Overwatch's Mei Is The Symbol Of Hong Kong Resistance

After Chung “Blitzchung” Ng Wai decided to call for the liberation of Hong Kong, Blizzard made the decision to suspend the Hearthstone player and keep his prize money. The decision from the studio resulted in a huge backlash. Now, fans have started posting photos of Overwatch hero Mei to show their support to the Hong Kong protestors.

As a show of solidarity, people are using the image of the aforementioned hero to show their support to the ongoing protests in the city. For those who do not know, in Overwatch lore, Mei hails from Xi’an, China. By making her a symbol of the Hong Kong resistance, fans are showing the hero to be standing up to the Chinese rule while thumbing their noses at the American video game company.

Many images can be found on the subreddit r/HongKong. Since surfacing online, people have been encouraging each other to share the photos. Even Twitter users have begun uploading them to show support.

Some of the comments posted online are: "Mei is fighting for her rights” and "free Hong Kong, five demands not one less.”

The five demands basically refer to the Hong Kong resistance’s key aims. Apparently, considering the decentralised nature of the ongoing protest movement, these demands can sometimes differ depending on the person being asked. For instance, the demands can include the withdrawal of the bill in order to allow extradition to mainland China, which is considered to be the main catalyst for the protests. The demands also refer to the resignation of current Hong Kong chief executive Carrie Lam, as well as an inquiry into police brutality, the request to release all arrested protestors, and the expansion of democratic freedoms.

Apart from the protest artwork and banners, one cosplayer has reportedly brought pro-Hong Kong Mei to life with a full costume. "After the whole Blizzard fiasco, there was no way I could wear this cosplay in good conscience anymore", user zephronica explained in the comments. She is also going to "go to BlizzCon and lead a protest there.”

Interestingly, the cosplayer will not be the only one there, especially since efforts have started to form an organised protest at Blizzard's annual fanfest event. The event, in particular, is going to take place in Anaheim, CA at the beginning of next month.