Lennon Walls ‘imagine’ a new Hong Kong
BY ALEJANDRA O’CONNELLDOMENECH
A small group of young Hong
Kongers brought three movable
“Lennon Walls” to Union
Square on Sat., Aug. 25.
The group has been carrying the
portable, freestanding cardboard structures
around the city, so that people
can leave yellow, pink and green postit
notes of support for protesting Hong
Kongers, without fear that their notes
will be ripped down.
The fi rst wall was created by Wilson
Tsui, a 23-year-old Hong Konger, four
weeks ago.
After telling friends on social media
about his plan to create more of the
movable so-called “Lennon Walls,”
two more were made and have been set
up temporarily in Washington Square
Park, Bryant Park and Times Square,
and might make their way to Central
Park next.
“It’s safer,” said Matthew Yu, 24, a
co-creator of the walls. A Lennon Wall
made on a plywood construction fence
on Grand St. in Chinatown about two
weeks has been defaced multiple times.
Just the other day, red spray paint was
used to write the words “F— H K
Roach!” on the wall.
Post-it notes have been another tool
for concerned Hong Kongers to express
their thoughts over a proposed extradition
bill.
Thousands of notes have lined walls
across Hong Kong.
The trend started with when a section
of a concrete staircase near a
A tiny Hong Kong flag sits on one of the three freestanding cardboard Lennon Walls that were set up in
Union Square over the weekend to offer space for Hong Kongers and allies to offer support for protesters
in the semiautonomous territory.
government building became covered
in brightly colored post-its during the
2014 Umbrella Movement, according
to Quartz.
The name for that wall was appropriated
from the Lennon Wall in Prague,
which became a spot for Czechs to express
political thoughts through Beatles
lyrics and graffi ti.
But the intent of the movable Lennon
Walls in New York City is also to
unite the international community with
Hong Kongers.
“Our purpose is to let the world know
Photographs of protests in Hong Kong festoon the movable Lennon
Walls, along with messages of support on post-its.
what is happening in Hong Kong,” Yu
said. Besides the post-its, the walls also
feature photographs of clashes during
protests in the semiautonomous territory,
information on excessive use of
force by Hong Kong police on protesters,
signs stating “S.O.S.,” and fl iers
about a petition to support the Hong
Kong Human Rights and Democracy
Act.
Under the congressional act, proposed
as a bill in 2017, in order for
Hong Kong to keep special trade status
with the United States, the U.S.
secretary of state would need to issue
a certifi cate of Hong Kong’s autonomy.
PHOTO BY ALEJANDRA O’CONNELL-DOMENECH
PHOTO BY ALEJANDRA O’CONNELL-DOMENECH
The legislation would allow the U.S.
president to deny entry to America and
freeze U.S.-based assets of individuals
deemed responsible for suppressing
basic freedoms in Hong Kong and/or
for being involved in the abduction of
Hong Kong journalists and booksellers,
according to a press release.
“We know that they may not be able
to do a lot,” C. Au, a 25-year-old Hong
Konger who helped set up the portable
walls at Union Square, said of the international
community.
“But even their attention might help
the Hong Kong government not be too
excessive.”
PHOTO COURTESY OF PASSERBY
The Lennon Wall on Grand St. has been defaced nearly half a dozen
times. Now huge words in red spray paint cover the wall. Hence, the
new movable Lennon Walls, which can’t be targeted by opponents.
Schneps Media CNW August 29, 2019 3