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Hong Kong’s leader says government ready to talk to student protesters Hong Kong’s leader says government ready to talk to student protesters
(35 minutes later)
HONG KONG — Hong Kong’s leader said Thursday he is ready to start talks with pro-democracy demonstrators as early as next week after police once again used tear gas to stop protesters from blocking a major road. HONG KONG — Hong Kong’s leader said Thursday he is ready to start talks with pro-democracy activists as early as next week after police once again used pepper spray to clear protesters from a major road in the Asian financial center.
Embattled Hong Kong Chief Executive Leung Chun-ying said the government had been negotiating with the student protesters through middlemen in the past few days. Embattled Hong Kong Chief Executive Leung Chun-ying told a news conference that the government had been negotiating with the student protesters through middlemen in the past few days.
“Over these past few days ... some middlemen were in touch with the Hong Kong Federation of Students, and we expressed our wish that the two sides can meet officiallyas early as possible,” Leung told reporters in Hong Kong, the Associated Press reported. “Over these past few days ... some middlemen were in touch with the Hong Kong Federation of Students, and we expressed our wish that the two sides can meet officially as early as possible,” Leung told reporters in Hong Kong, the Associated Press reported.
Leung’s announcement suggests a thaw in the three-week stand-off between Hong Kong’s government and the student protesters. Last week, the government called off planned talks with the protesters after the activists called on supporters to come back to the streets.Leung’s announcement suggests a thaw in the three-week stand-off between Hong Kong’s government and the student protesters. Last week, the government called off planned talks with the protesters after the activists called on supporters to come back to the streets.
Tensions between the two sides have escalated in the past few days, as riot police with pepper spray and batons moved to clear the demonstrators from the occupied streets of the Asian financial hub. Tensions between the two sides have ratcheted up over the past few days, as riot police with pepper spray and batons have moved to clear the demonstrators from the occupied streets of Asia's premiere financial center.
The demonstrations are the biggest challenge to China’s authority over the former British colony of Hong Kong since China took control of Hong Kong in 1997. The mass demonstrations, which have clogged highways and encircled government buildings, are the biggest challenge to China’s authority over the former British colony of Hong Kong since China took control of Hong Kong in 1997. The protesters are demanding reforms on how Beijing vets Hong Kong candidates for elections as well as the resignation of Leung, the current leader.
Authorities launched an investigation on Wednesday into a television news video, which went viral on the Internet, that appeared to show police officers leading an activist around a dark corner, forcing the handcuffed man to the ground and repeatedly kicking him as he curled into a ball.Authorities launched an investigation on Wednesday into a television news video, which went viral on the Internet, that appeared to show police officers leading an activist around a dark corner, forcing the handcuffed man to the ground and repeatedly kicking him as he curled into a ball.
Outrage over the purported beating — following clashes between security forces and demonstrators — swiftly became a new rallying point for protest groups trying to remain on the streets despite increasing crackdowns and a decline in numbers. Outrage over the purported beating — following clashes between security forces and demonstrators — swiftly became a new rallying point for the protesters trying to remain on the streets, despite the increasing police crackdowns and a decline in numbers.
Protests broke out late last month over plans by Beijing to vet candidates for elections. The mass demonstrations, which have clogged highways and encircled government buildings, soon grew into a larger challenge over China’s ability to dictate political affairs and freedoms in the former British colony. The TVB channel said the beating incident was filmed early Wednesday as police cleared a road tunnel near the main protest site. They arrested 45 protesters and used pepper spray on many others who refused to get out of the way. At least 10 protesters and five police officers were reported to have been injured in the clashes, the worst violence since police used tear gas on protesters more than two weeks ago.
The TVB channel said the incident was filmed early Wednesday as police cleared a road tunnel near the main protest site and as they arrested 45 protesters and used pepper spray on many others who refused to get out of the way. At least 10 protesters and five police officers were reported to have been injured in the clashes, the worst violence since police used tear gas on protesters more than two weeks ago.
But it was the video that dominated attention, provoking condemnation from protest leaders, pro-democracy legislators and human rights groups. It appeared to show seven police officers leading a protester away, before several of them kicked him as he lay on the ground for about four minutes.But it was the video that dominated attention, provoking condemnation from protest leaders, pro-democracy legislators and human rights groups. It appeared to show seven police officers leading a protester away, before several of them kicked him as he lay on the ground for about four minutes.
Several thousand people converged on the main protest site Wednesday evening to hear their leaders demand the arrest of the police officers and urge supporters to continue the struggle.Several thousand people converged on the main protest site Wednesday evening to hear their leaders demand the arrest of the police officers and urge supporters to continue the struggle.
The man in the video was identified as Ken Tsang Kin-chiu, a social worker and member of the ­pro-democracy Civic Party. A photograph of Tsang was later released by activists, showing bruising around his face, neck and back. The man in the video was identified as Ken Tsang Kin-chiu, , a social worker and member of the ­pro-democracy Civic Party. A photograph of Tsang was later released by activists, showing bruising around his face, neck and back.
Dennis Kwok, one of Tsang’s lawyers and a legislator from the Civic Party, said Tsang also bore several marks on his back consistent with beating by a police baton. Kwok said his client had complained of being hit on the head at the police station . Dennis Kwok, one of Tsang’s lawyers and a legislator from the Civic Party, said Tsang also bore several marks on his back consistent with beating by a police baton.
“To be fair, most of the police have behaved with restraint since the Occupy Central movement began, but yesterday really shattered the image of the police,” he said. “There is no denying that police have been handling a very difficult situation, but what happened to Mr. Tsang has no justification.” “To be fair, most of the police have behaved with restraint since the Occupy Central movement began, but yesterday really shattered the image of the police,” Kwok said. “There is no denying that police have been handling a very difficult situation, but what happened to Mr. Tsang has no justification.”
With tempers frayed on the streets, meanwhile, efforts resumed to start talks between the government and student leaders. The British Broadcasting Corp. said its Web site was blocked in China, hours after the video began circulating online.
Raymond Tam Chi-yuen, the secretary for constitutional and mainland affairs, said the government has used a “middleman” to contact the Hong Kong Federation of Students, one of the groups organizing the protests, in a bid to open direct dialogue. The government called off planned talks last week, saying the students’ demands were not realistic and insisting that they end their occupation of the streets before negotiating. The Federation of Students called for the resignations of police commissioner Tsang Wai-hung and the officer in charge of Wednesday morning’s operation.
The London-based rights group Amnesty International described the video as “a vicious attack against a detained man who posed no threat to the police,” and said the officers involved should face justice.
The British Broadcasting Corp. said its Web site was blocked in China, hours after the video began circulating online. “This appears to be deliberate censorship,” said Peter Horrocks, the BBC’s director of global news.
The Federation of Students called for the resignations of police commissioner Tsang Wai-hung and the officer in charge of Wednesday morning’s operation. Later, student leader Lester Shum told thousands of supporters that police had also used pepper spray “like crazy” against protesters.
“What happened last night was so absurd I still can’t accept it,” he said.
In a statement, the Hong Kong police said they were concerned by the video and would investigate in a “just and impartial manner.” Hong Kong’s secretary for security, Lai Tung-kwok, told a news conference the officers shown in the video would be temporarily removed from their positions.In a statement, the Hong Kong police said they were concerned by the video and would investigate in a “just and impartial manner.” Hong Kong’s secretary for security, Lai Tung-kwok, told a news conference the officers shown in the video would be temporarily removed from their positions.
After the video emerged, another channel, Now TV, broadcast a brief clip showing a man they identified as Tsang, wearing an identical ­T-shirt but with his face hidden behind a surgical mask and goggles, stationed on a high vantage point, squirting water from a bottle onto policemen below. The channel said the clip was filmed shortly before Tsang was taken away and beaten.
Police said the violence began when protesters charged their “cordon line” in the Lung Wo Road tunnel on the outskirts of the main protest site Tuesday evening, some with their hands in the air and others carrying umbrellas — a symbol of the demonstrations.
After chasing away the police from the area, the protesters used concrete slabs and manhole covers to block a tunnel near the main city government building. A few hours later, the police struck back, clearing the road and arresting or using pepper spray on anyone who refused to move out of the way quickly enough.
The lawyer and legislator Kwok said he had recorded nine other cases of violence against arrested protesters, aside from Tsang.
Faced with the turmoil, Hong Kong’s unpopular and embattled chief executive, Leung Chun-ying, said he was canceling Thursday’s question-and-answer session in the Legislative Council, the territory’s mini-parliament. The Legco building, as it is known, stands on the edge of the protest zone. Leung told reporters he did not want to “inflame a large protest.”
In Beijing, the Communist Party mouthpiece, the People’s Daily, warned in a front-page commentary that democracy was “no excuse for turmoil” and that protesters’ attempts to force Leung to resign were “doomed to fail.”In Beijing, the Communist Party mouthpiece, the People’s Daily, warned in a front-page commentary that democracy was “no excuse for turmoil” and that protesters’ attempts to force Leung to resign were “doomed to fail.”
“Stability is bliss, and turmoil brings havoc,” it said.
Daniela Deane contributed to this report from London. Kris Cheng Lok-chit contributed from Hong Kong.Daniela Deane contributed to this report from London. Kris Cheng Lok-chit contributed from Hong Kong.