Hong Kong Protesters, Police Clash Outside Government Offices
Protesters and police clashed outside the government’s headquarters in central Hong Kong where students were holding a rally in a campaign urging broadervoting rights.
Protesters broke through barricades and scaled a fence, getting into an area known as civic square, where some remained early today, surrounded by police officers. The police used pepper spray, Radio Television Hong Kong reported.
The rally was being held by students who had boycotted classes this week as part of a campaign to press for an open election in 2017. China last month said candidates for the top official post in the city must be vetted by a committee, angering pro-democracy activists who said the group is packed with business executives and lawmakers favoring Beijing.
Hundreds of people outside the government headquarters are chanting “release the students.” Student leader Joshua Wong was seen detained by the police in television footage.
At least five people were carried away to get medical treatment. A policeman appeared to be hurt.
Demonstrators had said they wanted to reclaim the popular protest spot unofficially called civic square, which the government has sealed off with a high metal fence to improve security.
The violence marks an escalation in tensions ahead of a planned sit-in by organizers of the Occupy Central with Love and Peace movement.
Students this week defied a police warning to march on the residence ofHong Kong Chief Executive Leung Chun-ying to demand a meeting. Protesters run the risk of China canceling the popular election, Leung said Sept. 14.
Thousands of students boycotted classes starting Sept. 22 to express dissatisfaction with China’s electoral reform proposals.
To contact the reporter on this story: Fion Li in Hong Kong at fli59@bloomberg.net
To contact the editors responsible for this story: Tan Hwee Ann athatan@bloomberg.net Paul Panckhurst
