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Hong Kong protesters braced for police crackdown Hong Kong protests: Civil servants at work as numbers dwindle
(about 7 hours later)
Hundreds of pro-democracy campaigners are camped out on the streets of Hong Kong ahead of a government deadline for them to withdraw. Hundreds of pro-democracy campaigners remain camped out on the streets of Hong Kong as a government deadline for them to leave passed without incident.
Many suspect that police will try to remove them by force in the coming hours. But their numbers dwindled overnight and civil servants have returned to work in the government's headquarters.
Hong Kong's leader says public offices and schools will open on Monday, and social order will be restored.
The protesters are angry at China's plans to vet candidates when Hong Kong holds elections in 2017.The protesters are angry at China's plans to vet candidates when Hong Kong holds elections in 2017.
They are demanding that the central government in Beijing allow a fully free vote for the territory's leader.They are demanding that the central government in Beijing allow a fully free vote for the territory's leader.
Protest groups have denied blocking entrances to government headquarters and insisted civil servants could return to work without obstruction. Tens of thousands of people have been on the streets in the past week, but only about 100 protesters remained outside government offices at the Admiralty protest site in the Central district on Monday morning, and just ten people were sitting outside the chief executive's office, according to the South China Morning Post.
The BBC's John Sudworth in Hong Kong says some want to hold out for tangible gains, while others fear tear-gas, rubber bullets and arrest, and think it is time to turn to dialogue. About 200 remain in Mong Kok, north of the harbour, despite earlier calls by organisers for protesters to withdraw from that site, following clashes at the weekend with people opposed to the demonstrations.
Earlier the groups said they would agree to the government's offer of talks if attacks on them were investigated and protest sites were not forcefully cleared. Overnight, some protesters in Central dismantled barricades and cleared roads so government officials could get in to work.
The BBC's John Sudworth in Hong Kong said that the remaining protesters had slept peacefully on Sunday night on mats laid out across the eight-lane highway that runs through the financial district.
While there is little chance of Beijing agreeing to offer any concessions, the number of students still on the streets suggests they will not give up as easily as the authorities had hoped, says our correspondent.
Alex Chow, secretary-general of one of the main protest movements the Hong Kong Federation of Students, told reporters he was not worried about the crowd dwindling. He said "people need rest, but they will come out again. It doesn't mean the movement is diminishing. Many people still support it."
Over the weekend Hong Kong Chief Executive CY Leung had called on the protesters to end the demonstrations, warning that police had a responsibility to take all actions necessary to resume social order.
He said civil servants had to return to work and children needed to go to school.
Protest groups had said they would agree to the government's offer of talks if the attacks on them were investigated and protest sites were not forcefully cleared.
But discussions about opening a formal dialogue faltered after the sides failed to agree on basic principles on which the talks should be held.But discussions about opening a formal dialogue faltered after the sides failed to agree on basic principles on which the talks should be held.
Hope for talksHope for talks
Our correspondent says numbers have dwindled in recent days, as many do not relish a brave last stand in the face of an expected forceful eviction by police. The talks had originally been scheduled for Saturday, but protesters withdrew after the attacks, which were mainly in the Mong Kok district.
Hong Kong Chief Executive CY Leung had called on the protesters to end the demonstrations, warning that police had a responsibility to take all actions necessary to resume social order.
The Hong Kong Federation of Students (HKFS) said it had always maintained access to the government headquarters, adding that there was no reason for employees not to return to work on Monday.
At the scene: Julianna Liu, BBC News, Mong Kok
After days of tension, a measure of calm has come to the commercial district of Mong Kok, the site of sometimes violent confrontations between pro-democracy activists and counter-protesters.
Earlier, there were scenes of confusion when, under pressure from an unfriendly crowd, a student leader announced on live television that demonstrators would pack up and leave the area, moving to the main protest site in Admiralty and ceding ground to their opponents.
It was seen as a blow to the sit-in movement.
That group left. But others refused to leave and soon took its place.
Members from a more radical pro-democracy group called Civic Passion arrived, as did lawmaker Raymond Wong and his supporters.
For now, Mong Kok remains a stronghold for demonstrators, with hundreds sitting on the ground demanding democratic reforms.
Both the Hong Kong government and protesters indicated on Sunday that they were willing to start talks to find a resolution to the week-long standoff.
AFP news agency reported that student leader Lester Shum had met mid-ranking officials to set conditions for a meeting, but apparently without result.
Talks had originally been scheduled for Saturday, but protesters withdrew after the attacks on Friday night, which were mainly in the Mong Kok district.
Some of the protesters in Mong Kok appeared to be leaving the site on Sunday, saying they were joining the main protest group outside government buildings in the Admiralty district.Some of the protesters in Mong Kok appeared to be leaving the site on Sunday, saying they were joining the main protest group outside government buildings in the Admiralty district.
However, others decided to stay put.However, others decided to stay put.
Thousands of people held a rally overnight, defying calls from the Beijing-backed authorities for them to disperse. Student activists say they will keep up their protests until details of the talks are worked out. Key activist Lester Shum said: "If the government uses force to clear away protesters, there will be no room for dialogue."
Crowds chanted: "Democracy now! Democracy in Hong Kong!" as speakers from the pro-democracy movement urged them to persist in their campaign. The Chinese Communist Party-owned People's Daily newspaper, which has published front-page editorials criticising the protests in recent days, ran three pieces on the protests in its Monday edition.
One quoted experts saying that "most Hong Kong residents will sensibly make up their own minds about the situation and will support the special administrative region's lawful governance".
'Doomed to fail''Doomed to fail'
What began as a peaceful sit-in to demand democracy on 22 September escalated last Sunday when riot police used tear gas against unarmed students converging on the government headquarters. What began as a peaceful sit-in to demand democracy on 22 September escalated when riot police used tear gas against unarmed students converging on the government headquarters.
The police response was widely condemned as an overreaction, prompting thousands of people to join the rallies and block key areas, including Hong Kong's financial district.The police response was widely condemned as an overreaction, prompting thousands of people to join the rallies and block key areas, including Hong Kong's financial district.
At the heart of the row between the protesters and the government is China's insistence on tight rules on nominations for candidates wanting to stand for election in 2017. China's insistence on tight rules on nominations for candidates wanting to stand for election in 2017 has angered pro-democracy campaigners, who say the polls will fall short of the free elections they are seeking and have called for Mr Leung to step down.
The protesters say the restrictions mean the polls will fall short of the free elections they are seeking and have called for Mr Leung to step down.
But the central government in Beijing has thrown its full support behind Mr Leung, calling the protests illegal and "doomed to fail".But the central government in Beijing has thrown its full support behind Mr Leung, calling the protests illegal and "doomed to fail".
Hong Kong democracy timelineHong Kong democracy timeline
Q&A: Hong Kong's democracy controversyQ&A: Hong Kong's democracy controversy
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