By Benjamin Chasteen, Epoch Times | October 27, 2014
Last Updated: October 27, 2014 11:06 pm
A volunteer protester meticulously cleans between bricks that make up a path which leads to the road where pro-democracy protesters are occupying in the Central District of Hong Kong on Oct. 9, 2014. The woman said no one asked her to do it, she just thought that someone should clean up and some of the protesters have volunteered to do it. (Benjamin Chasteen/Epoch Times)
Epoch Times photographer Ben Chasteen shares some snippets of Occupy Central life.
1. Cleaning lady
A volunteer protester meticulously cleans between bricks that make up a path which leads to the road where pro-democracy protesters are occupying in the Central District of Hong Kong on Oct. 9, 2014. The woman said no one asked her to do it, she just thought that someone should clean up and some of the protesters have volunteered to do it. (Benjamin Chasteen/Epoch Times)
After being in Hong Kong for a couple of weeks, I am amazed by how much the Hong Kong people love their country.
I hear many people talk about how much love and care they have for their country, but never in my life have I seen anyone who walks the talk.
Right up till I ran into this “cleaning lady” that is.
She has been meticulously picking out and sweeping up cigarette butts and other litter trapped between bricks on a path in the Central District of Hong Kong.
The woman said no one asked her to do it, and she just thought that someone should take the effort to ensure that the area is spotless.
When I asked her why she decided to take up this responsibility on her own accord, she said, “Because I love my country and I want to make sure it gets taken care of.”
I watched her for a few more minutes.
Tears crept into my eyes.
2. 3am protesters
Pro-democracy protesters wear masks and carry signs shaped as shields in Mong Kok, Hong Kong on Oct. 7. Hacker groups online have been supporting the protesters by launching cyberattacks on the Chinese regime. (Benjamin Chasteen/Epoch Times)
As Matt (Epoch Times journalistMatthew Robertson) and I were walking home at 3am in a dimly lit area after reporting on the Hong Kong protest, we saw these three guys approach us from the opposite direction.
They walked pass, and all of them turned looked at us.
At first I was a little intimidated, then I thought “Ooh, I should have photographed them.”
Matt must’ve read my thoughts, because he asked them in Chinese if they were okay posing for a photo, and they replied that they were more than happy to.
We asked them what they are doing and they said they had volunteered to patrol the area and protect the protesters against the hired thugs who are causing issues with the protesters.
Which is what is written on their boards in Chinese, incidentally.
They talked to us for awhile and then we were on our way again.
3. Police laughing with Protesters
Pro-democracy protesters have a peaceful conversation with Hong Kong police officers in the Central District on Oct. 5, 2014. (Benjamin Chasteen/Epoch Times)
After a pretty intense experience with the police just the day before, I happened to walk by a dark corner where I saw a few people gathered.
I decided to head over to see what was going on, and I saw some of the protesters laughing with a couple of police officers.
I didn’t know what they were saying, but judging from the overall scene, they all seemed to have put aside all differences.
They have one big thing in common, I thought: they are all Hongkongers that want the situation to be resolved in a peaceful way.
http://m.theepochtimes.com/n3/1046473-this-photographer-captures-the-little-things-that-make-occupy-central-great/?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=twitter
