The protests against a services trade agreement with Beijing that began with the occupation of Taiwan’s legislature on March 19 have now gone global. Student protestors, the backbone of what has now been dubbed the “Sunflower Movement,” organized a series of rallies around the world last weekend, with rallies taking place on Sunday to show solidarity with the major rally in Taipei on the same day. Organizers envisioned the series of protests as a “24-Hour Relay Across the Globe,” with protests beginning in Australia on the morning on March 30 and then unfolding around the world, with events held in Tokyo, Seoul and Hong Kong in Asia; Berlin, Paris, London, and Madrid in Europe; and New York City, Washington DC, San Francisco, Montreal and Toronto in North America.

According to Taiwan’s China Post, activists in London and Berlin provided the initial impetus of the global protests, which ended up taking place in 49 cities spread across 21 countries. Protestors in the various cities reiterated the demands of the main Sunflower Movement in Taipei, including calling for a thorough reevaluation of the Cross-Strait Service Trade Agreement (CSSTA).