Article by / Edited and reported by Liao Qiyu, Editorial Department, MOOK Scenic Spots Travel & Lifestyle Network

The Occupy Central movement has escalated, affecting an increasingly wide range of areas. Hong Kong — considering the potential spread of the movement, which could impact traffic evacuation and public safety — announced onthe evening of October 1, 2014, the originally scheduled National Day fireworks display has been cancelled.This marks the second consecutive year the event has been called off, following the suspension last year due to the Lamma Island ferry disaster. This year’s fireworks were planned to light up the night sky of Victoria Harbour across nine scenes, featuring 23,888 fireworks over 23.5 minutes. The first scene, titled “I Am Chinese,” was set to feature the golden simplified Chinese characters for “Chinese people” displayed 23 times.

Beyond the cancellation of the National Day fireworks, the Occupy Central movement has spread rapidly, with more and more citizens taking to the streets to fight for democracy. Nearly 100,000 people participated in the rally,affecting famous tourist spots such as Admiralty, Central, Wan Chai, and Causeway Bay. Major roads including Queen’s Road Central, Harcourt Road, and Hennessy Road have also been impacted.Additionally, reports indicate that over 10,000 protesters may move to Mong Kok, staging sit-ins and blocking traffic on Nathan Road and Argyle Street. Local shops have borne the brunt of the disruption, particularly those along what used to be Hong Kong Island’s busiest boutique shopping street. Well-known retailers such as Chow Sang Sang, Chow Tai Fook, and some fast-food outlets have temporarily closed as a result.

http://www.mook.com.tw/article.php?op=articleinfo&articleid=10507