabspring.
Theessaysinthebookcollectivelycomposeapictureofasocietyintrauma,bentandbroken,butshowingsignsofanuncannyabilitytobounceback.Whatshapeitwillbeinafewyearsfromnow,however,ismuchhardertopredict.
