Leung Chun-ying is shown being rushed by student protesters as he emerges from government headquarters. Photo: Now TV
Thousands hold democracy forum outside government offices
Thousands joined a public forum outside government headquarters at Tamar Tuesday to support student protesters on the second day of a week-long class boycott.
At 4 p.m., the number had grown to more than 4,000, according to the Federation of Students. The group called on Hong Kong Chief Executive Leung Chun-ying to come out and meet them, government broadcaster RTHK reported.
Earlier, police said a group of students might have broken the law when they rushed Leung outside his office.
The incident happened at 8 a.m. when a dozen members of the Federation of Students, bringing a symbolic pen and notebook, tried to accost Leung as he emerged from the building.
The students said they wanted to hold Leung to his election promise to listen to Hong Kong people.
One or two protesters got close to Leung, prompting security guards to push them back, triggering a brief commotion.
“What we’ve brought today is a pen and notebook,” said Alex Chow, the federation’s secretary general. “We want to ask him if he will come to Tamar Park to face the people, to face the students, to really make his promise come true.”
Leung later met the crowds, talking to members of the public and accepting letters.
He did not talk to the students who had gathered outside government headquarters to demand he face them and hear their grievances.
A government spokesman said a sensible and peaceful conversation with the student was “not possible under the situation”.
In a statement, Leung said he will “pay full attention to the views of all sectors, not just today but in the future”.
He said he had “thoroughly read” the students’ demands and that the electoral process must folllow the Basic Law and the framework set out by the National People’s Congress last month.
Police checked the students’ identity cards and warned they might have broken the law by causing public disorder.
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JZ/MY/RA
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Student protesters demand Leung meeting
http://www.ejinsight.com/20140923-thousands-hold-democracy-forum-outside-govt-offices/
