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| Hong Kong Government Says It Has Withdrawn Riot Police | Hong Kong Government Says It Has Withdrawn Riot Police |
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| HONG KONG — The Hong Kong government said on Monday that it had pulled back the riot police from roads across the city where thousands of furious residents have blocked traffic, a day after the police used tear gas and batons to break up a student-led demonstration. | HONG KONG — The Hong Kong government said on Monday that it had pulled back the riot police from roads across the city where thousands of furious residents have blocked traffic, a day after the police used tear gas and batons to break up a student-led demonstration. |
| The government urged the protesting residents to end their street sit-ins so that life in this busy commercial city could return to normal. | The government urged the protesting residents to end their street sit-ins so that life in this busy commercial city could return to normal. |
| Despite the announcement, some police officers with riot shields and other crowd-control equipment remained near the protesters who were occupying a main road in the Admiralty area, home to the government’s offices and a focus of the demonstrators’ anger. About two dozen officers guarded a pedestrian overpass that provides access to the government buildings, and other officers were resting nearby. | Despite the announcement, some police officers with riot shields and other crowd-control equipment remained near the protesters who were occupying a main road in the Admiralty area, home to the government’s offices and a focus of the demonstrators’ anger. About two dozen officers guarded a pedestrian overpass that provides access to the government buildings, and other officers were resting nearby. |
| The protesters seized control of busy thoroughfares at several points across Hong Kong on Sunday night. Although the sit-ins had shrunk by Monday morning, thousands of people remained in the streets, many of them wearing surgical masks and goggles in anticipation that the police would try to disperse them with tear gas or pepper spray. | The protesters seized control of busy thoroughfares at several points across Hong Kong on Sunday night. Although the sit-ins had shrunk by Monday morning, thousands of people remained in the streets, many of them wearing surgical masks and goggles in anticipation that the police would try to disperse them with tear gas or pepper spray. |
| The statement by the government appeared to allay such fears, for now at least. | The statement by the government appeared to allay such fears, for now at least. |
| “Because the residents who have assembled on the roadways have largely returned to calm, the riot police have already withdrawn,” said an unidentified spokesman for the government. The spokesman “urged the assembled residents to maintain calm and to peacefully disperse.” | “Because the residents who have assembled on the roadways have largely returned to calm, the riot police have already withdrawn,” said an unidentified spokesman for the government. The spokesman “urged the assembled residents to maintain calm and to peacefully disperse.” |
| But in Admiralty, many demonstrators said they were determined to stay until the city’s top leader, Leung Chun-ying, resigned and answered their demands for democratic elections to choose his successor. | But in Admiralty, many demonstrators said they were determined to stay until the city’s top leader, Leung Chun-ying, resigned and answered their demands for democratic elections to choose his successor. |
| “I came out after I watched the television last night of the police attacking the students,” said Agnes Yip, a sales worker in her 20s who had slept overnight on an expressway at Admiralty. | “I came out after I watched the television last night of the police attacking the students,” said Agnes Yip, a sales worker in her 20s who had slept overnight on an expressway at Admiralty. |
| “We won’t leave until we have a dialogue between the government and the people,” she said. “We’ll stay all day at least, and then tomorrow.” | “We won’t leave until we have a dialogue between the government and the people,” she said. “We’ll stay all day at least, and then tomorrow.” |
| The police’s use of tear gas against demonstrators, the first time in years that it had been deployed in the city, appeared to galvanize the public and swell the protesting crowds on Sunday. The Hong Kong Bar Association on Monday condemned what it said had been “repeated, systematic, indiscriminate and excessive” use of tear gas against demonstrators in Admiralty. | The police’s use of tear gas against demonstrators, the first time in years that it had been deployed in the city, appeared to galvanize the public and swell the protesting crowds on Sunday. The Hong Kong Bar Association on Monday condemned what it said had been “repeated, systematic, indiscriminate and excessive” use of tear gas against demonstrators in Admiralty. |
| “Even though on occasions, a minority of demonstrators became confrontational with the police, the overwhelming majority of the demonstrators were visibly conducting themselves peacefully,” the bar association said in a statement. | “Even though on occasions, a minority of demonstrators became confrontational with the police, the overwhelming majority of the demonstrators were visibly conducting themselves peacefully,” the bar association said in a statement. |
| The protesters are calling for fully democratic elections for the city’s leader, the chief executive, in 2017. Hong Kong, a former British colony that was returned to Chinese sovereignty in 1997, had been promised universal suffrage by that date. But under China’s plan for conducting those elections, only candidates vetted by a Beijing-friendly committee would be allowed to run. | The protesters are calling for fully democratic elections for the city’s leader, the chief executive, in 2017. Hong Kong, a former British colony that was returned to Chinese sovereignty in 1997, had been promised universal suffrage by that date. But under China’s plan for conducting those elections, only candidates vetted by a Beijing-friendly committee would be allowed to run. |
| Alison Fung, a magazine editor who said she had been at the Admiralty sit-in since Sunday night, said that she and other demonstrators were angered by what she called the “wordplay” used to present China’s election proposal as a democratic advance. | |
| “Probably about 10 years ago, Hong Kong was not so concerned about politics,” Ms. Fung said Monday. “But we want a more fair election so we can decide our own future. People feel that our opinions aren’t listened to.” | “Probably about 10 years ago, Hong Kong was not so concerned about politics,” Ms. Fung said Monday. “But we want a more fair election so we can decide our own future. People feel that our opinions aren’t listened to.” |
| In an indication that the protests could broaden, the Hong Kong Professional Teachers’ Union called Sunday for a general strike by all teachers in the city. The organization, which has around 90,000 members, called the police “enemies of the people” and said they had used “ruthless force” against unarmed civilians. It said that details of the strike would be forthcoming. Student protesters have also called for a boycott of classes. | |
| In a response to the teachers’ union Monday that drew some derision online, Hong Kong’s Education Bureau said it “respected all teachers,” pointing to a program it runs that rewards teachers for excellence. The bureau called on teachers to “uphold professionalism” and “make every effort to take care of students so that their normal schooling can be free from any interference.” | |
| “All external political influence and pressure must be kept away from the school campus,” the statement added, a nod to accusations from pro-Beijing politicians in Hong Kong that students are being manipulated by people with a political agenda. Organizers of the protests have denied such accusations, saying that the student protesters are acting independently. | |
| The United States Consulate in Hong Kong on Monday urged all sides to “refrain from actions that would further escalate tensions,” adding, “We do not take sides in the discussion of Hong Kong’s political development.” The statement appeared intended to answer Chinese officials who in the past have accused Washington of fomenting unrest in Hong Kong and who were expected to attribute the protests to interference by the West. | The United States Consulate in Hong Kong on Monday urged all sides to “refrain from actions that would further escalate tensions,” adding, “We do not take sides in the discussion of Hong Kong’s political development.” The statement appeared intended to answer Chinese officials who in the past have accused Washington of fomenting unrest in Hong Kong and who were expected to attribute the protests to interference by the West. |
| The Hong Kong Exchange’s benchmark Hang Seng index fell as much as 2.31 percent and was still down 2 percent at midday Monday. Markets elsewhere in Asia were largely unmoved, with the Nikkei in Japan, Kospi in Korea and Shanghai indexes all up less than 0.5 percent. | The Hong Kong Exchange’s benchmark Hang Seng index fell as much as 2.31 percent and was still down 2 percent at midday Monday. Markets elsewhere in Asia were largely unmoved, with the Nikkei in Japan, Kospi in Korea and Shanghai indexes all up less than 0.5 percent. |