What was the aim of the "Umbrella Revolution" in Hong Kong in 2014?

The story behind the answer

The 2014 “Umbrella Revolution” sought genuine universal suffrage—free, fair elections without Beijing screening candidates. It erupted after China’s National People’s Congress Standing Committee ruled that nominees for Hong Kong’s Chief Executive must be pre-approved, which protesters said hollowed out promised democratic rights. They were not calling for independence, a return to British rule, or tax changes.

The name came from protesters using umbrellas to shield themselves from pepper spray and rain. Students and activists occupied major districts for 79 days, turning Admiralty, Mong Kok, and Causeway Bay into encampments. Although the movement won no immediate reforms, the umbrella became a lasting symbol of Hong Kong’s pro-democracy aspirations. Memory tip: an umbrella covers everyone—so does universal suffrage.