During the 2014 Umbrella Revolution in Hong Kong, the yellow umbrella became a symbol of a protest movement that demanded full democratic rights. In 2019, as widespread protests gripped the city, Hong Kongers again took to the umbrella as not just a symbol for their demands, but a practical tool that shielded them from rain when millions of people marched in the street, from tear gas fired by police to disperse crowds of protesters, and in various other circumstances. The umbrella has become a powerful symbol again and has even been adopted by protesters in other countries, such as France.
Vivek Prakash is a photographer based in Hong Kong. He has worked as a wire photographer for over 15 years, first as staff photographer for Reuters based in Singapore and India, and then as a freelancer for Agence Fence-Press (AFP) and European Pressphoto Agency (EPA) in Hong Kong. He has wide experience in shooting news, sports and features across Asia, and his photos have been featured on many top news websites, newspapers and magazines since 2005 onwards.
