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What motivated the demonstrators on the city’s streets – and their opponents? It all began as a peace movement to block a piece of legislation. Millions of people came out onto public spaces calling for greater democracy. Protests have ended in violence between protesters and the police. Thousands have been arrested.

Laura Westbrook travels to her birthplace to find out what’s behind the protests, which are now continuing on a smaller scale because of the outbreak of coronavirus. She finds a city which is divided: protesters who are willing to die for freedom: a former police officer who has switched sides: and an entrepreneur who supports the police and is suffering online abuse for her views.

(Photo: Anti-government protester during clashes with the police outside the Polytechnic University in Hong Kong. Credit: Thomas Peter/Reuters)