This article is from the source 'washpo' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.washingtonpost.com/world/asia_pacific/hong-kong-protest-leaders-agree-to-remove-barricades/2014/10/05/8a412f12-4c8e-11e4-8c24-487e92bc997b_story.html?wprss=rss_world
The article has changed 8 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 4 | Version 5 |
|---|---|
| Hong Kong protests appear to be headed into a smaller but durable holding pattern | Hong Kong protests appear to be headed into a smaller but durable holding pattern |
| (about 4 hours later) | |
| HONG KONG — A showdown between pro-democracy demonstrators and Hong Kong’s government appeared headed toward a stalemate Monday morning, the deadline that authorities had given protesters to clear the streets. | |
| Anxiety and disagreements were evident among protesters about whether to continue their week-long occupation of multiple sites in Hong Kong or to pull back and consolidate their forces at the main encampment in front of government headquarters. | Anxiety and disagreements were evident among protesters about whether to continue their week-long occupation of multiple sites in Hong Kong or to pull back and consolidate their forces at the main encampment in front of government headquarters. |
| But it appears that the authorities might tolerate a reduced protest, as long as key buildings are not blocked. | But it appears that the authorities might tolerate a reduced protest, as long as key buildings are not blocked. |
| The holding pattern, if it lasts, caps several days of threats and attempts to escalate the situation. Instead, the occupation looks as if it could last for many more days, if not weeks. Over time, the protest is likely to lose its large numbers, but a core group of protesters have vowed to remain no matter what happens until they get some concessions from the government. | |
| Such an occupation could also turn more public sentiment against the students’ cause, and at the same time it would bring into question how long Beijing would tolerate such public defiance of its authority. | Such an occupation could also turn more public sentiment against the students’ cause, and at the same time it would bring into question how long Beijing would tolerate such public defiance of its authority. |
| One group agreed to retreat early Sunday night from barricades blocking the offices of Hong Kong’s chief executive, with one protester even shaking the hand of a police officer as though in agreement. | One group agreed to retreat early Sunday night from barricades blocking the offices of Hong Kong’s chief executive, with one protester even shaking the hand of a police officer as though in agreement. |
| But upon hearing the news, other protesters came rushing in within minutes to take the places of those retreating and refused to leave even in the face of possible force by the police. Reflecting the mistrust rampant at the protest, rumors promptly circulated that the protester who had made the friendly gesture earlier was a member of the city’s auxiliary police force. | |
| Earlier, Hong Kong’s leader, Leung Chun-ying, said he would take “all actions necessary” to make sure government workers could return to work, which some saw as an ultimatum for protesters to get off the street or risk facing a police sweep. | |
| Among the crowd in front of the chief executive’s building, Nicholas Chan, 25, said he had rushed there after work around 6 p.m. as soon as he heard some protesters were walking away. | Among the crowd in front of the chief executive’s building, Nicholas Chan, 25, said he had rushed there after work around 6 p.m. as soon as he heard some protesters were walking away. |
| “I’m planning to stay all night here. I have clothes I can use as a pillow if necessary,” he said. | |
| Many of Chan’s friends had retreated to other protest sites, viewing them as safer locations. | Many of Chan’s friends had retreated to other protest sites, viewing them as safer locations. |
| Some of those who had taken up position outside the chief executive’s office said that if police try to clear out the protesters, this would be the first battle line. They pointed out that this was the road Leung would likely have to take to get to work. | |
| “I’m here because I want to see for myself just how far police will go if all we do is sit here peacefully,” Chan said. | “I’m here because I want to see for myself just how far police will go if all we do is sit here peacefully,” Chan said. |
| Student leaders said they had met preliminarily with government officials to talk about the possibility of a meeting with Carrie Lam, Hong Kong’s highest-ranking civil servant. But they said there were many disagreements as well. | |
| While some talked of pulling back and retrenching, the decentralized nature of the demonstrations and occupations — a protest against voting restrictions imposed by Beijing — meant that it was virtually impossible to dissuade many of the hard-core demonstrators from standing their ground. | While some talked of pulling back and retrenching, the decentralized nature of the demonstrations and occupations — a protest against voting restrictions imposed by Beijing — meant that it was virtually impossible to dissuade many of the hard-core demonstrators from standing their ground. |
| At another protest site in Mong Kok, a working-class neighborhood, attackers, including some suspected of being members of criminal gangs known as triads, had assaulted largely peaceful protesters in recent days. In response to the violence, some called for a retreat to the main protest site outside government headquarters. But others on Sunday vowed to stay indefinitely. | |
| Throughout the protest sites, many braced all night and into the early morning for a crackdown that had yet to come. | Throughout the protest sites, many braced all night and into the early morning for a crackdown that had yet to come. |
| For hours, a group of young men, manning the barricades on a street named Justice Drive, scrutinized passing cars and the nearby police headquarters for signs of trouble. | |
| Complete strangers before the protest, they had created a group account in recent nights on social media to assign shifts on the barricade. They had given their group a Cantonese name that translated roughly as “Those Willing to Die for the Barricade on Justice Drive.” | |
| “We don’t plan to fight or do anything to provoke the police, but if they come, we must be vigilant so we can warn everyone else,” said one who gave only his surname, Liu, for fear his nighttime activities would be frowned upon at work. | |
| But on a night many thought would signal a dramatic end to the protests — either through a police crackdown or the withdrawal of demoralized protesters — the mood was as relaxed and convivial as it has been all week. | But on a night many thought would signal a dramatic end to the protests — either through a police crackdown or the withdrawal of demoralized protesters — the mood was as relaxed and convivial as it has been all week. |
| A gaggle of students played cards on the main occupied road near government headquarters. Not far away, a local artist named Milk unveiled a tall statue made of wood tiles of a man holding an umbrella, an instant favorite among the protesters. Terrence Tsui, one of the card players, insisted the occupation could go on indefinitely. “Look at us, you think we’ll leave? The police know they can’t take us all.” | A gaggle of students played cards on the main occupied road near government headquarters. Not far away, a local artist named Milk unveiled a tall statue made of wood tiles of a man holding an umbrella, an instant favorite among the protesters. Terrence Tsui, one of the card players, insisted the occupation could go on indefinitely. “Look at us, you think we’ll leave? The police know they can’t take us all.” |
| By the gates of the Hong Kong chief executive’s office, dozens of protesters camped out, showing no inclination to leave. “I don’t trust anything this government says,” said Kennedy Fong, a gas-mask-wearing demonstrator. “The only power we have is to stay here.” | |
| A host of university presidents and high school principals appealed during the weekend for students to withdraw. “Please leave now. You owe it to your loved ones to put your safety above all other considerations,” said Peter Mathieson, president of Hong Kong University. | A host of university presidents and high school principals appealed during the weekend for students to withdraw. “Please leave now. You owe it to your loved ones to put your safety above all other considerations,” said Peter Mathieson, president of Hong Kong University. |
| But Sunday night, a group of more than 80 professors made a counterargument, saying the answer to the ongoing crisis should be the government listening to the students, rather than the students leaving under the threat of force. | But Sunday night, a group of more than 80 professors made a counterargument, saying the answer to the ongoing crisis should be the government listening to the students, rather than the students leaving under the threat of force. |