The Hong Kong Way

Lion Rock was lined with lights tonight in the human chain

Exactly 30 years ago today, people from Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania, the Baltic states, joined hands to form a human chain covering 675 kilometres across the three countries from north to south. This was their way of showing their wish for independence from the Soviet Union on August 23, 1989 at 7pm.

The human chain became known as The Baltic Way, and symbolized the people's desire for self-determination and universal suffrage.

Hongkongers lined up along Connaught Road Central

A Hong Kong entrepreneur based in Tallin, Estonia, proposed that there be a human chain in Hong Kong to mark the 30th anniversary of The Baltic Way on Reddit and within days the event was organized tonight.

No one was quite sure what was going to happen, but around 7pm tens of thousands of people were standing side by side across Hong Kong Island, Kowloon and the New Territories. Some brought hand sanitizer, some bought work gloves, or just pressed the flesh and joined hands after 8pm.

They went from Kennedy Town to Shau Kei Wan, Kowloon Tong to Yau Ma Tei, along the Tsim Sha Tsui waterfront and from Tsuen Wan to Lai King, and to Kwun Tong.

There were even adventurous hikers who climbed up Lion Rock to light up the outline of the mountain ridge that is shaped like the jungle animal. from up at the top they shouted: "Hongkongers add oil!"

There was also a massive gathering at Chater Garden, and at one point participants all turned their phones on to create a giant glow of small lights.

A massive rally took place in Chater Garden tonight

Nearby I saw people standing side by side along Connaught Road Central, around the Court of Final Appeal and around towards Admiralty.

I took the MTR to Kennedy Town but didn't see the human chain and assumed it only reached as far as Sai Ying Pun -- I was wrong -- the people had gathered along the waterfront.

Around 9pm I heard loud shouts of people demanding that the five core demands be met, including the extradition bill be withdrawn and Chief Executive Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor resign.

Speaking of Lam, on Monday she talked about immediately setting up a platform for dialogue to talk to people. She even stressed the word immediately.

It's Friday... we're waiting Carrie...