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| Hong Kong protesters rebuild barricades after scuffles; police warn of more action | Hong Kong protesters rebuild barricades after scuffles; police warn of more action |
| (about 3 hours later) | |
| HONG KONG — Pro-democracy protesters erected even stronger fortifications around their sprawling encampment in Hong Kong’s business district Monday, after an abortive attack on their sit-in by masked men led to scuffles and heightened tensions. | HONG KONG — Pro-democracy protesters erected even stronger fortifications around their sprawling encampment in Hong Kong’s business district Monday, after an abortive attack on their sit-in by masked men led to scuffles and heightened tensions. |
| The day had begun with police peacefully removing barriers around the periphery of the main protest site at dawn, in what they said was an attempt to ease traffic congestion but not to clear the demonstrators. It ended with protesting students dramatically reinforcing their defenses and police warning that they would be back. | The day had begun with police peacefully removing barriers around the periphery of the main protest site at dawn, in what they said was an attempt to ease traffic congestion but not to clear the demonstrators. It ended with protesting students dramatically reinforcing their defenses and police warning that they would be back. |
| The developments increasingly suggest that the standoff is entering a decisive phase: The chance of police action to clear the protest site appears to be growing by the day, but the challenge they would face also is steadily mounting. | The developments increasingly suggest that the standoff is entering a decisive phase: The chance of police action to clear the protest site appears to be growing by the day, but the challenge they would face also is steadily mounting. |
| Tensions peaked about midday Monday as hundreds of people converged on the site demanding that the roads be reopened. | Tensions peaked about midday Monday as hundreds of people converged on the site demanding that the roads be reopened. |
| As the opponents chanted slogans against the sit-in, groups of men, many wearing surgical masks, rushed the barricades at both ends of Queensway, a wide street that runs through Admiralty district. | As the opponents chanted slogans against the sit-in, groups of men, many wearing surgical masks, rushed the barricades at both ends of Queensway, a wide street that runs through Admiralty district. |
| At one end, they used knives to cut the plastic cable ties securing the barricades and removed them in two trucks. Some pushed and punched students who tried to hold on to the barriers. | At one end, they used knives to cut the plastic cable ties securing the barricades and removed them in two trucks. Some pushed and punched students who tried to hold on to the barriers. |
| But at the other end, pro-democracy protesters quickly regrouped, forming human chains across the street and sitting behind barricades, facing a line of police keeping the two sides apart. | |
| “Open the roads,” chanted dozens of people unhappy with the sit-in, accusing the students of being tools of the West and not “real Chinese.” | “Open the roads,” chanted dozens of people unhappy with the sit-in, accusing the students of being tools of the West and not “real Chinese.” |
| “Don’t let them pass,” the pro-democracy demonstrators replied, accusing their opponents of not being Hong Kong natives. “Go back to the mainland,” they chanted. “Speak Cantonese.” | “Don’t let them pass,” the pro-democracy demonstrators replied, accusing their opponents of not being Hong Kong natives. “Go back to the mainland,” they chanted. “Speak Cantonese.” |
| The protests have reflected growing tensions between Hong Kong natives and Chinese mainlanders, who have flooded into the territory since its handover from British rule in 1997. | The protests have reflected growing tensions between Hong Kong natives and Chinese mainlanders, who have flooded into the territory since its handover from British rule in 1997. |
| Scores of taxi drivers drove up to signal their opposition to the protesters, honking horns. “You are breaking our rice bowl,” read one slogan pasted on a car, referring to a loss of income. | Scores of taxi drivers drove up to signal their opposition to the protesters, honking horns. “You are breaking our rice bowl,” read one slogan pasted on a car, referring to a loss of income. |
| Gradually, however, the group opposed to the protests dispersed, and students began reinforcing the barricades at almost every intersection, using hundreds of bamboo poles, wooden boards and anything else they could get their hands on. | Gradually, however, the group opposed to the protests dispersed, and students began reinforcing the barricades at almost every intersection, using hundreds of bamboo poles, wooden boards and anything else they could get their hands on. |
| Queensway lies to the south of the main protest site, and the barricades there had been lightly manned for days. But Monday they were filled with people, activity and the sound of hammering. | |
| “I feel sorry for the young people,” said an old man nailing wooden boards together who said his name was Chan. “You can never trust the Communist Party.” | |
| The government once again urged protesters to end what it deems their illegal occupation of the streets, while police warned that they would return. | The government once again urged protesters to end what it deems their illegal occupation of the streets, while police warned that they would return. |
| “We want to point out that reinforcing the existing obstacles or setting up new obstacles to enlarge the occupied area and to block the roads is illegal and extremely irresponsible,” Hui Chun-tak, a senior police spokesman, said at a news conference. | “We want to point out that reinforcing the existing obstacles or setting up new obstacles to enlarge the occupied area and to block the roads is illegal and extremely irresponsible,” Hui Chun-tak, a senior police spokesman, said at a news conference. |
| He complained that the protesters’ rebuilding of barricades in Queensway had raised the risk of confrontation, and he warned that police would soon be back to remove the barriers, “so as to recover part of the roads for public transport and tram services, but not to clear the protesters.” | He complained that the protesters’ rebuilding of barricades in Queensway had raised the risk of confrontation, and he warned that police would soon be back to remove the barriers, “so as to recover part of the roads for public transport and tram services, but not to clear the protesters.” |
| The authorities have swung between intransigence and seeming indifference to the protests, interspersed with half-hearted and sometimes heavy-handed attempts to take on the students. | |
| Each move the authorities have made has only galvanized the protests further, and it was no different Monday. | Each move the authorities have made has only galvanized the protests further, and it was no different Monday. |
| By evening, several thousand people were gathered at the site, where protest leaders implored them to stay until the government agreed to negotiations. Hundreds of tents now fill the streets in what looks like a settlement. | By evening, several thousand people were gathered at the site, where protest leaders implored them to stay until the government agreed to negotiations. Hundreds of tents now fill the streets in what looks like a settlement. |
| “We will use all powers to guard our fortresses,” protest organizer Chan Kin-man told the crowd, saying he was proud of how the demonstrators had not risen to provocation earlier in the day. | “We will use all powers to guard our fortresses,” protest organizer Chan Kin-man told the crowd, saying he was proud of how the demonstrators had not risen to provocation earlier in the day. |
| “Peaceful nonviolence is our business. It’s our most honorable point,” he said, asking people to raise their hands in the air “to tell them we are peaceful protesters.” | “Peaceful nonviolence is our business. It’s our most honorable point,” he said, asking people to raise their hands in the air “to tell them we are peaceful protesters.” |
| Speaking to reporters at an event in the southern Chinese city of Guangzhou, Leung Chun-ying, Hong Kong’s embattled chief executive, said the authorities had handled the protests with a “huge degree of tolerance” but warned that they “cannot let this situation continue in the long term.” | Speaking to reporters at an event in the southern Chinese city of Guangzhou, Leung Chun-ying, Hong Kong’s embattled chief executive, said the authorities had handled the protests with a “huge degree of tolerance” but warned that they “cannot let this situation continue in the long term.” |