For Many Protesters, Cleaning Up Is A Civic Duty

University student Cherry Chan was among the protesters outside the government headquarters on Wednesday. She was there on Thursday again – but to clear rubbish left there by protesters.

"I am just trying to fulfil my civic responsibility", the 21-year-old said.

A massive anti-extradition protests had rocked the Admiralty area on Wednesday, leaving behind a large amount of debris and rubbish on the streets.

Chan and some of her friends were there too. But on Thursday, they were no longer protesters, but volunteer cleaners.

The area surrounding Legco – where lawmakers were supposed to debate the controversial bill on Wednesday – was the scene of fierce clashes that lasted hours and the area was littered with used face masks, food packaging, umbrellas and other items.

Chan said it was their responsibility to dispose of the rubbish because they were the ones who caused it.

"We have to clean up all the rubbish and rebuild the area and not increase the burden on workers," she said.

There were similar scenes during the 2014 Occupy protests, where some demonstrators helped to clean up the area they had occupied. The unusual image of young protesters voluntarily clearing protest sites had caught the attention of the global media.