Interview Date: 16th August, 2024
[The interview was conducted in Hong Kong Cantonese. Transcript in English translation is provided.]
C: Clara Cheung, G: Gum Cheng, P: Po-Hi
| I. | C: | From your perspective, after 2014, it felt as though we could carry on with that revolutionary or community-building spirit—organising at the grassroots—yet by 2019, it seemed extremely difficult. What do you think the main difference is? |
| P: | I see two main factors. Firstly, we no longer had an occupied zone. In 2014, we physically occupied Harcourt Road for over two months, so we built a “home base” and kept adding structures—study areas, seats, bicycle generators—and people grew attached. Secondly, the political landscape changed by 2019. In 2014, one could speak openly, exchange phone numbers without worry. By 2019, the entire political atmosphere had changed; that trust and creativity we had in 2014 was replaced by danger and fear. |
| I. | C: | 究竟為什麼14之後我們真的可以有一些革命的... 或者社區營造的精神那個organising [組織能力]可以一直延續下去，但是19之後就好像現在很難... 很難做到那個東西。最主要的分別是什麽？ |
| P: | 我覺得兩樣東西。一個就是沒有佔領區。所以傘運的重要性就是有個佔領區。有個空間，有個基地的，就是好像每天去到... 我不是經常在這裡住，但是你每天去到我每次去到... 其實都不是每天去的，每次去到你就好像回到家裡，就是那個感覺是一個固定的一個基地。還有一直加增加一些東西，是啊，最初你都沒有溫習室的，都是後來才加下去，有單車發電，有這個、那樣的。那變成是一直增加... 一直增值，那你越增值，你的歸屬感就... 你的歸屬感就越大，所以譬如廁所裏面那些擺女廁才厲害，如果你看照片... 看照片的，就知道就是很厲害，就好像家裡一樣，所以變成是一個... 一來佔領區，一來時間長... 你70多天，差不多兩個多月，就是這樣，慢慢那個感情是建立在這裏。 |
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Instagram: @harcourtroad
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Postal address: 4 Sylvester Street, Sheffield S1 4RN
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Harcourt Road
Curated by Bloc Projects.