2014-10-03
A group of men in masks beat up a man (R) who tried to stop them from removing barricades from a pro-democracy protest area in the Causeway Bay district of Hong Kong, Oct. 3, 2014.
AFP
Pro-democracy protesters in downtown Hong Kong clashed with groups opposing the mass Occupy movement on Friday, while the government stepped up its rhetoric against protesters who blocked government headquarters.
The Occupy crowds shrank sharply after talks between organizers and the government on constitutional reform were announced late on Thursday, and only around 200 demonstrators were left to face a much larger group of anti-protesters in the Kowloon shopping district of Mong Kok.
The anti-protesters, some of whom complained to local media that their livelihoods have been affected by the mass occupations which have lasted since Sunday, had started to dismantle barricades protecting the crowd.
Some comments suggested the anti-demonstration was ultimately backed by pro-Beijing forces, while others said they were just local people angered by the continuing disruption to daily life.
An eyewitness surnamed Choi said the anti-protesters were apparently trying to get the road open to traffic again.
“I saw a student get dragged away by a bunch of people, and a blue tent toppled over,” Choi said. “The student just lay there and offered no resistance.”
“I thought they were horrible people. I don’t know who they are, but they were very fierce,” she said.
She said one group shouted “Clear the area!” while the Occupy group responded with a chant of “Stay calm!”
The clashes led to a rapid swelling of the Occupy crowd, as more supporters arrived at the busy intersection, where crowds have blocked traffic for nearly a week.
Widespread support
But a bystander in Mong Kok surnamed Wong told RFA that the Occupy movement still enjoys widespread public support.
“They are working for freedom and democracy for Hong Kong, so most ordinary people would support them,” Wong said. “This is definitely a good thing [they are doing].”
He said the week-long movement has already made a huge impact, and that ordinary Hong Kong citizens would likely turn out again in huge numbers if they thought the Occupy protesters were in danger of police violence.
“I think they would, because people always support the underdog,” Wong said. “Students are at the core of this movement, and their slogan is the peaceful occupation of Central.”
“They don’t want to use force: [on Sunday] they would just stick both hands in the air.”
Pro-democracy protest leaders issued a statement saying they would call off planned talks with the government unless “organized attacks” on its supporters stop.
“If the government does not immediately prevent the organized attacks on supporters of the Occupy movement, the students will call off dialogue on political reform with the government,” the statement, signed by Occupy Central, the Hong Kong Federation of Students, and the academic activism group Scholarism, said.
Pan-democratic politicians also issued a statement calling on protesters to remain calm, so as to avoid police action to clear the area.
