'Bottle Flip' at Hong Kong Station

A "bottle flip" brightened the moods of people waiting near a closed Mass Transit Railway (MTR) station in Hong Kong, Saturday, September 7.

After successfully flipping a water bottle the man walked up to nearby riot police, as people cheered him on and the officers walked away from the station.

The moment, which comes amid pro-democracy demonstrations, has gone viral on social media. Comments online said the "uncle" had chased away the officers, though it was not clear what caused police to leave the scene.

The demonstrations began in June as a backlash against a proposed extradition bill, which would have permitted criminal suspects to be sent to mainland China for trial in courts controlled by the ruling Communist Party. They have since evolved into renewed demands for Hong Kongers to choose their own leaders, establishing an independent investigation of police brutality against protesters, and the unconditional release and exoneration of detainees.

In a surprise announcement last week, Hong Kong Chief Executive Carrie Lam formally withdrew the extradition bill,. She had suspended the bill as the protests escalated during the first month, but ignored calls to fully withdraw the measure.

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