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HONG KONG’S LEADER said today that pro-democracy protests were “in vain” after police used pepper spray and batons on students trying to storm government headquarters overnight, in some of the worst violence since the rallies began.
With the protests now into their third month and frustrations mounting, Chief Executive Leung Chun-ying hinted that further police action may be imminent, in his most forceful comments in recent weeks.
“I have pointed out before that Occupy Central is not only illegal but it will also be in vain,” Leung said, describing the continued protests as “intolerable”.
“Now the (public) demand for police clearance is increasing. From now on, police will enforce the law without hesitation,” he told reporters.
But the leader of the student group spearheading the pro-democracy movement declared Sunday night’s action a success.
“The government headquarters was paralysed this morning… to a certain extent, the goal of the action was achieved,” Alex Chow of the Hong Kong Federation of Students told demonstrators today at the main Admiralty protest site.
The government offices were closed this morning and the city’s legislature suspended after protesters broke through police lines and occupied a major road outside the complex overnight.
Authorities said they had “no other choice” but to use pepper spray and batons to force them back.
By this morning crowds had been driven back to the nearby Admiralty protest site, where they voiced their fury.
“I feel angry but there’s nothing we can do about it,” said account clerk Justin Yan, 22.
“They (police) are supposed to protect the citizens, not (hurt) us. We saw what they did so we don’t trust them any more.”
Police arrested 40 people and 11 officers were injured, a spokesman said. Authorities said a total of 37 people received hospital treatment.
Protesters began staging mass sit-ins on major roads at three locations on September 28, demanding free leadership elections for the semi-autonomous Chinese city in 2017.
China’s communist authorities insist candidates for the election must be vetted by a loyalist committee, which the protesters say will ensure the election of a pro-Beijing stooge.
Demonstrators now fear that police will try to clear Admiralty, where hundreds of tents block a multi-lane highway through the heart of the financial district.
‘Angry and tired’
There was frustration and pessimism at the Admiralty site today.
“We feel a mixture of things: angry, tired, upset. All the emotions are quite negative and tense,” said student Eppie Chan.
Some protesters said police had attacked them for no reason.
“We were in the front line this morning but we were not attacking… the police came out and hit us,” said social work student Joanne Tsang.
Others voiced their doubts over the direction of the movement and last night’s call to storm the government HQ.
“The crowd was not prepared for the battle last night… they were put into a difficult situation and didn’t know how to handle it,” said translator Mayson Ng.
“They (student leaders) don’t have a strategy.”
The Admiralty site had calmed by the afternoon after a chaotic morning which saw protesters at a nearby shopping arcade clash with police.
The protests drew tens of thousands of people at times during their first weeks, but the numbers have dwindled as the movement’s leaders struggle to keep up momentum.
Frustrations have grown amongst the demonstrators as Beijing refuses to budge on the vetting of candidates, while support for them has waned among residents weary of the transport disruption.
Police cleared a protest site in the Mongkok district last week, making more than 140 arrests, but sporadic scuffles have continued there.
A smaller camp blocks another busy road in the shopping district of Causeway Bay.
A British colony until 1997, Hong Kong enjoys civil liberties not seen on the Chinese mainland, including freedom of speech and the right to protest.
But fears have been growing that these freedoms are being eroded under Chinese rule.
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China showing its true colors again
yeah, and President Higgins is going there on an official State visit next week.
China has among the worst human rights record in history.
It seems his view on authorities having a “policy of amnesia” extends only to the British.
Ireland has no character left with the current FG controlled administration they will turn a blind eye to any crime any breech of human rights for more money and all to hand it over to the ECB for us to pay their debts.
They have had enough and so have we. Dec 10 can’t come quick enough. Kenny is absolutely bricking it right now.
What a laughable comment. I knew before even opening this article that someone would have mentioned the Water charge protest in comparison. Ridiculous.
Kenny wouldn’t know a real public protest from the other side of his arse. It’s a telling fact of just how insulated and out of touch the cabinet is at the moment when something like this is happening in Hong Kong, yet Joan Burton and co. are on RTÉ News crying about how things are escalating because a protestor used a curse word at them while they were sitting in their chauffeured luxury sedan.
It’s not about water charges anymore. It’s about changing this government.
Another Ludicrous, hysterical comment.
Good luck with that. You think The middle class will go along with this and vote in any left wing party who will increase the taxes we pay putting an even bigger burden on us? We already support the water whingers and the workshy enough, you think we’ll be happy to pay even more? Forget it.
Luxury sedan??!!
Luxury car, i was generalising I wasn’t going to mention individual models to have someone come back moaning “no they don’t actually drive those”. That can’t be denied, everywhere they go they’re driven around in their own ministerial cars and they’re not exactly Ford Focuses from what I’ve seen
ah, the Irish middle classes…didn’t they all once vote FF en masse?
Somebody make Robert Cousins a cuppa tea ffs…
Robert you represent a tiny minority of people that support this government, most of that miniscule Enda loving mob are made up of people that have a vested interest in the status quo being maintained, as I suspect you do also. The rest of the middle class have looked at the actions of this puppet government and seen it for what it is, a completely undemocratic bank controlled regime working for outside interests against the people, stripping the hardworking people of this country of their hard earned cash to hand it over to their fair weather pals in Europe. 1.3 Million homeowners have refused to engage with Irish Water with an average of 3 people per home …how many people like you does that leave I wonder. We need a new democratic system in this country and its the middle class that are shouting for that as well …minus you it seems.
The entire world is waking up. It’s not just Ireland and its not just water charges either. The governments of this world seem to not realize this is a global society now and we are not willing to settle for being treated like crap. What’s happening in Ferguson isn’t because that young man was killed, that was the straw that broke the camels back. You can see videos online of police brutality and it’s actually vomit inducing and that is why I will not post a link here but it’s horrendous. So the people of this world who have been trampled on and treated crap are finally saying no more and I support each and everyone.
Robert Cousins did you change your name from Patrick Bateman, you are so easily to spot with your detestation of the “lower classes” and the “workshy”, you imagine that you support the less well off when no one actually ever got rich off their own back, all wealth and land ownership is essentially money taken or land taken from others. Only the most self deluded, pompous, arrogant people really believe that they are wealthy through their own creation. The richest family in America made much if their historic wealth from war and slavery. Anyone who thinks themselves superior because they are lucky enough to have money or position or a job for that matter is poorer than they could possibly know.
Keep the people down.We are not far behind
Because the middle class have been right about everything up till now.. Nice collection of red thumbs there bud
All over the world totalitarian regimes trying to keep the people down so they can maintain the status quo that benefits the few, but you can’t keep a lid in a volcano forever. That’s the trouble with keeping slaves you just never know when they are going to revolt
have your say