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Hong Kong: protesters lift highway blockade on proviso elections proceed Hong Kong protests: university threatens to call in 'assistance'
(about 5 hours later)
Demonstrators say local elections must continue, amid fears of postponement to avoid losses for pro-China candidates President of site overrun by pro-democracy demonstrators says they must leave
Protesters in Hong Kong have cleared a highway that they have blocked since Monday as a gesture of goodwill, as political unrest paralysed the city for a fifth day in a row. The president of a university in Hong Kong overrun by pro-democracy protesters has threatened to call in “assistance” if demonstrators do not leave the campus.
At a 3am press conference demonstrators at the Chinese University of Hong Kong, one of the main battlegrounds of the last week, said they would reopen the Tolo highway, a major traffic artery, outside of the school. “Our campus has been occupied by masked protesters, including those from outside. The situation is out of control and unacceptable,” said Rocky Tuan, vice-chancellor and president of the Chinese University of Hong Kong.
Protesters said they were giving the government until 6am on Saturday to promise that local district elections scheduled for 24 November would continue. Some believe the government is angling to postpone or cancel the elections in expectation of major losses to pro-establishment candidates. The university was the site of an hours-long battle between riot police and protesters on Tuesday night, in a week that saw violence intensify and tensions escalate dramatically in the Chinese territory.
“We are the powerless and they are the ones in power. We have no bargaining chip besides this one single bridge,” a demonstrator said, referring to a bridge occupied by protesters that overlooks the highway. Since Tuesday protesters have turned the campus on the outskirts of Hong Kong into a fortress, with improvised blockades, checkpoints, stockpiles of food, helmets and other protective equipment. Demonstrators also left boxes of ready-to-go molotov cocktails on a bridge overlooking a main highway they have blocked.
“The blockade of Tolo highway has brought inconvenience to residents ... so we hope to offer a friendly gesture. Our target is the government, not Hong Kong residents,” one of the protesters said. Protesters operate checkpoints at the school’s entrances, checking IDs and in some cases searching bags. Some with plastic shields and handsaws patrolled with walkie-talkies. A helicopter circled overhead, which protesters claimed was sent by police to monitor their positions.
The Hong Kong government has not yet responded to protesters’ demands but said that parts of the Tolo highway had been reopened. “The university is a place for knowledge, and not a war zone for resolving political conflict, and even for making weapons and using force,” Tuan said in an open letter on Friday.
After more than five months, Hong Kong’s most severe political crisis since its return to China in 1997, reached a new peak this week following the death of a demonstrator last Friday. On Monday, a police officer shot an activist in the torso with a live bullet, and a man was set on fire while arguing with protesters. On Thursday a man died after being hit on the head during a clash between protesters and pro-Beijing residents.
Protesters and residents have responded emotionally to what they see as attacks on Hong Kong’s universities and intellectual freedom.
When police stormed the Chinese University and later rained down more than 2,000 rounds of teagas and rubber bullets on a bridge occupied by protesters, former students and others said they were reminded of Beijing’s crackdown on student pro-democracy demonstrators in 1989.
“I was so scared,” said Olivia Kong, 28, an alumna of the school who has spent the last three days on campus, sleeping in empty school buildings and helping source water, first-aid and other supplies. “Attacking the universities is very significant, with Beijing’s history of killing students.”
Protesters began to leave the campus on Friday for home or other universities where police action was expected. After four days of occupation, in a movement that has prided itself on its fluidity, divisions had begun to show as a group argued over whether to stay or go.
On Friday morning, a group of protesters cleared a highway that they had blocked since Monday as a gesture of goodwill before blockading it again in the early evening. Protesters had said they would give the government until 6am on Saturday to promise that local district elections scheduled for 24 November would continue.
Hong Kong’s chief secretary, Matthew Cheung, said the government was preparing for the elections but did not promise they would be held. Some believe the government is angling to postpone or cancel the elections in expectation of major losses to pro-establishment candidates.
Hundreds of people rallied in lunchtime protests across the city on Friday, the fifth day that office workers and other residents have joined weekday demonstrations and disrupted traffic. Protests have previously been during the weekend or in the evenings.Hundreds of people rallied in lunchtime protests across the city on Friday, the fifth day that office workers and other residents have joined weekday demonstrations and disrupted traffic. Protests have previously been during the weekend or in the evenings.
“Every day, every single day there are more instances that keep us coming out. This is us telling the government we want this to stop,” said Margaret, 55, who works in investment management and was attending a demonstration in Central, a major business district, where riot police have tear gassed those who have turned up over the last four days. “Every day, every single day there are more instances that keep us coming out. This is us telling the government we want this to stop,” said Margaret, 55, who works in investment management and was attending a demonstration in Central, a major business district, where riot police have tear-gassed those who have turned up over the last four days.
“They are supposed to be protecting us. Instead they are doing the opposite,” she said. “I don’t know how much worse it can get.”“They are supposed to be protecting us. Instead they are doing the opposite,” she said. “I don’t know how much worse it can get.”
Others said they were frustrated by the escalation in tensions this week, after police stormed several universities, prompting student protesters to barricade themselves into the schools where they were stockpiling weapons and other supplies.Others said they were frustrated by the escalation in tensions this week, after police stormed several universities, prompting student protesters to barricade themselves into the schools where they were stockpiling weapons and other supplies.
“The teenagers are out there risking their lives for Hong Kong,” said Sam Ho, an accountant. “I just feel like this is not the same place as before. This is a police state where the police can do whatever they want.”“The teenagers are out there risking their lives for Hong Kong,” said Sam Ho, an accountant. “I just feel like this is not the same place as before. This is a police state where the police can do whatever they want.”
Hong Kong has had one of the most violent weeks since anti-government protests began in June, initially over a now-scrapped extradition bill that would send suspects to mainland China. Protests began in June, initially over a now-scrapped extradition bill that would send suspects to mainland China. They have since morphed into a wider pro-democracy movement.
Tensions reached a new peak after the death of a demonstrator one week ago. In the days after, police shot a 21-year student on live broadcast and a 57-year-old man was lit on fire during an argument with demonstrators. On Thursday a 70-year-old cleaner died after being hit by brick during a fight between protesters and residents. International concern also increased this week. On Thursday a US congressional advisory body called on lawmakers to enact legislation that would strip Hong Kong of its special economic status granted under US law if the Chinese military were deployed to crush the protests.
International concern over Beijing’s response has increased. On Thursday a US congressional advisory body called on lawmakers to enact legislation that would strip Hong Kong of its special economic status granted under US law if the Chinese military were deployed to crush the protests. The US-China Economic and Security Review Commission said in an annual report issued that the US “must plan for worst-case scenarios, while trying to achieve the best ones”. In Taiwan, civic and religious groups protested outside Hong Kong’s representative office, calling for an end to what they said were abuses against anti-government protesters in the territory.
In London, Hong Kong’s justice minister Teresa Cheng said she was injured by protesters when attending an event on Thursday. Video showed protesters surrounding and yelling “Shame on you” at the cabinet official who was seen falling. In London, Hong Kong’s justice minister Teresa Cheng said she was injured by protesters when attending an event on Thursday night. Video showed protesters surrounding Cheng and yelling, “Shame on you” at the cabinet official who was seen falling.
Hong Kong’s chief executive Carrie Lam condemned the incident, calling the behaviour of the protesters involved “barbaric” and a violation of “the principles of a civilised society”.Hong Kong’s chief executive Carrie Lam condemned the incident, calling the behaviour of the protesters involved “barbaric” and a violation of “the principles of a civilised society”.
The Chinese embassy in the UK said Cheng was pushed to the ground and sustained a hand injury.
“(Cheng) was besieged and attacked by dozens of anti-China and pro-independence activists,” the Chinese embassy said in a statement. The incident showed that the “violent and lawless perpetrators” were now taking their violence abroad, it said.
China has lodged a formal complaint with Britain and urged British authorities to bring the perpetrators to justice.
Late on Thursday Chinese state media issued an editorial saying “Hong Kong universities are not outside the law” and accused opposition forces in Hong Kong and abroad of “brainwashing students” and “sowing anti-China chaos”. Earlier the Chinese president, Xi Jinping, in his first public remarks on the crisis, said Hong Kong must “restore order” and punish “violent criminals”.