Instagram has been reportedly blocked in China due to the pro-democracy demonstrations rampant in Hong Kong.

In a report from Reuters and the Verge, China allegedly proceeded to block the social networking site after the deluge of pictures and videos of the Hong Kong protests swarmed it. According to these reports, Instagram is no longer available to social media users in mainland China.

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Data from websites providing monitoring services, which include blockedinchina.net and greatfire.org, revealed that the social networking app Instagram had been blocked in mainland China. However, Instagram has yet to officially confirm the reported ban.

In addition to the reported block of Instagram, China also reportedly banned the use of the hash tag "Occupy Central". Users of the social networking site Weibo, which functions as the counterpart or version of China for the site Twitter, claimed that the aforementioned hash tag could no longer be used in their posts.

Nonetheless, Hong Kong social media users appear to be unfazed by the ban implemented in mainland China.

The pictures and videos posted online featured those of the demonstrators in Hong Kong, who are reportedly holding rallies to express their pro-democracy advocacies.

The demonstrations stemmed from the decision of Beijing leaders to impose restrictions on political reforms. Since the announcement, protesters have flooded the streets despite the repeated attempts of authorities to order them to go home. In fact, the demonstrators braved through the barrage of tear gas attacks by the officers.

The use of tear gas on the protesters has further enraged the public, whereby majority of the social media users from Hong Kong began posting pictures and videos of the incidents deemed as police brutality and violation of human rights.

Amidst the turmoil, Leung Chun-ying, Hong Kong's Chief Executive, asserted that the public should not be deceived by the emotions invoked by the social media posts.

"I hope the public will keep calm. Don't be misled by the rumors. Police will strive to maintain social order, including ensuring smooth traffic and ensuring the public safety," stated Leung. "When they carry out their duties, they will use their maximum discretion," the official added.

TagsInstagram, Hong Kong, occupy central