Hong Kong Netizens Coin Protester Airport Evacuation ‘Hong Kong's Dunkirk’

Thousands of protesters took public transportation to the city’s International airport on 1 September in an attempt to paralyze the airport. However, their disruptive action left them stranded on the airport island located 35 kilometers away from downtown.

As the police started making arrests, protesters decided to make their way back on foot along the highway and hundreds of private vehicles came to their rescue. Some netizens called the incident the “Dunkirk evacuation” of Hong Kong.

@hker posted the photo showing the long queue of pick up cars on the airport highway:

Dunkirk evacuation in hong kong
those braking night are the driver who volunteering pick up the demonstrator who were trapped in highway as gov shutdown all the public transport between airport and downtown #HongKongProtesters #HongKongPolice #antiELAB #HongKong #FreeHongKong pic.twitter.com/f7zy68RuFk

— Hker (@Hker75931672) September 1, 2019

The Dunkirk evacuation refers to the evacuation of 330,000 French, British, Belgian and Dutch soldiers who were trapped on the beaches of Dunkirk, France during World War II.

#HKdunkirk

9.01 Airport Rally have been compared to Little Ships of Dunkirk, when 850 private boats sailed to rescue over 336,000 soldiers.

Tdy hundreds of protestors walked on Lantau Hwy from airport. Numerous altruistic citizens showed up in cars to drive them safe back home. pic.twitter.com/QL3IQQ5elR

— #AntiELAB Fight for Hong Kong (@Fight4HongKong) September 1, 2019

The anti-extradition campaign has evolved into anti-government disruptive actions as the government continues to refuse a complete withdrawal of the bill and an independent investigation into police brutality. The latest airport action was triggered by the violent clashes between protesters and riot police after the unauthorized rally on 31.

Previously, protesters mobilized a 5-day peaceful sit-in at the arrival hall until August 13 as the High Court issued an injunction on protests. As the injunction does not cover areas outside the airport, protesters attempted to jam airport traffic and paralyze the airport.

On 1 September, hundreds of protesters arrived at the airport at around 1 pm and gathered at the bus terminal. The radical ones took action to block airport entrances with obstacles.

Riot police soon arrived and bus service was suspended. The Metro company also suspended train service from Hong Kong Island to the airport in order to prevent more protesters from arriving at the airport.

This story by Oiwan Lam originally appeared on Global Voices on September 3, 2019.

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