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| Hong Kong bailiffs begin clearing Mong Kok protest site | Hong Kong bailiffs begin clearing Mong Kok protest site |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| Authorities in Hong Kong have begun clearing parts of a pro-democracy protest site in Mong Kok, after asking activists camping out there to leave. | Authorities in Hong Kong have begun clearing parts of a pro-democracy protest site in Mong Kok, after asking activists camping out there to leave. |
| Bailiffs are enforcing a court order, following complaints by residents and businesses about the disruption. | Bailiffs are enforcing a court order, following complaints by residents and businesses about the disruption. |
| Protesters appeared to not be resisting the move, and some have already taken down their tents and barricades. | Protesters appeared to not be resisting the move, and some have already taken down their tents and barricades. |
| The activists have been on the streets since early October, demanding a free choice of leader in the 2017 election. | The activists have been on the streets since early October, demanding a free choice of leader in the 2017 election. |
| China, however, says the pool of candidates that people in Hong Kong will vote on will be selected by a Beijing-backed committee. | China, however, says the pool of candidates that people in Hong Kong will vote on will be selected by a Beijing-backed committee. |
| Protesters originally numbered in the tens of thousands when the Hong Kong unrest first began in October, but have since fallen to a few hundred, while attempts by both sides to reach a compromise have made little progress. | Protesters originally numbered in the tens of thousands when the Hong Kong unrest first began in October, but have since fallen to a few hundred, while attempts by both sides to reach a compromise have made little progress. |
| 'Dealt with as rubbish' | 'Dealt with as rubbish' |
| The operation on Tuesday is focusing on the area around Argyle Street and Nathan Road, a busy commercial and tourist district and the site of previous violent clashes between community members, protesters and police. | The operation on Tuesday is focusing on the area around Argyle Street and Nathan Road, a busy commercial and tourist district and the site of previous violent clashes between community members, protesters and police. |
| "Occupiers should pack up and leave now. Otherwise, [their belongings] would be dealt with as disposed items and rubbish," said Maggie Chan, lawyer for the bus company that obtained the injunction to clear the street according to Hong Kong's South China Morning Post. | "Occupiers should pack up and leave now. Otherwise, [their belongings] would be dealt with as disposed items and rubbish," said Maggie Chan, lawyer for the bus company that obtained the injunction to clear the street according to Hong Kong's South China Morning Post. |
| Some protesters were heard shouting "I want true elections" and "we want real suffrage" in response. A few protesters held up three fingers, the Post said. | Some protesters were heard shouting "I want true elections" and "we want real suffrage" in response. A few protesters held up three fingers, the Post said. |
| The gesture is used as a symbol of resistance against an authoritarian regime in the Hunger Games film series and is also popular with anti-government protesters in Thailand. | The gesture is used as a symbol of resistance against an authoritarian regime in the Hunger Games film series and is also popular with anti-government protesters in Thailand. |
| A team of about 20 court bailiffs started clearing the camp around 10:30 local time (02:30 GMT), about an hour after warning protestors to clear the site. | A team of about 20 court bailiffs started clearing the camp around 10:30 local time (02:30 GMT), about an hour after warning protestors to clear the site. |
| Workers in white hard hats and gloves were then seen moving wooden pallets and other materials so that they could be taken away in lorries. | Workers in white hard hats and gloves were then seen moving wooden pallets and other materials so that they could be taken away in lorries. |
| Thousands of police are on standby and have been given the authority to intervene if there is any resistance. | Thousands of police are on standby and have been given the authority to intervene if there is any resistance. |
| Most of the protesters told local media on Tuesday they would remain peaceful and not try to resist the move. | Most of the protesters told local media on Tuesday they would remain peaceful and not try to resist the move. |
| "I'll stay until the last moment. When they ask me to go, then I'll leave," William Yu, 20, told South China Morning Post. | "I'll stay until the last moment. When they ask me to go, then I'll leave," William Yu, 20, told South China Morning Post. |
| Another protester, Ken Chu, told the paper he was prepared in case police or bailiffs used force. | Another protester, Ken Chu, told the paper he was prepared in case police or bailiffs used force. |
| Zero Lam Tat-wing told the Post the he believed many protesters would come back and retake the streets after they were cleared in a different area. | Zero Lam Tat-wing told the Post the he believed many protesters would come back and retake the streets after they were cleared in a different area. |
| He also said he did not think there would be any clashes. | He also said he did not think there would be any clashes. |
| "I'm confident our people won't clash with [the police]. But I can't say the same for the other side," he told the Post. | "I'm confident our people won't clash with [the police]. But I can't say the same for the other side," he told the Post. |
| Last week there was little resistance from the protesters as bailiffs cleared barricades from the camp in Admiralty, near government headquarters. | Last week there was little resistance from the protesters as bailiffs cleared barricades from the camp in Admiralty, near government headquarters. |
| However, operations to clear and contain camps in recent weeks have sometimes led to clashes. | However, operations to clear and contain camps in recent weeks have sometimes led to clashes. |
| An attempt by police to clear an underpass near Admiralty in October led to accusations that officers had used excessive violence, after a video emerged of officers apparently beating a protester. | An attempt by police to clear an underpass near Admiralty in October led to accusations that officers had used excessive violence, after a video emerged of officers apparently beating a protester. |
| Hong Kong and the Beijing government say the protests are illegal, and there is growing public frustration with the disruption to traffic and business. | Hong Kong and the Beijing government say the protests are illegal, and there is growing public frustration with the disruption to traffic and business. |
| Chief Secretary Carrie Lam, who is in Beijing, said on Tuesday that the police would give full support to bailiffs during the operation. | Chief Secretary Carrie Lam, who is in Beijing, said on Tuesday that the police would give full support to bailiffs during the operation. |
| "If the road can be cleared, it would be a relief to those members of the public and businesses that have been affected for almost two months," she told reporters. | |
| She also said the government was open to resuming dialogue with the Federation of Students, one of the main groups leading the activist movement. | She also said the government was open to resuming dialogue with the Federation of Students, one of the main groups leading the activist movement. |
| Previous attempts at reaching an agreement between the Hong Kong government and protesters did not many any progress. | Previous attempts at reaching an agreement between the Hong Kong government and protesters did not many any progress. |
| Hong Kong democracy timeline | Hong Kong democracy timeline |
| Q&A: Hong Kong's democracy controversy | Q&A: Hong Kong's democracy controversy |
| Are you in Hong Kong? Do you have any information you would like to share? You can email haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk. If you are willing to talk to a BBC journalist, please leave a contact number. | Are you in Hong Kong? Do you have any information you would like to share? You can email haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk. If you are willing to talk to a BBC journalist, please leave a contact number. |
| Have your say | Have your say |