HONG KONG PORTRAITS - Benny TAI ( 5 )

Benny TAI - Academic, Social Activist. Initiators of 2014 OCCUPY CENTRAL -UMBRELLA MOVEMENT.



The EVENT that shocked the world : OCCUPY CENTRAL - UMBRELLA REVOLUTION ( now redefined by mainstream medias as Umbrella Movement ) have left us for some time. Haven't been in touch with the protagonist of the monumental event,  I made an appointment to meet Benny Tai after 1st of JULY last Summer at his Alma Mater, HONG KONG UNIVERSITY.


Benny Tai have united Academics from major local Institutions which include, an academic from Chinese University, CHAN Kin Man, a Christian pastor and a member of the HONG KONG ALLIANCE IN SUPPORT OF PATRIOTIC DEMOCRATIC MOVEMENTS IN CHINA, CHIU Yiu Ming, ( later these three figures were tagged by medias as : Three sons of Occupation Central ). Together, they schemed the idea of OCCUAPTION CENTRAL in order to voice out their opinion primarily focused on REALIZATION OF 'TRUE' UNIVERSAL SUFFRAGE.  What once looked like an absurd idea came true in the light of chaos and emotional outburst of the citizens in the Autumn of 2014. On 28th of September, a serious clash broke out in the early evening between students and riot police at Admiralty, Hong Kong Island. HONG KONG POLICE used tear gas and pepper sprays against a protesting citizens in a hope to disperse the crowds creating panic and chaos at Admiralty Central. News of outbreak of massive civil disobedience that turned wild have quickly wired all over the Globe in a light speed, bringing shock to the World where people normally understand HONG KONG as a peaceful commercial metropolis.  Thus, Benny Tai became the over night sensation as an initiators of the UMBRELLA REVOLUTION.


On that day, I awaited Beeny Tai to arrive at the designated location, PILLAR OF SHAME, a  monument to commemorate victims of the JUNE 4th Tian An Men Massacre at Hong Kong University campus. It didn't took so long until I saw Benny Tai walking towards me with smile on his face and book in his hand. After being introduced to each other, Tai then led me through the campus, a rather unfamiliar place to me and took me to the corner where there's an old buildings, a Colonial architectures, because I told him I needed a place where I could make use of British Colonial style buildings as a backdrop for my photo shoot. I asked Tai, " are you get used to be photographed ? " he smiled and said, "yes, there are lot of people taking pictures of me". Subsequently after the photo-shoot I was then led to his office.  Bookshelves full of books struck my eyes as I entered the room. It was a very small refuge for Benny Tai well protected from blunders and abuses from outside, apparently his private safe zone. On the backside of the door I saw an interesting thing, a sort of poster, a cut-out figure of Benny Tai to be more precise. It is an image of Benny Tai superimposed on the original Coca-Cola advertisement, it's quite interesting to see, Tai told me, " I love drinking Cokes " and smiled.


Benny Tai became the protagonist in the historical event, took his part as a leading role in that drama, he stirred up controversy and debate over the issue of Hong Kong's future social development in the unprecedented scale. Currently Benny Tai and key leaders who took part in the UMBRELLA REVOLUTION is under 'criminal charges' of causing social instability, accused of being an 'agitators' of the Occupation Central pending sentence. BEIJING REGIME have beefed up it's pressure on the pro-democracy camps in Hong Kong after 2014, it's political pressure ever increasing. It is quite obvious to us that charges that brought against Benny Tai and his comrades are done in the form of political persecution against civil disobedience. Chinese have a saying for this, " When a man try to frame a victim, does he need an excuse ? ".


" The weak and gentle ones are mightier than the strong ones " - Lao Tze.



As far as I saw, I think Benny Tai is such a man.




Liau Chung Ren （ 廖中仁 ）

2017, 5-27
Instagram@bluuren

* Translation from original Chinese script, some modifications are made. English translation by the author.