With the collapse of Hong Kong's civil society and the closure of media outlets like Apple Daily, data on Hong Kong's democratic development has lost its platform. A group of Hong Kong residents and young Taiwanese in Taiwan have collaborated to establish the "Hong Kong Action Archive." Using five tons of protest artifacts and documents collected from the public, they are reconstructing a database of Hong Kong's protest history, challenging the regime's attempts to whitewash history and reminding Taiwanese society, which is also threatened by the CCP, to remain vigilant against the CCP.
Since the handover of sovereignty in 1997, Hong Kong has witnessed numerous pro-democracy protests, from the July 1st march against Article 23 of the Basic Law in 2003, the anti-national education movement in 2012, the Umbrella Movement in 2014, to the anti-extradition bill movement in 2019. These protests have generated a wealth of grassroots literature and records, but with the implementation of the Hong Kong National Security Law, these records are no longer publicly available. A group of Hong Kong residents and young Taiwanese in Taiwan established the "Hong Kong Action Archive" to collect artifacts related to these social movements and document the history of Hong Kong's resistance.
Collecting historical materials on the Hong Kong protests from 1960 to the present to combat the regime’s whitewashing efforts
Sienna Lau, Collection Director of the Hong Kong Action Archive, was interviewed by RT-TV. She explained that following the large-scale dispersal of Hong Kong residents, various groups have been collecting and documenting materials related to Hong Kong before the National Security Law, such as books and photographs. The Hong Kong Action Archive was established specifically to collect historical materials related to Hong Kong's social movements. Members believe that history begins with action and that they also create space for action. By systematically organizing data on past social movements in Hong Kong, they can counter the regime's attempts to whitewash the history of Hong Kong's resistance.
Sienna Lau said, "The establishment of this organization (Hong Kong Action Archive) is undoubtedly related to the public's distrust of the Hong Kong government. Each of us must understand our past in order to build our own identity. Besides preserving our own history and resisting government whitewashing, it is also through this process that we realize the future is bleak. However, we have done a lot in the past, emphasizing the integration of archives and activism, so that history can become the nourishment for our future actions."
See how Hong Kong people integrate resistance into their daily lives through collections
Sienna Lau stated that she is still in the process of consolidating her collection. The collection of protest artifacts from the 1960s to the present alone has reached 10,000 items, weighing approximately one ton. She also collected documents, including internal records and meeting minutes from various civic groups in Hong Kong, weighing another four tons. She explained that these artifacts allow Hong Kong residents who were part of these protests to remember past events and, through meeting minutes, to better understand the process of Hong Kong's democratic development. These collections are precious historical materials for Hong Kong residents. She added that the protest artifacts she collected also demonstrate how Hong Kong people have integrated the spirit of protest into their daily lives.
Sienna Lau said, "In 2020, perhaps due to the Covid-19 pandemic and the political climate, when street protests were relatively rare, many people shifted their focus to commodities. These were everyday items, from Lunar New Year couplets and Mid-Autumn Festival mooncakes to receipts from yellow shops, where people wrote slogans encouraging Hong Kongers. They integrated elements of protest into their daily lives. When discussing the yellow economy, these items serve as excellent evidence of this period of history."
Sienna Lau stated that telling the true story of Hong Kong is also their primary mission. On May 17th, they will hold their first exhibition of Hong Kong social movement historical materials in London. They hope to connect with Hong Kong communities scattered across the globe through the collection of historical materials. They also hope to hold similar exhibitions in Taiwan and other places in the future, showcasing the efforts Hong Kong people have made for democracy to the world.
Preserving Hong Kong's historical records of the protests will help unite Taiwanese society in the fight against communism.
Su Linqi, chairman of the Hong Kong Action Archive and a member of the group's Taiwanese members, stated that Hong Kong's Umbrella Movement and the anti-extradition bill movement have impacted not only Hong Kong but also the younger generation in Taiwan. They have demonstrated political awakening and helped them recognize the threat posed by the Chinese Communist Party. He believes that preserving the historical records of Hong Kong's social movements is also important for Taiwanese people.
Su Linqi said, "A very important reason is that Hong Kong and Taiwan are very close, and we face the same threats. We are very afraid of becoming the next Hong Kong. We are very afraid that the 'one country, two systems' or even the 'one country, one system' will happen in Taiwan. Preserving the history of Hong Kong's resistance is actually very important for Taiwanese people to remember the omnipresent threat of the Chinese Communist regime and unite Taiwanese communities to resist the Chinese Communist regime. Many people in Taiwan claim to be the so-called beacon of democracy and human rights in Asia, and I think this is also part of the responsibility."
Su Linqi stated that Taiwan is currently undergoing transitional justice regarding the 228 Incident and the White Terror era, and that this process has also highlighted the importance of historical archives. He stated that in the current political environment, it is impossible to expect the Hong Kong government or the Chinese Communist Party to preserve authentic historical materials for Hong Kong people. Therefore, starting with the public, integrating and preserving artifacts and materials from social movements is also a way to prepare for the future.
