“Did you know? Over the past month, Hong Kong has seen three massive rallies, with as many as 2 million people taking to the streets,” read one such AirDropped poster. “Don’t wait until [freedom] is gone to regret its loss. Freedom isn’t god-given; it is fought for by the people.”

“Maybe you’ve heard that Hong Kongers are constantly marching, 1 to 2 million people at a time, to oppose the extradition bill,” read another poster. “We wish you a pleasant journey. Feel the freedom of assembly along the way. This space for freedom is the reason why we fight.” Other AirDropped files explained why there were no “foreign forces” behind Hong Kong’s protests, and how China’s authoritarian system had led to the Tiananmen massacre of 1989.

Some AirDropped files even contained what looked like QR codes linked to Alipay and WeChat Pay, two major mobile payments systems used in China. People who scanned the codes thinking they would get free money instead received information on the dangers of the extradition law.

Protesters also came up with other creative ways to share their anti-extradition, pro-democracy messages with mainland Chinese tourists. They held up placards that drew a direct link between protests in Wuhan—where thousands have been protesting against a waste incinerator plant but news of which has been heavily censored—and the protests in Hong Kong. They also handed out physical leaflets to tourists, informing them of the state of censorship in mainland China and urging them to join the fight for freedom.

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