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'Umbrella revolution' demonstrators surround government buildings renew call for CY Leung to step down
ABC Radio Australia - October 2, 2014
They have issued an ultimatum to the city's chief executive to stand aside soon, otherwise they will move in, and occupy the government offices.
Police numbers guarding the legislative council have been building, and students have called for another round of civil disobedience action.
With the street demonstration now entering its fifth day, pro-democracy protestors want a resolution and greater voting rights at the 2017 election.
Mr Leung, appointed by Beijing, has refused to stand down and students are prepared to sit it out. In response to the latest demands, the Hong Kong government urged protesters to immediately end their blockade of the city centre. It said the students' actions were affecting public order and the provision of public services.
"About 3,000 government officials will try their best tomorrow to return to work as [much] as possible. To maintain public service, the government headquarters must operate as usual," the government said in a statement. "We urge the Occupy Central leaders and organisers to stop the movement immediately."
In a separate briefing, Hong Kong police superintendent Steve Hui urged protesters not to block or charge at government buildings, saying police would take action in accordance with the law if they did.
A crowd of about 100 protesters had blocked the main road leading to Mr Leung's office in the central business district, some chanting, "Leung Chun-ying, step down!". Student leader Lester Shum told reporters on Wednesday that organisers of pro-democracy protests said they will "escalate the action" unless Mr Leung resigns by tonight.
"We will occupy more government facilities and offices," he said without elaborating. "I believe the government is trying to buy more time. They want to use tactics such as sending some people to create chaos so that they would have a good reason to disperse the crowd."
Many had feared police would use force to move crowds before celebrations marking the anniversary of the foundation of the People's Republic of China in 1949. Those fears proved unfounded and police stayed in the background.
Riot police used tear gas, pepper spray and baton charges at the weekend to try to quell the unrest, but tensions have since eased as both sides appeared ready to wait it out, at least for now.
The crowds have brought large sections of the Asian financial hub to a standstill, disrupting businesses from banks to jewellers. Some banks and other financial firms have begun moving staff to back-up premises on the outskirts of Hong Kong to prevent growing unrest in the financial hub from disrupting trading and other critical functions.
Turmoil in Hong Kong has begun to affect the economy. Hong Kong radio RTHK quoted Joseph Tung, executive director of the city's Travel Industry Council, as saying China's tourism authorities had suspended approval of tourist groups from the mainland to Hong Kong, citing safety issues.
China says Hong Kong should deal with protests China has dismissed the protests as illegal, but in a worrying sign for the Communist Party leadership in Beijing, the demonstrations have spread to neighbouring Macau and Taiwan.
Chinese foreign minister Wang Yi said no country, including the United States, would tolerate "illegal acts that violate public order". "We believe that the Hong Kong special administrative region's government has the capability to properly handle the current situation in accordance with the law," he said.
An editorial in the People's Daily, the Communist Party's official organ, said the "Occupy Central" protests were confrontational and that some protesters wanted to make trouble. "(They) will eventually suffer the consequences of their actions," it said on Wednesday.
Rights groups said a number of China-based activists supporting the Hong Kong protests had been detained or intimidated by police on the mainland.
Around 5,000 people crowded into Taipei's Liberty Square on Wednesday in a show of solidarity with Hong Kong. Events are being watched closely in Taiwan, which has full democracy but is considered by Beijing as a renegade province that must one day be reunited with the mainland.
In Macau – a former Portuguese colony and like Hong Kong a Chinese "special administrative region" – organisers said around 1,200 people gathered in Friendship Square to show their support.
In London, hundreds of protesters gathered outside the Chinese embassy, some carrying umbrellas that have become the symbol of the Hong Kong demonstrations. About 100 people also gathered in New York's Times Square in support of the protest, many holding aloft open umbrellas. (ABC/Reuters)
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