Right now in Hong Kong, thousands of people are protesting. The demonstrations are to uphold the Hong Kong constitution and have been nicknamed the “Umbrella Revolution.” Cue the Resident Evil comparisons!
Picture: AP
The protests aim to protect Hong Kong’s “one country, two systems” with China. Demonstrators have been carrying umbrellas, which are rich with symbolism: They are a direct contrast to the weapons the police are carrying. What’s more, the image of an umbrella is inviting and covering, as if to protect. And since the police are spraying water pepper spray and firing tear gas at the unarmed crowds, protection is exactly what people are using the umbrellas for.
Picture: AP
Also, the weather in Hong Kong has been rainy, and well, umbrellas, so yeah, there’s that. For more, here’s a good explainer.
Pictures: Getty
To help brand the movement, Hong Kong artists have been creating Umbrella Revolution logos. According to SCMP, artist and assistant professor Kacey Wong shared a Resident Evil-inspired Umbrella Revolution design to help inspire other artists.
Of course, this is actually the logo for the Umbrella Corporation, an evil entity in the Resident Evil games and films. It might not be the best logo for the Hong Kong protests.
Among gamers, the umbrella imagery evokes such a strong connection with the survival horror franchise, that the term “Umbrella Revolution” seems to be evoking a Pavlovian Response in that people are automatically saying it reminds them of Resident Evil.
I might be a bad person for thinking this but “The Umbrella Revolution” immediately made me think of Resident Evil #HongKongProtests
— Julian Suga (@Antiscenium) September 30, 2014
#UmbrellaRevolution reminds me of Resident Evil. lol
— j9 ♡ (@choisooyangs) October 1, 2014
@BBCNewsAsia @BBCWorld @sissydissy when I think of umbrellas I still think of #ResidentEvil. #umbrellacorp #UmbrellaRevolution
— Mike Bivins (@IlluminatorMike) September 29, 2014
#umbrellarevolution Resident Evil fans go into prep mode
— #uptherebels (@LiamPhuckall) September 29, 2014
Umbrella revolution… Resident Evil guys?
— 0xc0000000 (@sntc06) September 29, 2014
Lo de la “Umbrella Revolution” en Hong Kong me hacen pensar es en Resident Evil.
— Joel (@joeleando) September 29, 2014
Umbrella Revolution in Hong Kong sounds like a Resident Evil plot gone rouge and goes to China. XD
— James R.M. Alilin (@JRAlilin) September 29, 2014
At first I thought the umbrella revolution had to do with resident evil
— Mir’ cat (@SamirElch) September 30, 2014
So… Resident Evil is happening? “@CBSNews: Hong Kong’s “Umbrella Revolution” in pictures – http://t.co/HJ0TAdZNQO pic.twitter.com/MQu1untoay”
— Jordan Vogt-Roberts (@VogtRoberts) September 29, 2014
#TravelTuesday The usually packed Nathan Road in #HongKong is absolutely deserted. Like a scene from Resident Evil pic.twitter.com/mdIRhyF4zH
— MapMoment (@MapMoment) September 30, 2014
While this tweet doesn’t make a Resident Evil comparison, man, that empty street sure looks like something out of the RE movies.
Parts of Hong Kong look like a ghost town this AM. Usually heaving highways completely empty #UmbrellaRevolution pic.twitter.com/iJ3TMymqDO
— Jerome Taylor (@JeromeTaylor) September 30, 2014
Comments
One response to “Hong Kong Protests Draw Resident Evil Comparisons”
Haha, the umbrella revolution, love it.