Civic Square (Hong Kong)

The East Wing Forecourt of the Central Government Office, or Civic Square, is an open space in front of the East Wing of the Central Government Complex, Hong Kong, which is located in Tamar. It was once an area where protesters took part in protests and demonstrations. It was closed in July 2014, and reopened on 10 September 2014. For many, it represents democracy and freedom, and a place to express their discontent. It was occupied for a rally opposing the Moral and national education school curriculum proposal () in August 2012, and during the 2014 Hong Kong protests (Umbrella Revolution) in September 2014.

It has been called the Civil Square, or the Civic Square, since the Anti-National Education Campaign in September 2012. The 'Civic Education Commencement Ceremony' was held in Tamar Park on 1 September 2012. Later on, the Civil Alliance Against the National Education () suggested to remain in the East Wing Forecourt of the Central Government Office until the government responded. On the meanwhile, the volunteers and the Civil Alliance decided to call the Forecourt 'The Civil Square', in order to express their willing on this issue. The name has been generally accepted and it has been in use since then.

On 8 September 2012, Education Bureau had planned to carry out moral and national education as a compulsory subject in the new school year and implement for three-year. Hong Kong Chief Executive Leung Chun-ying said schools could decide when to implement it within the next three years. On 8 September 2012,Leung Chun-ying announced the cancellation of the three-year period of Moral and national education. Schools can now decide whether to implement the course or not.

People in the Pro-Beijing camp think that the move was "international practice" and was necessary to improve the understanding of China;. The opposition argues that mandatory implementation of Moral and national education destroys schools' autonomy. In other words, that the course was a "brainwashing" education.Scholarism initiated a number of activities, such as Street Station, processions, signatory, rallies and hunger strikes in order to requires the Government to withdraw the Moral and national education. Civil Alliance Against the National Education () was established in July 2012, to oppose the Government's implementation of Moral and national education.

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