Significance of metro stations and their surroundings: Hong Kong in the anti-extradition protests. (January 2022)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Zhou, Jiangping; Yang, Yuling; Ma, Hanxi
• Is Part Of: Journal of transport geography. Volume 98(2022)
• Publication Date: 2022-01
• Subjects: Anti-extradition protests -- Metro and light rail station -- Protesters -- Population -- Visualization; Transportation -- Periodicals; Telecommunication -- Periodicals; Transport -- Périodiques; Télécommunications -- Périodiques; Telecommunication; Transportation; Periodicals; 388
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jtrangeo.2021.103273
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0966-6923

Abstract

Abstract: Social movements such as the yearlong anti-extradition protests in Hong Kong provide useful and precious materials for us to revisit and visualize social and political significance of metro and light rail stations and their surroundings. We used a mixed-methods approach to draw various useful information from police records, newspapers, social media, and/or site audits to compile a list of large-scale protests and sit-ins occurred in Hong Kong between June and August 2019. We attempt to show (1) in high-density and transit-reliant cities like Hong Kong, transit services play an important role in people's daily mobility on both normal days and protest days; (2) on protest days, transit services, related facilities (e.g., entrances, lifts, and platforms) and surrounding areas can become the focuses/battlefields for both the government and the protesters; (3) we still know little about how protests and transit services/usage are related but smartcard data can help us fathom the issue.