2014-09-23
HKT 18:08
Tertiary students who are boycotting their classes have taken their fight for democracy to Tamar, where they're holding a rally near the government headquarters.
Hundreds of students gathered at the Tamar Park Tuesday where professors and lecturers volunteered to give public lectures at the rally to show their support for the students.
Professor Kuan Hsin-Chi, Emeritus Professor of the Chinese University's Department of Government and Public Administration, gave the first talk on
"Pragmatism and Idealism".
Earlier, about 20 students clashed with police outside the Chief Executive's Office, when they attempted to hand a petition demanding universal suffrage to the Chief Executive, C Y Leung.
Members of the Federation of Students attempted to push over barriers to rush towards Mr Leung, calling on him to meet their rally at Tamar Park.
They were escorted away by police, who took their details and said they may be charged later.
The general secretary of the Federation Alex Chow threatened to escalate their action.
A spokesman from the CE's office said Mr Leung had intended to accept the petition from the students but left after the situation became chaotic.
Mr Leung reiterated the government's position on political reform before attending the weekly Executive Council meeting.
Thousands of students began their week-long class boycott Monday in protest against Beijing's conservative political reform model for Hong Kong.
The Federation said 13,000 people attended a rally at the Chinese University campus at the start of the boycott.
Mr Chow said their action marks the beginning of a series of disobedience actions, saying that if university students would only stay in their classrooms, they would be ignoring a crisis in society and their responsibilities.
http://m.rthk.hk/news/20140923/1039355.htm
