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Protesters Pulling Back From Hong Kong Offices After Handshake Deal Protesters in Hong Kong Ease Sit-In at Government Headquarters
(about 2 hours later)
HONG KONG — Pro-democracy demonstrators began pulling back from a sit-in outside the offices of Hong Kong’s leader on Sunday night after the government set a Monday morning deadline for the police to ensure access to the complex. HONG KONG — Pro-democracy demonstrators began easing their blockade of the offices of Hong Kong’s leader on Sunday and wavered over whether to abandon another key encampment as the government set a deadline of the next morning for the police to restore access to the government’s headquarters.
The apparent concession — announced with a handshake between a young man at the protest who said the gesture was intended to pave the way for talks with the government and a police official who thanked him — appeared to ease the immediate risk of a confrontation. The police had been ordered to restore access to the building by the start of the workweek, according to two people with detailed knowledge of the official deliberations. But it was unclear whether either concession had the support of any of the main protest organizations and could be sustained in the face of criticism by protesters set against compromise. Nor was it clear that the moves would be enough to prevent a confrontation with the police, who received orders to clear away demonstrations outside government buildings by the start of the workweek.
But it was not clear whether the partial withdrawal would be enough to prevent a showdown between the police and protesters, who have been unwilling to leave other sites they have occupied for over a week. Nor was it clear whether all of the protesters would go along with the pullback from one of the entrances to the government offices. The protest sit-in campaign, which entered its tenth day, appeared at a crossroads, beset by confusion and seesaw reversals among demonstrators exhausted and increasingly divided over how to proceed. Hours after protesters began allowing vehicles to enter and leave the complex housing the offices of Hong Kong’s chief executive, Leung Chun-ying, student leaders addressing a crowd of supporters said nothing of the decision but declared that they were not retreating.
“I won’t retreat, unless the police crack down with force,” said Kelvin Chung, 22, a recent graduate from Hong Kong University of Science and Technology. “Unless they say they need the space to set up a stage for Leung Chun-ying to speak with us,” he added, referring to Hong Kong’s Beijing-selected chief executive. Alex Chow, secretary-general of the Hong Kong Federation of Students, one of the groups at the forefront of the pro-democracy demonstrations, said the “occupy” sit-ins would continue while the federation opened exploratory talks with the government. He warned that the talks would be suspended if the government made any attempt to forcefully drive away the protesters.
There were also signs of accommodation from the crowd. Two vans and a bus rolled out of the chief executive’s office premises, and demonstrators sitting in the road rose almost as one to let them pass. The bus was full of young men in short hair and T-shirts — apparently police officers who had finished their shifts. They gestured thumbs up to the protesters and grinned, apparently relieved that they could go home. “A dialogue is not a compromise,” Mr. Chow said from a stage at the main protest camp. “We will start arranging talks with the government, because we understand that there are people in both the government and here who want to solve society’s problems.”
The police have been given leeway on how and when to enforce the orders, said the two people with detailed knowledge of the official deliberations, both of whom insisted on anonymity because of the sensitivity of the discussions. “We will not back down,” he added.
The Monday morning deadline set up a possible confrontation between the passionate, often disjointed protest movement and a government that, taking its cue from Beijing, has refused to compromise on the protesters’ broadly shared demands: Mr. Leung’s resignation and democratic elections for his successor.
The police have been given leeway on how and when to enforce the orders to disperse the demonstrators, said two people with detailed knowledge of the government’s deliberations, both of whom insisted on anonymity because of the sensitivity of the discussions.
Mr. Leung “has laid down the word: Offices have to be accessible by tomorrow morning,” one of the two people said. The Hong Kong police are capable of clearing the streets and would not need help from mainland Chinese security forces, that person said.Mr. Leung “has laid down the word: Offices have to be accessible by tomorrow morning,” one of the two people said. The Hong Kong police are capable of clearing the streets and would not need help from mainland Chinese security forces, that person said.
“The protesters are also looking for a way to stand down, though some die-hards would remain — minimum force would be used only if needed,” the person said, adding that the precise time for moving in on protesters was being left to the discretion of the police.“The protesters are also looking for a way to stand down, though some die-hards would remain — minimum force would be used only if needed,” the person said, adding that the precise time for moving in on protesters was being left to the discretion of the police.
The police used tear gas a week ago in an attempt to disperse protesters, but more crowds arrived in response to what were perceived by many as unnecessarily heavy-handed tactics by the authorities.The police used tear gas a week ago in an attempt to disperse protesters, but more crowds arrived in response to what were perceived by many as unnecessarily heavy-handed tactics by the authorities.
The Monday morning deadline set up a possible confrontation between the passionate, often disjointed protest movement and a government that, taking its cue from Beijing, has refused to compromise on the protesters’ broadly shared demands: democratic elections for the leader of Hong Kong and the removal of the incumbent, Mr. Leung. His previous demands for the protesters to leave have been ignored.
Dennis Kwok, a lawyer and member of the city’s Legislative Council who calls himself a moderate democrat, said in an interview that people aligned with the establishment had told him that the police would be sent to protest zones Sunday night, with the aim of clearing them. But he said it was unclear how the police could accomplish that.Dennis Kwok, a lawyer and member of the city’s Legislative Council who calls himself a moderate democrat, said in an interview that people aligned with the establishment had told him that the police would be sent to protest zones Sunday night, with the aim of clearing them. But he said it was unclear how the police could accomplish that.
“If they use tear gas, that will bring people into the streets again,” he said, referring to the aggressive police actions against student protesters on Sept. 28 that attracted wider public support to the movement. “The Hong Kong government played its hand so badly. They left themselves with very few options. They shouldn’t have used tear gas that day.”“If they use tear gas, that will bring people into the streets again,” he said, referring to the aggressive police actions against student protesters on Sept. 28 that attracted wider public support to the movement. “The Hong Kong government played its hand so badly. They left themselves with very few options. They shouldn’t have used tear gas that day.”
At a news conference on Sunday afternoon, Hui Chun-tak, the chief spokesman of the Hong Kong police, appealed to protesters to remove barricades from the streets, but refrained from setting deadlines. “We are determined to take all necessary actions to restore the public order,” he said.At a news conference on Sunday afternoon, Hui Chun-tak, the chief spokesman of the Hong Kong police, appealed to protesters to remove barricades from the streets, but refrained from setting deadlines. “We are determined to take all necessary actions to restore the public order,” he said.
Meanwhile, a government spokesman urged student leaders to clear a footbridge leading to the main government offices and allow 3,000 staff members to return to work on Monday. He also asked for roads in Admiralty, near the government offices, to be reopened so that schools in the area could resume classes. Meanwhile, a government spokesman urged student leaders to clear a footbridge leading to the main government offices and to allow 3,000 staff members to return to work on Monday. He also asked for roads in Admiralty, near the government offices, to be reopened so that schools in the area could resume classes.
The Hong Kong Federation of Students, the association of university students that has been at the heart of the protests for more than a week, denied that access to the government offices was blocked, saying that a path would be opened for civil servants. But thousands of protesters have been occupying the roads around the offices and have blocked the entrances to the chief executive’s office, and the federation said it was “hard to persuade protesters to leave when there hasn’t been any progress on their demands over political reform.” The Hong Kong Federation of Students said a path would be opened for civil servants. But thousands of protesters have been occupying the roads around the offices and have blocked the entrances to the chief executive’s office, and the federation said it was “hard to persuade protesters to leave when there hasn’t been any progress on their demands over political reform.”
The street-level impasse has intensified by a parallel battle to define the conflict and what is at stake. The Chinese Communist Party has called the protests a “color revolution,” a scheme orchestrated by outsiders to challenge party rule across all of China. Student leaders have responded that the movement is a peaceful, grass-roots campaign, with aims limited to this former British colony. Some protesters outside the offices on Sunday night vowed to stay. “I won’t retreat, unless the police crack down with force,” said Kelvin Chung, 22, a recent graduate from Hong Kong University of Science and Technology.
“The Occupy movement is by no means a revolution,” said the Hong Kong Federation of Students. It said dialogue with the city government was still possible, if the police “properly handled” clashes between supporters and opponents of the demonstrations. A few dozen men, some of whom the police said had ties to organized crime, attacked protest encampments on Friday, prompting outrage among students convinced that the government and the police were involved or had looked the other way. Others were looking for a way out. “This movement can’t last very long. Someone has to compromise,” said Carmen Lee, a politics and European studies major at the University of Hong Kong. “Students and workers can’t strike forever. We’ll lose public support over time.”
A day later, Mr. Leung made an urgent appeal for the protesters to go home and warned that the crowds blocking entry to his office and occupying major roads must disperse by Monday, when the city returned to work. “If these incidents continue, they are extremely likely to go out of control,” he said. The arguments were especially poignant in Mong Kok, the densely populated neighborhood where a protest encampment came under attack Friday by men who punched and kicked demonstrators. A hostile crowd of residents, upset by the inconvenience caused by the sit-in, cheered them on. The assaults have outraged students, many of whom accused the government of looking the other way or even hiring the thugs.
But an exuberant rally of tens of thousands of protesters defied him Saturday night and vowed to press ahead with what many call the Umbrella Revolution, named after the everyday object that many participants carry to fend off sun, rain and possible pepper spray salvos by the police. Three singers performed a new song dedicated to the campaign for democracy, “Raise the Umbrella Together.” After calls by a host of prominent citizens for them to leave the area, including a former chief justice, university leaders and church figures, some protesters in Mong Kok decided on Sunday to move to the main protest area near the government offices. But later in the evening, the crowd swelled with young protesters who sat listening to speakers urging them to stay.​
“Now we are students, but in 10 or 20 years, we will be adults and will be responsible for this society. We need to stand up now and speak,” said Matthew Yu, 15, who was at the main protest encampment near the government offices. “Young students have been told to run if police begin clearing the area, to protect their safety,” he added, “but some will probably stay.” “Mong Kok is the most important place in our campaign,” said one of the protesters, Luke Ng, an 18-year-old student. “If Mong Kok can stay together, then we will win.”
The former chief justice of Hong Kong, Andrew Li Kwok-nang, university leaders, churches and other groups in Hong Kong have urged people to leave the streets. Some protesters said anger over the police response to the attacks had undermined chances for a negotiated withdrawal by the movement.
“Please stay calm and leave in an orderly manner without delay,” Peter Mathieson, the president and vice chancellor of the University of Hong Kong, said in a message to staff and students on Sunday. “I am making this appeal from my heart because I genuinely believe that if you stay, there is a risk to your safety.” “The police reaction to the triads has cut off the opportunity to leave,” said Miu Ying-kui, a sociology student at the Chinese University of Hong Kong, referring to underworld gangs that the police said some of the assailants had ties to. “We Hong Kong people have totally lost confidence in the government, so it’s very difficult for us to step down.”
But some protesters said anger over the police response to Saturday’s attacks had undermined chances for a negotiated withdrawal from the streets by the movement. Real decision-making power on the side of the authorities rests in Beijing with China’s president, Xi Jinping. Since assuming leadership of the Communist Party in late 2012, Mr. Xi has repeatedly demanded vigilance against threats to party control and national sovereignty, especially from Western powers. To the party leadership, the youthful democratic movement in Hong Kong, a former British colony that has preserved its own legal system and liberties, embodies those perceived threats.
“The police reaction to the triads has cut off the opportunity to leave,” said Miu Ying-kui, a sociology student at the Chinese University of Hong Kong. “We Hong Kong people have totally lost confidence in the government, so it’s very difficult for us to step down.” Mr. Xi and other Chinese leaders have not spoken publicly about the eruption of unrest in Hong Kong, but mainland news outlets have stepped up reports and commentaries describing the movement as a “color revolution,” a scheme orchestrated by outsiders to challenge party rule across all of China, using Hong Kong as a bridgehead.
Real decision-making power on the side of the authorities rests in Beijing with China’s president, Xi Jinping. Since assuming leadership of the Communist Party in late 2012, Mr. Xi has repeatedly demanded vigilance against threats to party control and national sovereignty, especially from the Western powers. And to the party, those perceived threats appear to be embodied in the youthful democratic movement in Hong Kong, a former British colony that has preserved its own legal system and liberties. The protesters have responded that their movement is a peaceful, grassroots campaign, with aims limited to Hong Kong.
Mr. Xi and other leaders have not spoken publicly about the eruption of unrest, but the news outlets under their grip have stepped up reports and commentaries describing the movement as a plot to turn Hong Kong into an opposition bridgehead to challenge party power across all of China. “Now we are students, but in 10 or 20 years, we will be adults and will be responsible for this society. We need to stand up now and speak,” said Matthew Yu, 15, who was at the main protest encampment. “Young students have been told to run if police begin clearing the area, to protect their safety,” he added, “but some will probably stay.”