Referred to as the ‘Umbrella Movement’, the protests in Hong Kong began on 22nd September, 2014. They came in response to the proposed electoral reform by NPCSC, which limited civil nominations for Hong Kong’s Chief Executive. The new electoral system dictates that a 1200-member nominating committee be formed by business factions, to nominate 2-3 candidates with more than half the votes before the general public can vote on them. Protesters are demanding that this decision be withdrawn with the resignation of Chief Executive CY Leung and a system with Universal Suffrage be favoured instead.

Those are just the facts. What sets these protests apart is its peaceful nature and organization: The protesters display a love for both Hong Kong and the environment with their tidiness and adherence to non-violent means. Bases for food distribution and waste collection have been set up at numerous points.

The Umbrella Movement in Hong Kong serves as a reminder of the best of humanity, remaining peaceful even during rebellion, but it is just as quirky – with ping pong tables, Happy Birthday sing-alongs, and deities at barricades. Take a look at the protest scenes here:

[slideshow_deploy id=’1077′]