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| Hong Kong Police Announce Plan to Clear Main Protest Site | Hong Kong Police Announce Plan to Clear Main Protest Site |
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| The Hong Kong police said on Tuesday that they would mobilize to clear the last remaining major street protest in the city, effectively ending a pro-democracy movement that for more than two months has challenged government election plans. | The Hong Kong police said on Tuesday that they would mobilize to clear the last remaining major street protest in the city, effectively ending a pro-democracy movement that for more than two months has challenged government election plans. |
| Cheung Tak-keung, a police spokesman, said at a news conference that the police would remove blockades in the main protest camp, near the city government headquarters, on Thursday, including on roads not specified in a court injunction. He urged demonstrators to pack their belongings and leave the site as soon as possible. | Cheung Tak-keung, a police spokesman, said at a news conference that the police would remove blockades in the main protest camp, near the city government headquarters, on Thursday, including on roads not specified in a court injunction. He urged demonstrators to pack their belongings and leave the site as soon as possible. |
| “For those who refuse to leave, the police will take enforcement action,” he said, adding that such action could be dispersal or arrest. “We will not leave much time for protesters to pack up on Thursday morning.” | “For those who refuse to leave, the police will take enforcement action,” he said, adding that such action could be dispersal or arrest. “We will not leave much time for protesters to pack up on Thursday morning.” |
| Earlier moves to clear protest areas resulted in violent clashes between protesters and the police, leading to the arrests of more than 100 demonstrators in a two-day period. The removal of roadblocks late last month in Mong Kok, a shopping district, led to bloody fighting as protesters tried to retake their sites. | |
| Roadblocks at a smaller site in Causeway Bay, a bustling commercial district, will be removed later on Thursday, Mr. Cheung said. | |
| On Tuesday afternoon, bailiffs put up notices across a long stretch of the main site, where protests erupted in late September against election restrictions imposed by the Chinese legislature on the next vote for Hong Kong’s leader, or chief executive, in 2017. The notices asked that people not “prevent or obstruct normal vehicular traffic from passing” in the areas. Mr. Cheung said that offenders could be prosecuted for contempt of court. | On Tuesday afternoon, bailiffs put up notices across a long stretch of the main site, where protests erupted in late September against election restrictions imposed by the Chinese legislature on the next vote for Hong Kong’s leader, or chief executive, in 2017. The notices asked that people not “prevent or obstruct normal vehicular traffic from passing” in the areas. Mr. Cheung said that offenders could be prosecuted for contempt of court. |
| In the areas designated in the court injunction, the clearance will be carried out by representatives of the applicant for the order, a bus company, and when necessary the bailiffs and the police, Mr. Cheung said. After the enforcement of the injunction, he said, the police will remove roadblocks in the adjacent areas, including those on sidewalks. | In the areas designated in the court injunction, the clearance will be carried out by representatives of the applicant for the order, a bus company, and when necessary the bailiffs and the police, Mr. Cheung said. After the enforcement of the injunction, he said, the police will remove roadblocks in the adjacent areas, including those on sidewalks. |
| The police will use a level of force proportionate to the level of the protesters’ resistance, he said, adding that people should avoid going to the area on Thursday “unless it is absolutely necessary.” | The police will use a level of force proportionate to the level of the protesters’ resistance, he said, adding that people should avoid going to the area on Thursday “unless it is absolutely necessary.” |
| The notice of the latest clearance comes as protest leaders and participants are divided over whether to go home, stay or even resist any removal attempt. Over the past two months, protesters have stockpiled helmets, homemade shields and the now-ubiquitous umbrellas, which they have used to shield themselves from pepper spray. | The notice of the latest clearance comes as protest leaders and participants are divided over whether to go home, stay or even resist any removal attempt. Over the past two months, protesters have stockpiled helmets, homemade shields and the now-ubiquitous umbrellas, which they have used to shield themselves from pepper spray. |
| Joshua Wong, the 18-year-old leader of the youth protest group Scholarism, said before the police announcement that protesters would uphold a peaceful, nonviolent principle. | Joshua Wong, the 18-year-old leader of the youth protest group Scholarism, said before the police announcement that protesters would uphold a peaceful, nonviolent principle. |
| “In practice, the police would use greater force on you if you strike back,” he told reporters on Tuesday evening. “And our gear doesn’t even hold a candle to the police’s.” | “In practice, the police would use greater force on you if you strike back,” he told reporters on Tuesday evening. “And our gear doesn’t even hold a candle to the police’s.” |