A deadline for pro-democracy demonstrators to clear Hong Kong’s streets fast approached Sunday, but the government said the door to dialogue was open after its Beijing-backed leader claimed the disorder now risked “serious consequences” for public safety.
On China’s mainland, the ruling Communist Party mouthpiece the People’s Daily newspaper said in an editorial that the international financial hub’s image as a ruly city had been “ruined” as protests entered its eighth day.
University staff made an impassioned plea for students to head home as embattled Chief Executive Leung Chun-ying said his administration was determined to “take all necessary actions to restore social order”.
In particular he pointed to the need to allow government staff to resume work by Monday morning.
But with a few hundred on the streets, it remained to be seen whether the crowds had heeded the call or merely left to rest before protesting again, which has been the pattern all week.
Tens of thousands turned out on Saturday night in the biggest gathering yet of the week-long protest driven by Beijing’s refusal to grant the city unfettered democracy.
Leung said he was determined to clear areas near the downtown government offices after two public holidays cut short the working week last week.
“We have to ensure the safety of government premises and restore their operation,” Leung said in a televised address late Saturday.
“The most pressing task for the government is to reopen access to the CGO (Central Government Offices) on Monday so that some 3,000 CGO staff can return to their workplace and continue to provide services to the public.”
Leung, who was voted into office by 689 people on a pro-Beijing committee numbering just 1,200 two years ago, issued an ominous warning if the protests are not ended.
“The situation may probably evolve into a state beyond control, and will have serious consequences to public safety and social order,” he said.
Fears that the police were getting ready to move in sparked calls urging students to leave protest sites for their own safety.
But those few out Sunday said they had no intention of leaving.
‘I’m not going to leave’
“I’m worried about the threat from CY, but I’m not going to leave because we are fighting for our values and genuine universal suffrage,” Nixon Leung, a 22-year-old masters student, said.
“We must continue our fight. The government has not responded to our demands for civil nomination and for CY to step down, but have constantly asked us to retreat. We simply cannot accept that.”
Ivan Ha, a psychology student, said: “I saw police transporting bags of supplies that looked like riot gear into government headquarters. But despite that, I’m going to stay until real dialogue happens, hopefully with CY.”
The protesters are demanding the right to nominate who can run as HongKong’s next leader in 2017 elections.
China, which regained sovereignty over the city from Britain in 1997, insists only pre-approved candidates can stand and has repeatedly said the protests are doomed to fail.
Sunday marked exactly a week since police fired tear gas on protesters in an effort to disperse them, but only adding sympathy to their cause and boosting numbers.
‘Door open to dialogue’
Student leaders and the government both said they were willing to enter talks but stressed certain conditions.
The government in a statement said “the door to dialogue is always open, if the (main student union) HKFS is willing”, calling on them to help clear protesters from areas around Admiralty where its offices are.
HKFS, the Hong Kong Federation of Students, said allegations that police had failed to protect them from violence must be investigated before agreeing to talks.
The group’s head, Alex Chow, later said that if police used rubber bullets they would have no choice but to retreat.
“There’s no way to defend against that,” he said.
Sporadic clashes have broken out, mainly in the densely-populated Kowloon district of Mongkok, with activists claiming agitators from the city’s triad mobs are being paid to attack peaceful demonstrators.
Violence flared anew early Sunday as police used batons and pepper spray to fight back demonstrators who accused officers of cooperating with gangsters.
Police Senior Superintendent Patrick Kwok defended the use of the spray while Financial Secretary John Tsang admitted Sunday the government had “no experience and psychological preparation” for the extent of the Occupy movement.
The number of injured people sent to hospitals since last Sunday rose to 165, the South China Morning Post said, citing health authorities.
Police Chief Superintendent Hui Chun-tak said 30 people had been arrested in the past few days, including a 56-year-old man accused of assaulting a reporter.
While drawing many sympathisers, the protest campaign has also caused wide-scale disruption and taken a heavy toll on local businesses.
Small rallies by crowds sporting blue ribbons have been held by people who say they support the police and the government.
Story: Judy Ngao / AFP
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