Democracy — a word that traces back to the Greek words “demos,” meaning “people,” and “kratia,” meaning “power.” Simply enough, it means giving people the power, as Merriam-Webster defines democracy as “government by the people.” The United States is not a direct democracy, but a republic and a representative democracy. Democracy in the U.S. protects the rights of citizens, maintains order and limits the power of government.

In the U.S., democracy means that all citizens are equal. So what does democracy mean to the rest of the world, and specifically, what does it mean to people of Hong Kong?

What began as a targeted protest against a controversial extradition bill on June 9, 2019, has turned into a battle for the future of Hong Kong. In February 2019, Hong Kong’s government, with the support of Beijing, proposed an extradition bill titled, “Fugitive Offenders and Mutual Legal Assistance in Criminal Matters Legislation,” that would have permitted the deportation of people from Hong Kong — both residents and foreigners — to authorities around the world that the territory has no formal agreements with — including China.

This bill proposal sparked a string of pro-democracy protests. After suspending the bill in June, amid immense pressure, Hong Kong’s leader, Carrie Lam, announced the bill’s withdrawal, meeting one of the protesters’ five demands. The other four demands include: for the protests not to be characterized as a “riot,” amnesty for arrested protesters, an independent inquiry into alleged police brutality and implementation of complete universal suffrage. According to BBC, some protesters have adopted the motto, “Five demands, not one less!”

“The government will formally withdraw the bill in order to fully allay public concerns,” Lam said in an announcement, via a translation. “Our foremost priority now is to end violence, to safeguard the rule of law and to restore order and safety in society. As such, the government has to strictly enforce the law against all violent and illegal acts.”

Throughout all the Hong Kong protests this year, the protesters have worn black, which is the unofficial uniform of their demonstrations, while wearing masks over their face (despite a fask-mask ban), to hide their identities. They have also made it well-known as to why they’re fighting for democracy, as they have carried signs and decorated walls and floors with messages. According to The Guardian, many protesters recently swarmed Hong Kong’s international airport chanting, “An eye for an eye!” Several of those protesters wore bandages over their eyes, dripping with red ink, representing the injury to a female volunteer medic after police allegedly shot her with a beanbag round during a protest in August.