2014-11-30
Thousands of Hong Kong pro-democracy activists, mainly students, clash with police early Dec 1, 2014 local time as they try to encircle government headquarters.
EyePress News
Hundreds of pro-democracy activists clashed with police in Hong Kong on Sunday after student leaders of the Occupy Central movement called on supporters to encircle government buildings in the former British colony.
Protesters wearing hard hats and masks chanted "Surround Government HQ!" and "Make Way! Make Way!" as they converged on Central Government Offices in the semiautonomous Chinese city, while police fired pepper spray in a bid to disperse the crowd.
More people began streaming towards the entrances and fire exits of the government building after a call from Nathan Law of the academic activist group Scholarism to supporters to join in.
The ubiquitous umbrellas, which became a symbol of the "Umbrella Movement" because of their widespread use to ward off pepper and tear-gas spray, were once more out in force.
The crowd had swelled to "several thousand," by 10.00 p.m. local time, according to RFA journalists at the scene, after Hong Kong Federation of Students leader Nathan Law addressed the main occupation site on nearby Harcourt Road, calling on them to join in.
But Scholarism's Oscar Lai warned protesters to stick to the principle of non-violent action, and not to provoke or charge at police.
"We can't provoke the police or charge at them, because we are fighting for their basic right to vote and to seek election as well," Lai said.
"They are Hong Kong people too," he told the crowd in a speech as the action was launched in "Umbrella Square."
"I want today's action to be a mass action, not a dozen people hanging around at a street corner," he said. "If that happens, it's much harder for us to support you and ensure your safety."
He added: "Today's protest has an aim; and that is to force the government to pay attention to the will of the people."
Police warning defied
Sunday's protest came in spite of a police warning against such a rally, after which some 3,000 officers were deployed to the scene.
"If anyone obstructs the police in carrying out their duty, charges the police line violently, or tries to blockade central government offices, police will take resolute action," police spokesman Kong Man-keung told reporters.
