6 Weeks Ago Hong Kong's Protesters Promised They'd Be Back. They Weren't Messing Around

Impact

Keeping to their promise, the Hong Kong protesters are back.

Six weeks since leaving their posts, nearly 10,000 pro-democracy protesters turned out Sunday in the city's financial district to continue demanding free and open elections in 2017, the Los Angeles Times reports. 

Gripping their trademark canary yellow umbrellas, the crowd was "noticeably older" compared to the throngs of younger, university-aged students that amassed in the autumn. They were not, however, any less motivated by their message. 

"The most important mission upon us right now is: How can we win over the other half of Hong Kong?" Alan Leong, a leader of a pan-democratic camp, told the L.A.Times

Right now, polls show that 41% accept the Chinese rules in place for upcoming elections, while 46% said they support action to press for freer elections. 

The demonstrations were sparked by an August decision from the China's National People's Congress that would effectively narrow the candidate field to only two or three people, all approved by a "pro-Beijing" nominating committee.

Ill will toward that organization was heard on Sunday with people chanting "NPC doesn't represent me. No to fake democracy."

And we're sure this isn't the last time we will have heard from them. 

Here are some images from the most recent marches:

PHILIPPE LOPEZ/Getty Images
Lam Yik Fei/Getty Images
Lucas Schifres/Getty Images
Lucas Schifres/Getty Images
Lucas Schifres/Getty Images
Anthony Kwan/Getty Images
Kin Cheung/AP