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HONG KONG – According to reclaimthenet.org, Pepe the Frog has become a symbol of freedom during Hong Kong protests:
“Hong Kong protesters have begun to use depictions of meme-famous “Pepe The Frog” as a symbol of freedom and liberty against the extradition bill that would allow Hong Kong to extradite citizens to mainland China.
The conflict has reached new heights over the last few days as riot police clashed with pro-democracy protesters at Hong Kong’s airport late Tuesday night.
Riot police armed with pepper spray and batons confronted the protesters who used luggage wagons to barricade entrances to the Hong Kong airport terminal.
Legal experts say Chinese President Xi Jinping of the Communist Chinese government might be starting proceedings to use anti-terrorism laws to try to crush the demonstrations.
Amidst the violent and often-bloody arrests, banners and signs of Pepe The Frog could prominently be seen waving above the commotion.
Two days ago, a young woman became a major hero of the protests when her eye was gouged by a projectile thrown by police.” – Reclaim The Net
Pictures began to show up online, across internet forums like Reddit and 4chan, as well as Twitter:
— EUROPESPÉRANCE MAGAZINE ? (@europesperance) August 13, 2019
After flying American flags and waving Pepe banners, protesters in Hong Kong are now carrying signs asking President Donald Trump to “liberate” them.https://t.co/HogZG4JHsw
— Paul Joseph Watson (@PrisonPlanet) August 16, 2019
Hong Kong protesters fly high Pepe the Frog Flag. LMAO pic.twitter.com/cD0dRm5wwy
— Carl Zha (@CarlZha) August 10, 2019
Today I learned that protestors in Hong Kong are using Pepe as a symbol, and damn what a redemption arc. pic.twitter.com/J9yasP6IYU
— Goblin Manuel Miranda (@KraftGeistworld) August 14, 2019
According to an article from Golden Thread, entitled ‘How Pepe The Frog Became The Symbol of China’s Frustrated Youth’:
“In America, he became a symbol of hate. In China, he spoke for millions of disillusioned young people left behind in the country’s rapid economic rise.
Like most internet memes, Pepe the Frog, an anthropomorphic frog with sad eyes and a dopey smile, crossed international borders and came to mean different things for different people.
In America, the cartoon character was used by alt-right groups during the 2016 presidential election to aid the cause of white nationalists. In China, he came to represent the frustrations of people living in a hyper-competitive and rapidly modernizing society. His name in Chinese is 伤心青蛙, the sad frog.
For a long time, American cartoon characters have been used by Chinese millennials as avatars to express their pessimistic outlook on life.
Known as sang (丧) or funeral culture, the internet phenomenon encourages a sentiment of defeatism, despondency, burnout, and even a sense of aloof detachment, often presented with dark humor.
The self-mocking ironic memes—often using characters with sad or despondent expressions—reflect the status of many Chinese youngsters who hold a dim view of their future prospects, often surrounding concerns over career or marriage. Just give up, the memes essentially say.” – Golden Thread
The Chinese Communist Party is of course claiming the protesters are domestic terrorists using the symbols to try to gain sympathy from the ‘American right wing.’
According to William Bowles, the protests are being instigated:
“The protesters now use the same violent methods that were used in the Maidan protestsin the Ukraine. The U.S. seems to hope that China will intervene and create a second Tianamen scene. That U.S. color revolution attempt failed but was an excellent instrument to demonize China. A repeat in Hong Kong would allow to declare a “clash of civilization” and increase ‘western’ hostility against China. But while China is prepared to intervene it is unlikely to do the U.S. that favor. Its government expressed its confidence that the local authorities will be able to handle the issue.
There are rumors that some Hong Kong oligarchs were originally behind the protests to prevent their extradition for shady deals they made in China. There may be some truth to that. China’s president Xi Jingpin is waging a fierce campaign against corruption and Hong Kong is a target rich environment for fighting that crime.” William Bowles
Let us know what you think. Is Pepe a symbol of freedom or of hate? Are the protests organic or being manufactured?
To see more pictures from the protests, please click here.
