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Three Months of Protests End Quietly in Hong Kong Three Months of Protests End Quietly in Hong Kong
(about 1 hour later)
HONG KONG — Pro-democracy protests that swept onto the streets of Hong Kong 11 weeks ago faced a muted ending on Monday, when the police prepared to dismantle the last remaining road occupation, and a prominent student activist, Joshua Wong, was due to appear in court. But the city still faced aftershocks from the months of political strife. HONG KONG — Pro-democracy protests that swept onto the streets of Hong Kong 11 weeks ago faced a muted ending on Monday, when the police dismantled the last remaining road occupation, and a prominent student activist, Joshua Wong, appeared in court with about 30 other arrested protesters.
After almost three months of tumult, the street protests have dwindled to a few dozen tents in the Causeway Bay area, a hectic shopping district, where dozens of protesters waited to be evicted, accompanied by similar numbers of journalists. But the city still faced aftershocks from the months of political strife.
After hundreds of police officers assembled early Monday, one officer declared over a loud speaker that the protesters had 20 minutes to leave. The crowd shouted back in defiance. Several protesters said they would stay and accept arrest as a show of peaceful support for what they call the Umbrella Movement, after the umbrellas used to fend off the police use of pepper spray. After almost three months of tumult, the street protests had dwindled to a few dozen tents in the Causeway Bay area, a hectic shopping district.
“It’s my responsibility," said Harry Chow, 47, a floor polisher who said he had quit his job to join the protests and would accept arrest. “I want to tell people that the Umbrella Movement is not ending, and this is just a small part of it.” Before the police moved in to clear the area, most of the remaining dozens of protesters packed away their tents and sleeping bags and left the road of shops and malls festooned with Christmas decorations. About 16 stayed sitting on the road, waiting to be arrested in a gesture of support for what they call the Umbrella Movement, after the umbrellas used to fend off police pepper spray.
Earlier, most of the remaining protesters were packing away their tents and sleeping bags on a road of shops and malls festooned with Christmas decorations. Many said the police were unlikely to encounter any forceful resistance. “It’s my responsibility,” said Harry Chow, 47, a floor polisher who said he had quit his job to join the protests and would accept arrest. “I want to tell people that the Umbrella Movement is not ending, and this is just a small part of it.”
“Of course, it feels sad,” said Leo Chan, 24, a waiter who was rolling up his tent. Within 30 minutes of the police moving in, the last tent was pulled down and the road was nearly cleared of debris. The camp at Causeway Bay was by far the smallest, and the least volatile, of the street occupations that sprang up across Hong Kong on Sept. 28. That day the police’s use of tear gas and pepper spray to disperse student protesters around the city government headquarters backfired, and tens of thousands of people took to the streets in anger, also demanding that the government heed their calls for democratic voting rights.
“There’s no way we can feel satisfied. We didn’t achieve anything,” he added. “But it’s not the end. It’s essential for the protest forces to continue.”
The camp at Causeway Bay was by far the smallest, and the least volatile, of the street occupations that sprang up across Hong Kong on Sept. 28. That day the police’s use of tear gas and pepper spray to disperse student protesters around the city government headquarters backfired, and tens of thousands of people took to the streets in anger, also demanding that the government heed their calls for democratic voting rights.
On Sunday night, the small protest area overflowed with people making a last visit to the last street camp before it disappeared. Hundreds lined up to have T-shirts and bags stenciled with slogans and images from the democracy movement.
“We achieved something,” said Teresa Liu, a student who said she had regularly stayed at the camp since Sept. 29. “We achieved international notice, and since we got notice, China has no excuse to hide anymore.”“We achieved something,” said Teresa Liu, a student who said she had regularly stayed at the camp since Sept. 29. “We achieved international notice, and since we got notice, China has no excuse to hide anymore.”
But the Hong Kong government gave no substantial concessions, and the protest movement increasingly succumbed to exhaustion and internal fractures. On Thursday, the police demolished the biggest camp, in the Admiralty district, and in late November they pulled down the camp in Mong Kok, a crowded neighborhood where protesters seeking to defend and win back their space on the streets had repeatedly clashed with the police. But the Hong Kong government gave no substantial concessions, and the protest movement increasingly succumbed to exhaustion and internal fractures. On Thursday, the police demolished the biggest camp, adjacent to the city government headquarters in the Admiralty district, and in late November they pulled down the camp in Mong Kok, a crowded neighborhood where protesters seeking to defend and win back their space on the streets had repeatedly clashed with the police.
Even with the streets cleared of barricades, Hong Kong faces reverberations from months of divisive confrontation, including court cases for protesters arrested for resisting the police and similar charges. As well, the government proposal for overhauling elections must undergo a new round of public comment, offering opponents another chance to mobilize.Even with the streets cleared of barricades, Hong Kong faces reverberations from months of divisive confrontation, including court cases for protesters arrested for resisting the police and similar charges. As well, the government proposal for overhauling elections must undergo a new round of public comment, offering opponents another chance to mobilize.
The government’s proposed changes would for the first time allow Hong Kong residents to vote directly for the city’s leader, or chief executive. But protesters and many other critics say the proposed rules would offer only a sham public say. Real power would reside with the Chinese government, which could exclude candidates it did not like.The government’s proposed changes would for the first time allow Hong Kong residents to vote directly for the city’s leader, or chief executive. But protesters and many other critics say the proposed rules would offer only a sham public say. Real power would reside with the Chinese government, which could exclude candidates it did not like.
“In a way, this blew up in Beijing’s face,” Michael C. Davis, a professor of law at the University of Hong Kong, said in an interview. “They’ve got a whole civil society up in arms. The danger is that their answer to problems in Hong Kong has been more control, and this is exactly what’s causing the public tensions.”“In a way, this blew up in Beijing’s face,” Michael C. Davis, a professor of law at the University of Hong Kong, said in an interview. “They’ve got a whole civil society up in arms. The danger is that their answer to problems in Hong Kong has been more control, and this is exactly what’s causing the public tensions.”
Many of the leaders of the protests could face prosecution for their role. On Monday, the Hong Kong High Court was due to hold a hearing for Mr. Wong, the slight, bespectacled 18-year-old who became the best-known leader of the protests. He and others face contempt of court charges stemming from their roles in opposing the police clearance of the Mong Kok camp. On Monday, the Hong Kong High Court held a brief hearing for about 30 arrested protesters, including Mr. Wong, the bespectacled 18-year-old who became one of the movement’s best-known leaders. The judge adjourned the case to early next year.
A few dozen protesters have also continued to camp on space around the Legislative Council’s building near Admiralty. Officials from the legislature had to give their approval before the police could enter the area to remove the protesters, the police have said. The local news media, citing police sources, said that area would also be cleared on Monday.A few dozen protesters have also continued to camp on space around the Legislative Council’s building near Admiralty. Officials from the legislature had to give their approval before the police could enter the area to remove the protesters, the police have said. The local news media, citing police sources, said that area would also be cleared on Monday.
“We still haven’t got what we wanted,” said Jerry Lau, 34, a former driver who was among the protesters at the city legislature building. “I stayed here for over 70 days, so we still want a result.”“We still haven’t got what we wanted,” said Jerry Lau, 34, a former driver who was among the protesters at the city legislature building. “I stayed here for over 70 days, so we still want a result.”