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| Hong Kong authorities begin protest site clearance | |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Hong Kong authorities have begun clearing barricades at the main protest camp in the city centre, after more than two months of pro-democracy demonstrations. | |
| The authorities had warned protestors to leave ahead of the operation, but some vowed to remain. | |
| The number of protesters has fallen to a few hundred, from tens of thousands who first gathered in September. | The number of protesters has fallen to a few hundred, from tens of thousands who first gathered in September. |
| Officials had given protesters a deadline of 09:00 (01:00GMT) to leave. | Officials had given protesters a deadline of 09:00 (01:00GMT) to leave. |
| The BBC's Babita Sharma, who is in the area, says police had been building up their presence at the site during the morning. Shortly after 09:00, bailiffs read out a final warning to leave to protesters. | |
| Shortly after 10:30, bailiffs backed by police moved in and began dismantling barricades in one section of the site. | |
| The protesters want Beijing to allow free elections for the territory's next leader in 2017. China says everyone can vote but a pro-Beijing committee will screen candidates. | The protesters want Beijing to allow free elections for the territory's next leader in 2017. China says everyone can vote but a pro-Beijing committee will screen candidates. |
| 'Non-violent approach' | 'Non-violent approach' |
| The clearance is the result of a court order obtained by a bus company which says the protests have disrupted its business. | The clearance is the result of a court order obtained by a bus company which says the protests have disrupted its business. |
| While the order covers three portions of the Admiralty site, including the main Connaught Road area, Hong Kong police spokesman Cheung Tak-keung said officers would remove obstructions from nearby roads. | While the order covers three portions of the Admiralty site, including the main Connaught Road area, Hong Kong police spokesman Cheung Tak-keung said officers would remove obstructions from nearby roads. |
| He also said they would clear away barricades from a second protest site at Causeway Bay site "at an appropriate time". | He also said they would clear away barricades from a second protest site at Causeway Bay site "at an appropriate time". |
| Student leaders have said that they will remain at the Admiralty site as long as they can but will not offer violent resistance to the operation. | Student leaders have said that they will remain at the Admiralty site as long as they can but will not offer violent resistance to the operation. |
| Some pro-democracy politicians have joined the students at the site. | |
| Some protesters, however, packed up their tents as Thursday dawned. | |
| "I'll probably leave just before the action because my job would be difficult if my name was recorded by police," one 29-year-old protester told AFP news agency. | "I'll probably leave just before the action because my job would be difficult if my name was recorded by police," one 29-year-old protester told AFP news agency. |
| Clashes erupted when a third protest site, at Mong Kok, was cleared last month. On Wednesday, Hong Kong's top civil servant Carrie Lam urged students to leave the Admiralty site peacefully. | Clashes erupted when a third protest site, at Mong Kok, was cleared last month. On Wednesday, Hong Kong's top civil servant Carrie Lam urged students to leave the Admiralty site peacefully. |
| "I will appeal to [students] that they should abide by what they have said all along, and that is to adopt a peaceful, orderly and non-violent approach with a view to avoiding unnecessary confrontation with the police," she said. | "I will appeal to [students] that they should abide by what they have said all along, and that is to adopt a peaceful, orderly and non-violent approach with a view to avoiding unnecessary confrontation with the police," she said. |
| Later that evening, more than 10,000 people gathered at the protest site, chanting pro-democracy slogans. | Later that evening, more than 10,000 people gathered at the protest site, chanting pro-democracy slogans. |