The Sunflower Movement

March 23rd, 2015

A year ago the Taiwanese people stood up to their elected government and halted the passage of a controversial free trade agreement by occupying the Legislative Yuan. This act of mass civil disobedience was soon christened the Sunflower Student Movement. I was living in Taipei when it all went down and visited the protest on several nights to watch history unfold. I am not a professional photographer, political observer, nor journalist, so please excuse the poor technical quality of the images and lack of elaboration in this gallery. It is my hope that these pictures capture something of the spirit of those wild, uncertain nights when anything seemed possible.

The dawning of the Sunflower Student Movement.

Outside the legislative building on March 19th, 2014.

Climbing into the yard outside the legislative building.

High spirits on the fourth night of the occupation.

Massive crowds outside the legislative building.

The crowd facing the legislative building on the fourth night.

Taimei show their support for the Sunflowers.

Don't become a slave — Don’t become a slave.

I was on location the night of the Executive Yuan occupation. Several of the photos that follow were captured late that night. I did not end up staying for the brutal crackdown that followed.

Northern entrance of the Executive Yuan after midnight.

An old man tells off the police shortly before the stand-off breaks.

Free sausage vendor at the student protest.

Outside the Legislative Yuan the night after the crack-down.

If you would like to read more about contemporary politics and social movements in Taiwan I highly recommend browsing the archives at New Bloom Magazine.