This is not the best time to protest in the streets, no matter how worthy the cause. In Hong Kong, where citizens have held demonstrations against a now-scrapped extradition bill, the novel coronavirus covid-19 has made things even more difficult.
Hong Kong protestors have been calling for freedom, but taking to their protests to the streets is not easy in the age of covid-19 (not to mention the wake of a string of authority-issued restrictions to make holding the protests even harder).
Earlier this month, activists did meet outside Prince Edward subway station, but according to Quartz, they were beaten by the police and told to leave “to avoid the spread of the disease in society.”
Some protesters have found a new place to get their message out.
Animal Crossing is Fast Becoming a New Way for Hong Kong Protesters to Fight for Democracy! The #Covid_19 pandemic has halted public demonstrations, so protesters are taking their cause to #AnimalCrossing.https://t.co/A599kjlYsV
(This is my island!) pic.twitter.com/vjBhzw1nUa
— Joshua Wong 黃之鋒 ???? (@joshuawongcf) April 2, 2020
香港獨立#HongKongIndependence#AnimalCrossingDesign#動物森友會 pic.twitter.com/IqsbjtFMkR
— ????????叉燒喵 (@ChaiSilMeow) March 30, 2020
This is how #hongkong ppl spend our time during coronavirus lockdown – villain hitting in #animalcrossing, the villain is #CarrieLam, the worst governor in #hongkong history.#AnimalCrossingNewHorizons#StandWithHK pic.twitter.com/K5AbOTl9tD
— Studio Incendo (@studioincendo) April 1, 2020
啱啱玩咗一兩日ヽ(´▽｀)/
歡迎加友！#動物之森 #動物森友會 pic.twitter.com/9DF3uHwOKm— るな???????????? (@_runa0703) March 31, 2020
Visit HK friends island #動物森友會 #AnimalCrossing #ACNH #NintendoSwitch pic.twitter.com/1gNeeeXf2X
— Vivi Chang (@ViviChangplayer) April 5, 2020
“Animal Crossing is a place without political censorship so it is a good place to continue our fight,” activist Joshua Wong, who’s a central figure in the 2014 Umbrella Movement, tells Wired. “Even lawmakers in Hong Kong are playing this game.”
OMG, Hong Kong activists using Animal Crossing to do protest art https://t.co/b4caELkwys
— Kerry Allen 凯丽 (@kerrya11en) April 1, 2020
「あつまれどうぶつの森」の遊び方(香港人Ver.)#香港 #あつまれどうぶつの森 #動物之森 #動物森友會 #AnimalCrossing #StandWithHongKong pic.twitter.com/QLkspbJFV9
— FuMi????????Stand with HongKong (@tamwaiman) March 26, 2020
HKers are really creative! #どうぶつの森シリーズ #AnimalCrossing https://t.co/osQMO2NzBW pic.twitter.com/QJCemis7Cq
— Joshua Wong 黃之鋒 ???? (@joshuawongcf) March 27, 2020
Players can create and share their own customised ideas, which is a way they can get their messages out.
“This is also a way for us to remind people not to forget what happened in the past eight months,” a 20-something-year-old student tells Wired. “Not everyone is open to political stuff, Animal Crossing is a good way to promote our mission to those who are politically apathetic.”
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