Hong Kong authorities began dismantling barricades at the main pro-democracy protest site Thursday, in a final push to clear streets occupied by students and activists for more than two months.
The pro-democracy protests in the Chinese territory have represented one of the most serious challenges to the Communist Party's authority a since the 1989 pro-democracy demonstrations in Tiananmen Square. But even if the streets of Hong Kong are finally cleared Thursday, protesters said the struggle for democracy would continue.
Watched by police, workers in white helmets began dismantling barricades and clearing part of the protest site that was covered by a court injunction granted earlier this week. They met no resistance from protesters.
Police have vowed to finish the job later in the day and clear the entire site in Hong Kong's Admiralty district, the iconic home of the protest movement in the heart of the city, where hundreds of tents have filled a major highway for weeks beside key government buildings and on the edge of the business and financial district.
Around 10,000 people had gathered at the protest site for a final, emotional rally on Wednesday evening, and as the workers began clearing barricades Thursday, banners at the site defiantly promised: 'We'll be back' and 'It's only the beginning.'
Some of the tents - as well as some of the artwork that had enlivened the site - have now been packed up, but hundreds of protesters remained at the site Thursday waiting for the police, some chanting: 'I want universal suffrage.'
'I dont want this protest to end,' said 82-year-old woman Mak Sui-fong, adding that Hong Kong was being destroyed by China and by its own Chief Executive Leung Chun-ying, whom she described as a puppet. 'If I wasn't this old I would be on the front line.'
Crystal Tse, a 27-year-old social worker, said she would take part in other protests as long as they were peaceful. 'I think we should persist and actually do more,' she said. 'I am angry that the government hasn't done anything in the past two months.'
The demonstrators have been demanding full democracy for Hong Kong, with an open process to nominate candidates to replace Leung in elections scheduled for 2017. Beijing demands the right to control the nomination process, and the Hong Kong government, arguing that its hands were tied, has refused to make concessions to the protesters.
Support for the protests has waned in recent weeks, and the city has become increasingly polarized. Nevertheless, the desire for democracy in Hong Kong remains strong, with the younger generation increasingly politicized and alienated from the Communist Party.
'You might have the clearance today, but people will come back on the streets another day,' Alex Chow, leader of the Hong Kong Federation of Students told reporters, as protest leaders called on supporters to stay until the last moment, but not to resist the police.
'Don't forget, the clearance can't resolve political conflicts, it can't resolve society's dilemma,' said 18-year-old leader of the Scholarism movement Joshua Wong, who called off a hunger strike on doctor's orders over the weekend after nearly five days.
The campaign for democracy has become known as the Umbrella Movement, after protesters sheltered behind them when police used tear gas and pepper spray at the start of the protests.
At some supply stations on the site on Thursday, protesters laid out boxes of goggles and umbrellas in case police used pepper spray or batons later in the day, the Reuters news agency reported. Police said 655 people have been arrested during the protests, and 129 officers injured, while many protesters have also been hurt, hit with batons, kicked by police or sprayed in the eyes.
Cheng reported from Hong Kong.
Posted by Unknown on Thursday, December 11, 2014 - Rating: 4.5
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