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11/21/2024 06:04:01 pm

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'Yellow Umbrella' - The Occupy Hong Kong Mobile Game Makes Protesting Fun

yellow umbrella

(Photo : Reuters) A new mobile video game gives players all the fun of civil disobedience, but without the pesky tear gas or jail time.

For those who want the thrill of civil disobedience in the palm of their hand, a new mobile game gives players all the fun of the Occupy Hong Kong protest movement, but without the pesky tear gas or threat of physical abuse. 

 "Yellow Umbrella" has been released by mobile phone app designer Fung Kam-keung, head of Awesapp Limited. The game has reportedly been downloaded mo than 40,000 times so far. 

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In the game, users find themselves in a virtual blockade, which they must defend against a charging line of police officers tossing tear gas, gangster thugs, and Hong Kong leader CY Leung dressed up like a wolf. 

Despite the confrontational aspect of the game, it has a non-violent theme as players are not able to attack assailants in the game. The game has not yet been given approval from Apple and is not available on Google's online store in mainland China.

 "I wanted to make a game not only for fun but also to show our support to the students and to let others know that they are very peaceful in asking for real elections," Fung told AFP. 

Virtual protesters in the game use yellow umbrellas and ribbons as defensive tools while student leader Joshua Wong cheers on from behind the barricades. 

Players can use incense sticks, stacks of money and durian fruit  to try to thwart their attackers. And when things get a little to hairy for the virtual protesters, they can summon Guan Yu - a deified Chinese general from the Eastern Han dynasty. 

"They (the protesters) like Guan Yu very much because they want to resolve the problem but they don't know how to do it," said Fung. "They don't want to use violence, so they just ask the god to help."

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