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Hong Kong Police Warn Remaining Protesters to Leave or Face Arrest Hong Kong Police Begin Removing Protesters as Dismantling of Camp Proceeds
(35 minutes later)
HONG KONG — Demonstrators and the Hong Kong police prepared for a showdown on Thursday, after the police cleared part of the city’s last major pro-democracy protest camp and warned the crowd in the rest of the area to leave quickly or face arrest. HONG KONG — Dozens of the most prominent members of Hong Kong’s pro-democracy movement offered themselves up for arrest on Thursday, in a show of shared defiance after the police began dismantling a protest camp that for more than 10 weeks posed a dramatic challenge to the government’s restrictive election plans.
The warning from the police, which came after officers had encircled and sealed off the large camp in the Admiralty district near government headquarters, rang out through loudspeakers across the site. Protesters who were determined to defy the warning responded with jeers and shouts. The police had warned people to leave the street camp in the Admiralty district near the government offices, but hundreds of protesters stayed, risking arrest after officers surrounded the area and issued repeated warnings to depart.
But there was little if any resistance as the clearance of the main site — a sprawling conglomeration of tents, protest art and improvised construction — got underway. Hundreds of police officers began moving slowly into the encampment from two directions, taking down tents, banners and other material. “Our determination is the message we want to give out,” said Lee Cheuk-yan, a longtime labor leader and pro-democracy lawmaker. “The young people have awakened, this is really the gain of the movement.”
The holdouts included a roll call of Hong Kong’s pro-democracy movement: lawyers, legislators, student leaders and Jimmy Lai, the media mogul who has regularly challenged the Chinese government.
Their willingness to face arrest laid bare the deep political divisions in Hong Kong that have played out in the protests, which spilled onto the streets in late September, when thousands of protesters occupied three sites across the city. The Admiralty site was the last large protest camp; another, in the Mong Kok district, was cleared late last month.
As some police officers advanced through the Admiralty site on Thursday, tearing down tents and stripping down the posters, signs and drawings that have festooned the sprawling camp, other officers began carrying or walking defiant protesters one by one into a white bus with barred windows.
Two of the first three were young women; one was carried away shouting defiance, while the other walked between two women police officers, her head down, a pink knapsack on her back. A young man who was carried away by four officers clenched his first and yelled, “We want universal suffrage!”
The long-expected operation to clear the Admiralty site had begun hours earlier, facing little if any resistance. In the morning, the police without incident cleared away barricades from a small part of the camp that was covered by a court injunction. But demonstrators had already essentially abandoned that area, and it was unclear whether the clearance of the entire camp would proceed as smoothly.
A senior police superintendent, Kwok Pak-chung, warned protesters at a brief news conference that “if you refuse to leave, police will take action to disperse or arrest.” While the protests have mostly been peaceful, demonstrators and the police have at times clashed.
After the police issued a warning by loudspeaker to leave or face arrest, hundreds of officers began moving slowly into the larger encampment from two directions, taking down tents, banners and other material.
People filed peacefully out of the camp at a designated police checkpoint, where they were asked to present identification; the police had warned earlier that anyone who stayed past a certain time would be subject to possible legal action.People filed peacefully out of the camp at a designated police checkpoint, where they were asked to present identification; the police had warned earlier that anyone who stayed past a certain time would be subject to possible legal action.
Meanwhile, dozens of protesters who had decided to be arrested sat waiting for the police. One of them was Liu Chu-tong, a 27-year-old graphic designer who said he had been volunteering at one of the camp’s first-aid booths for weeks. Meanwhile, the dozens who had decided to be arrested sat waiting for the police. One of them was Liu Chu-tong, a 27-year-old graphic designer who said he had been volunteering at one of the camp’s first-aid booths for weeks.
“I chose to stay here to get arrested because I think it could touch more people,” Mr. Liu said. “That’s how I came out in the first place — I was moved by the students.”“I chose to stay here to get arrested because I think it could touch more people,” Mr. Liu said. “That’s how I came out in the first place — I was moved by the students.”
He added, “In the end, it’s not just about fighting for true universal suffrage, but awakening more people to care about politics. We’re writing history every day.”He added, “In the end, it’s not just about fighting for true universal suffrage, but awakening more people to care about politics. We’re writing history every day.”
The developments came several hours into a long-expected police operation to effectively end the street demonstrations that have encircled the political heart of Hong Kong for more than 10 weeks, laying bare the divisions over the city’s political future.
On Thursday morning, the police had without incident cleared away barricades from a small part of the Admiralty camp that was covered by a court injunction. But demonstrators had already essentially abandoned that area, and it was unclear whether the clearance of the entire camp would proceed as smoothly.
A senior police superintendent, Kwok Pak-chung, warned protesters at a brief news conference that “if you refuse to leave, police will take action to disperse or arrest.” While the protests calling for fully democratic elections have mostly been peaceful, demonstrators and the police have at times clashed.
Elsewhere in Hong Kong, several well-known participants in the protest movement were arrested in or near their homes on Thursday. They included Wong Yeung-tat, leader of a group called Civic Passion, who was arrested on suspicion of participating in unlawful assemblies, according to his wife, Chan Sau-wai.Elsewhere in Hong Kong, several well-known participants in the protest movement were arrested in or near their homes on Thursday. They included Wong Yeung-tat, leader of a group called Civic Passion, who was arrested on suspicion of participating in unlawful assemblies, according to his wife, Chan Sau-wai.
Among those remaining at the Admiralty camp was Cyrena Leung, a university student who said she had slept at the demonstrations for the past two months. “I am afraid that I’ll get arrested, but I feel I need to stand firm until the very end,” she said. “My goal is to fight for true universal suffrage — if everyone were scared, there would be no occupation movement here.” The protesters in Admiralty who ignored the police warnings to leave included clusters of young men and women in the by-now-familiar garb of frontline activists: safety and motorcycle helmets, masks, elbow and knee protectors, and sometimes plastic shields. Some said they would not court confrontation with the police but were prepared for it.
She added, “The more people there are here, the safer it will be for everyone.”
The protesters who ignored the police warnings to leave included clusters of young men and women in the by-now-familiar garb of frontline activists: safety and motorcycle helmets, masks, elbow and knee protectors, and sometimes plastic shields. Some said they would not court confrontation with the police but were prepared for it.
“Experience shows the police have used violence, so we have to be prepared,” said one protester wearing a motorcycle helmet, a teacher who gave only his surname, Chu. “We can’t predict how heavily the police will use force, but we’re ready to protect ourselves.”“Experience shows the police have used violence, so we have to be prepared,” said one protester wearing a motorcycle helmet, a teacher who gave only his surname, Chu. “We can’t predict how heavily the police will use force, but we’re ready to protect ourselves.”
“We’ll stay as long as we can but don’t want to get caught,” said Arki Cheng, a social worker in his 20s who was looking for somewhere safe to store his tent and other belongings. “As long as we have enough people, I’m not so afraid,” he said. “It’s important to show that even if we leave, it is with resistance.” But other people scurried to leave, arms full of belongings.“We’ll stay as long as we can but don’t want to get caught,” said Arki Cheng, a social worker in his 20s who was looking for somewhere safe to store his tent and other belongings. “As long as we have enough people, I’m not so afraid,” he said. “It’s important to show that even if we leave, it is with resistance.” But other people scurried to leave, arms full of belongings.
In Tamar Park, a grassy expanse beside the government buildings, medical volunteers had set up four first aid tents, in case people were injured in the impending clearance. “We’re most of all prepared for pepper spray,” said a medical student at one of the tents, who gave only her surname, Wu. In Tamar Park, a grassy expanse beside the government buildings, medical volunteers had set up four first-aid tents, in case people were injured in the impending clearance. “We’re most of all prepared for pepper spray,” said a medical student at one of the tents, who gave only her surname, Wu.
The protesters are calling for fully democratic elections for the city’s leader, or chief executive. They object to the Chinese government's framework for the elections, which for the first time would allow the general public to vote for the chief executive but would effectively let Beijing screen the candidates. The protesters are calling for fully democratic elections for the city’s leader, or chief executive. They object to the Chinese government’s framework for the elections, which for the first time would allow the general public to vote for the chief executive but would effectively let Beijing screen the candidates.