Without the threat of mainlandization, democracy as the goal of the Umbrella Movement may have less echoes among the society. .
Opportunity 2.
The Police's Violence Against the Protesters.
Another opportunity conducive to the movement is the police's use of unnecessary force against the protesters, which has aroused sympathy within and outside the city. Before the use of tear gas on 28th September, the whole movement still received little international attention and support among the politically apathetic. After 28th September, however, international media coverage was overwhelming and the turnout of the movement reached the peak, blocking the whole Harcourt Road in Admiralty, and streets in Mongkok and Causeway Bay. The Hong Kong Federation of Students (HKFS) announced class boycott for an indefinite period of time, while Hong Kong Professional Teachers' Union also initiated strike. .
The use of tear gas was considered excessive force based on two reasons. First, the movement was initiated by a group of students, including those from secondary schools. Students are considered to be pure and sincere in their participation of social movements, with no interests involved. It is therefore easier to arouse compassion from the politically indifferent. During the confrontations with the police, many protesters were chanting slogans like "Protect Students". Second, protesters remained peaceful and well behaved that there was no violence and vandalism. 87 canisters of tear gas in comparison became a unnecessary move. .
The Chinese University of Hong Kong carried out two rounds of opinion surveys respectively in Mid-September and Mid-October. (Centre for Communication and Public Opinion Survey. CUHK, 2014) In the first round, 36.3 percent of interviewees felt inappropriate about the police's handling of protests, compared with 42.3 percent in the second round. 53.7 percent also felt inappropriate about the use of tear gas.