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Hong Kong Police Begin Removing Protesters as Dismantling of Camp Proceeds Hong Kong Police Arrest Protesters as Dismantling of Camp Proceeds
(about 1 hour later)
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. HONG KONG — Dozens of the most prominent members of Hong Kong’s pro-democracy movement gave themselves up for arrest in a show of defiance on Thursday after the police swept through a protest camp, tearing down tents, posters and speakers’ platforms that had given voice to anger with the government’s restrictive election plans.
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. For 11 weeks, the street camp in the Admiralty district near the government offices was an impassioned forum for public discontent, drawing in tens of thousands of people at its peak. But after the police received orders to clear the site, the end came swiftly. On Thursday morning, officers cleared a patch of the camp, and in the afternoon they massed, encircling the rest of the site and warning people to leave.
“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.” Hundreds of protesters stayed, risking arrest after officers surrounded the area and issued repeated warnings to depart. 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.
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. Mr. Lai was taken away by the police in silence. Emily Lau, chairwoman of the Democratic Party, chanted “I want true universal suffrage — civil disobedience!” as she was led away, pumping her fist in the air. Other protesters were carried away. “Our determination is the message we want to give out,” said Lee Cheuk-yan, a longtime labor leader and pro-democracy lawmaker, who was among the group waiting to be detained for staying in the area after the warnings.
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. “We will be back,” shouted Claudia Mo, a pro-democratic member of the city legislature, as she was escorted by two police officers to a nearby police bus. Martin Lee, a prominent barrister and veteran pro-democratic politician, followed her. It was not immediately clear whether the police would arrest and charge all the people led away, nor did the police give a count of detentions and arrests.
As some police officers carried or led the defiant protesters into a white bus with barred windows, others advanced through the sprawling Admiralty site, tearing down tents and stripping down the posters, signs and drawings that have festooned the camp. Large trucks with claw-like cranes mounted on the back were used to clear away debris. The democracy advocates’ willingness to face arrest laid bare the political divisions in Hong Kong that have played out in the protests, which spilled onto the streets in late September, when many thousands of protesters occupied three sites across the city. The demonstrators called it the Umbrella Movement or Umbrella Revolution, after the umbrellas used in the protests’ early days to fend off pepper spray from the police. Admiralty was the last large protest camp; another, in the Mong Kok area, was cleared late last month.
The long-expected operation to clear the 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. 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.
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. “The Umbrella Movement has changed Hong Kong’s political and protest culture,” Alex Chow, leader of the Federation of Students, said in an interview while waiting for the police to pull him out of the crowd for arrest. “There will be new rounds of civil disobedience.”
As protesters were led away one by one to a police bus — or in some cases, carried away — the government brought in trucks with claw-like cranes to clear away debris from the sprawling encampment. Police officers tore down tents and stripped down the posters, signs and drawings that have festooned the camp.
Constance So, a slightly built university student, wept as she looked for a way past the tightening ring of police. Her older friends at the camp had urged her to avoid arrest, and so she was leaving, she said.
“It’s like my home,” she said. “I’m leaving my friends behind. I feel like I’m betraying them.”
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.
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.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. Many 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, 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.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.”
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.
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.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.
“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.” “It’s important to show that even if we leave, it is with resistance,” said Arki Cheng, a social worker in his 20s who was looking for somewhere safe to store his tent and other items. 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.
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.