After yesterday’s clashes between groups of protesters demanding democracy and the Hong Kong authorities, leaving over 40 people injured, the local riot police is said to withdraw, CNN reports. Protesters have remained in the streets of one of Asia’s major financial hubs, continuing what they call a “peaceful civil disobedience protest” against the decision of the Chinese government to introduce only limited democratic reforms in 2017. Students protesting against the decision have occupied streets of the Hong Kong Island and parts of Kowloon (the peninsula north of the island), joined by the Occupy Central movement that shares these views.
Although the local government has repeatedly called out to the crowds to keep their calm, the protests have quickly escalated, the Hong Kong police making use of pepper spray and tear gas against the protesters. Groups of students have tried to convince protesters to leave the streets, fearing that the riot police might make use of rubber bullets. Although the mood of the protests has calmed down a bit, not many participants have decided to leave. Cardinal Joseph Zen, former Bishop of Hong Kong and leader of the Occupy Central, has also called on protesters to leave the streets. He told the participants to refrain from risking their lives, as dialogue is impossible at this point.
According to a statement issued by the local government, the protesters are behaving peacefully at the moment, so the authorities have decided to recall the special police forces from the streets. The authorities are asking for the protesters to disperse, allowing emergency vehicles and public transport to pass. The attempts of both government officials and protest leaders to end the demonstration seem to be in vain, though – thousands of protesters still occupy the streets of key financial and commercial districts. The protests are unlikely to end in the short term.
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The protests have started after the decision of only allowing a person selected by the central Chinese government to be elected as Hong Kong’s chief executive. This decision that would reduce democracy in the special territory has sparked the seeds of the civil disobedience movement, that has culminated in the riots that have started yesterday.