A water canon shoots a jet of blue colored water on 28 September 2019 at the Government Complex. The blue water is mixed with PAVA, a synthetic compound of capsaicin, the main component of pepper and an adhesive substance.

In a view of how connected these protests have been, a protester walks on an overpass with the Black Bauhinia flag and watches a livestream of the same protest in which he is partaking on 28 September 2019.

A water canon sprays its blue jet on a reporter on 28 September 2019, at the Government Complex.

Plainclothes policemen drag a protester who attempted to block a road in Mongkok on September 6, 2020. Flashmobs were organized that day to protest the postponement of the LegCo elections by one year by the Hong Kong Government. Heavy police presence foiled any attempt at grouping.

Riot police give warning as their armored carrier 'Unimog' and the Water Canon stand ready in Central Hong Kong on 19 January 2020. Police dispersed an authorized gathering that day, after policemen sent to warn the organizer of the dispersal were attacked by protesters.

On October 1st, 2019, protesters retreat from Wong Tai Sin, with the Black Bauhinia flag leading them.

A protester collects a tear gas cannister to smother it in his dry bag on October 1st, 2019.

A protester demands universal suffrage and the abolition of functional constituencies, while carrying a US flag in Central Hong Kong on January 19th, 2020.

Two protesters hold hands after being pushed away from Mongkok MTR station by riot police on June 12, 2020.

A protester makes the sign of the "5 demands" in front of British flags on Nathan road during a protest on 20 October 2019.

A protester throws bricks on Argyle street to slow down police in their pursuit on 20 October 2019.

A female protester adjusts her helmet in Wong Tai Sin on October 1st, 2019.

Two journalists film clouds of tear gas arising in Yuen Long on July 27, 2019.

Riot police invest the Festival Walk mall on November 10, 2019.

A protester runs across a fire while filming the scene on October 20, 2019.

A protester feeds the flames with a flammable liquid in Mongkok on 20 October 2019.

Protesters set fire to the Mongkok MTR exit on October 20, 2019.

A protester feeds fire with a pallet on October 20, 2019.

Two Filipina maids on their day off run across Argyle street as a Police Unimog shouts warnings and shoots sponge grenades on protesters on 20 October 2019.

Two protesters hold placards with the main slogan "If we burn, you burn with us", taken from the "Hunger Games" movie. Like Thailand, popular culture, in particular "V for Vendetta" or the "Hunger Games" influenced heavily the protest movement.

Members of the "Save our Children" team in Tung Chung on 7 September 2019. The church to which this group belonged has seen its members arrested and accounts frozen in 2020 under accusations of "fraud" and "money laundering", for having gathered funds via crowdfunding.

An elderly protester stands with a placard against the extradition bill under a street name, "Justice drive", on 16 June 2019.

Stephen McDonnell, the BBC correspondent in China surveys the destruction in New Town Plaza mall, in Shatin, on 22 September 2019.

A view of the West Kowloon High Speed rail station during a protest on July 7th, 2019.

Protesters create barricades while sheltered under umbrellas on a Shatin bridge, on 14 July 2019.

As night fell, people kept marching in Central Hong Kong, on 16 June 2019.

On 6 September 2020, people sought to protest against the postponement of the Legco elections. Because of the incertitude under the National Security Law, many protested by using symbols, such as this man with a black T-shirt.

Two elderly protesters greet the crowd which continues marching at 20.00 in Central on 16 June 2020 during the "2 million march".

Students of Politicism hold a banner saying "Hope starts with people; change of government requires revolution" on September 6th, 2020, during an aborted protest against the postponement of Legco elections. The leader, Wong Yat-Chin (right) was born and raised in the mainland; He is nevertheless one of the last activists still out taking action.

A protester who sought to block a street in Mongkok is dragged by plainclothes policemen after they carry out several arrests.

Protesters stick posters on the ground near Admiralty on September 28, 2019, in preparation for major protests leading to October 1st, 2019.

A National Security police unit (distinguished by the pink armband) stands guard in Causeway Bay on October 1st, 2020. An attempt to protest on the occasion of the Chinese National Day was crushed by heavy police deployments that day.

A drone view of the "Hong Kong Way" in Wong Tai sin on August 23, 2019. This initiative was made to replicate the "Baltic Way", and managed apparently to link whole lines of MTR from one end to another of the city.

A drone view of the "Mid-Autumn way" on Victoria peak, on mid-autumn festival, on 13 September 2019.

Protesters hold US flags during a protest in Chater Garden, on 28 September 2019.

A protester disguised as a centurion gives the finger during an "anti-totalitarianism" march in Hong Kong, on 29 September 2019.

A family is held by riot police in Causeway Bay as a consequence of a "kettling" operation on October 1st, 2020. The "slicing" of swathes of streets and the systematic control of journalists and passebys caught in the dragnet was a hallmark of police tactics in 2020.

A lady holds a copy of Apple Daily during a protest in Causeway Bay on October 1st, 2020. With the advent of the National Security Law and its fuzzy limits, Hongkongers have tried to find ways to be inventive to express their protests.

"Captain America", Adam Ma, seen on October 29, 2019 in Causeway Bay. Ma was arrested in November 2020 and charged with breaching the National Security Law for uttering pro-independence slogans.

Riot police swoop in with their purple flag warning of violations of the National Security Law on October 1st, 2020, in Causeway Bay.

Riot police hold passerbys and journalists in a cordon in Causeway Bay on October 1st, 2020.

A protester holds a handwritten placard "savehk12" in Causeway bay. This slogan and hashtag were made famous after twelve activists fleeing Hong Kong by sea were arrested by mainland Coast Guard, and charged with illegally entering the country.

A protester flees tar gas in Wanchai on September 29, 2019.

Howard X, a Kim Jong Un impersonator, is seen in Causway Bay on October 1st, 2020, holding a rocket with slogans hostile to the Chinese Communist Party.

Protesters throw molotov cocktails on a departing police van on September 29, 2019. Just a few minutes before, the Indonesian journalist Veby, lost her eye on an overpass after rubber batons were shot by a retreating riot police officer.

A family takes a rest during a protest in Central Hong Kong. They hold a placard stating " We will never surrender".

A protester gathers a canister of tear gas to smother it in his dry bag in Wong Tai Sin, on October 1st, 2019.

A blaze rages at the exit of Wanchai MTR station on September 15th, 2019. After the MTR started shutting down stations on the route of protests, protesters started attacking MTR exits in retaliation.

A policeman with gun drawn grimaces in pain from injuries to the head received from projectiles throw by protesters on October 1st, 2019.

A policeman with gun drawn shouts a warning as protesters throw bricks and petrol bombs in their direction in Wong Tai Sin on October 1st, 2020.

A protester throws a petrol bomb in Mongkok, on 29 February 2020. The unexpected mobilization that day took everyone by surprise.

An isolated policeman draws his gun to flee protesters hounding him with water bottles in Mongkok on 29 February 2020.

A stencil graffiti with the words "resist" is seen on an overpass in Central Hong Kong as police finish a clearance operation on January 19, 2020.

A lady deposes flowers in sign of mourning in front of Prince Edward station. Protesters have long alleged that people have been killed in a violent intervention of riot police in that station, despite no evidence of any kind to support the allegations.

Protesters hold lamps on Victoria Peak on 13 September 2019, for the "Mid-Autumn Way".

Bystanders are aligned against a wall by riot police on March 31st, 2020. The police will thereafter fine them for violation of the prohibition of gathering.

A protester sets fire to his own hair with a molotov cocktail on November 13th, 2019.

A protester is stopped and searched in Prince Edward, on March 31st, 2020.

A man in a wheelchair holds a white flower (sign of mourning) in front of a police cordon in Prince Edward, on March 31st, 2020.

Protesters flee a police charge in a cloud of tear gas on November 13, 2019.

Umbrellas are strewn across Nathan road, after a protester rout in front of a police charge on November 13, 2019.

Protesters march on Victoria park to participate in a prohibited Tienanmen vigil, on June 4th, 2020. Later, the organizers shall be charged with organizing an unlawful assembly.

A young man holds a flickering flame in his hands on the Tienanmen vigil in Victoria Park on June 4th, 2020.

A bystander films the massive protests against the extradition bill on June 9th, 2019

Protesters shine strong laser pointers on the Mongkok police station on November 13th, 2019.

On November 13th, 2019, after the "Infinity War" night (protests launched to divert police forces from Chinese University of Hong Kong), protesters join forces to establish a rope barrier to slow down police chases on Nathan road.

A mainland tourist films the massive protests on June 9th, 2019.

First aid volunteers rescue a protester injured by rubber bullets near Mongkok police station on November 13, 2019.

Families participate in a protest against the extradition bill in a sweltering heat on June 9th, 2019.

Riot police survey the situation on June 28, 2020, as a flashmob march on Nathan road is quashed.

Policemen grab a 70-year old man by the neck on Nathan road, on June 28, 2020.

People take shelter under a half raised shutter in a store in Mongkok. The store pulled down its shutter when riot police used pepper spray nearby, on June 28, 2020.

Riot police target with "less lethal" weapons, activists trying to untie a banner celebrating the return of Hong Kong to China on July 1st, 2020.

Arrestees pepper sprayed by riot police are given saline solution by a policeman to rinse the substance from their eyes on July 1st, 2020.

Staring contest between a policeman and an elderly lady in Causeway Bay on July 1st, 2020.

Protesters pass along a Lennon Wall near to the Legco, on July 1st, 2019.

Protesters besiege the Legco entrance, trying to force their entry on July 1st, 2019. Later, their entrance and targeted vandalism will initiate a chain of events leading to the imposition of the National Security Law, one year later.

A protester hit by pepper spray is assisted in Sheung Shui, on 13 July 2019.

Alexandra Wong ("Grandma Wong") marches with her iconic British flag in Sheung Sui on July 14, 2019. Later, Grandma Wong will be sent to a reeducation camp by mainland authorities (she lived in Shenzhen).

Protesters shine lights from the top of Lion's Rock on the occasion of the "Hong Kong Way" protest, on 13 August 2019.

Protesters criss-cross during an unauthorized march on 18 August 2019.

A protester raises his bullhorn during a rendition of "Glory to Hong Kong" in the APM mall on September 12, 2019. Many have come to consider this protest anthem as the unofficial "national" anthem of the city.

A painted umbrella seen on July 1st, 2020, reflects the view of "if we burn, you burn with us" as "phenixism", i.e. that Hong Kong must burn in its essence to better be reborn from its ashes.

A policeman holds a cordon line in Causeway Bay on July 1st, 2020.

Protesters march with "Hong Kong Independence" flags on July 1st, 2020, just as the National Security Law made holding such symbols illegal. On that day, 10 people will be arrested for violation of the National Security Law.

Riot police hold several persons they arrested during a chase in a side street of Causeway Bay, on July 1st, 2020.

Riot police stand guard in Tin Hau while pedestrians cross the street on July 1st, 2020.

Tam Tak Chi, the politician activist, member of "People's Power" in front of the US Consulate on the occasion of the US Independence Day, on 4th July 2020. He was arrested in September 2020 under charges of "sedition" for chanting slogans.

Two protesters hold US flags near the US Consulate on July 4, 2020.

Protesters do the sign "five demands, not one less" in Moko mall, on August 30, 2020, on the occasion of the anniversary of the Prince Edward MTR incidents.

A lady yells at the police in Moko mall, on August 30, 2020, on the occasion of the anniversary of the Prince Edward MTR incidents.

A sales lady surveys the situation in Moko mall on August 30th, 2020, after riot police intervention forces stores to shut down temporarily.

Lamps are lit on Victoria peak, on the occasion of Mid-Autumn festival, on 13 September 2019.

Police take issue with a student leader of the Group Politicism

Protesters gather in Yoho Mall on 21 December 2019.

Riot police form a cordon in Mongkok on August 31, 2020. After filtering out "real" journalists, they handed out fines for violation of the prohibition of gathering regulations to those who remained.

Protesters form lines near the police headquarters in Wanchai on 15 September 2019.

A protester breaks the glass of a Genki Sushi restaurant in Yuen Long, on December 21, 2019, on the occasion of a protest in Yoho Mall. Protesters started targeting restaurants belonging to the Maxim's group after the heiress of the group denounced the protests in front of the United Nations.

An orchestra performs a rendition of "Glory to Hong Kong" in Shatin's New Town Plaza mall on 22 September 2019.

Protesters indicate to the crowd the place where to drop tributes to the deceased protester Marco Leung on 16 June 2019.

Riot police raise the blue flag warning of unlawful assembly during a flashmob protest on Nathan Road. Participants (mostly elderly) sought to protests against the postponement of the Legco elections on the date these elections were due to take place (6 September 2020).

Protesters shove images of police violence under the nose of officers during the "2 million march" on June 16, 2019.

The Legco seen by drone on July 1st, 2019. Later that evening, protesters would break inside, in one of the most dramatic moments of the protests.

The "2 million march" seen by drone in Admiralty on 16 June 2019. Despite this mobilization Carrie Lam will still refuse to withdraw the extradition bill, setting the stage for months of unrest in Hong Kong.