MOSCOW, November 25 (Sputnik) — Hong Kong police have arrested 80 protesters and used pepper spray to disperse pro-democracy activists in an attempt to partially clear one of the main protest sites in the city, AFP reports.
Law enforcement officers, who view the activists as “participating in an illegal assembly”, had ordered the protesters to disperse immediately before showering them with the liquid, as reported by the French news agency.
80 activists were arrested for criminal contempt of court, assaulting the police and unlawful assembly. The youngest detainee is 14 years old, according to a lawyer assisting the activists. Veteran lawmaker Leung Kwok-hung is also reportedly among those detained.
Police have been authorized to clear a 50-meter (160-foot) stretch of Argyle Street in Mong Kok district, which has been the scene of bitter clashes. Despite the abovementioned incident, the process has largely been peaceful. With bailiffs present, workers removed barricades from the street, closed to transport for two months. When the workers proceeded into the camp, some activists tried to prevent them from removing the tents.
Police are expected to start clearing Nathan Road, a neighboring street in the same district, on Wednesday. “Tomorrow will be the main event,” asserted Albert Chan, member of the radical pro-democracy People Power party, as quoted by the Associated Press. He contended that on November 26 more people will join the protests, which he dubbed the resistance. “Maybe there will be more arrests tomorrow,” Albert Chan added.
The protests were sparked by Beijing’s decision to vet candidates, who will participate in the election for Hong Kong’s chief executive, scheduled for 2017. Activists claim it is an infringement on democracy. Chinese authorities and protesters have failed to reach a consensus, with both sides still determined to stand their ground.
“I’ll continue to fight for true democracy,” stated Candy Chan, 50, a housewife, who often comes to Mong Kok, as quoted by the AP. “We’re fighting because we want the government to come out and respond to our demands,” she explained.
“Even if they clear this place, our will to fight for genuine universal suffrage hasn’t changed … it will only inspire people to think of other ways to continue this movement,” stated Ken Chu, 27, as quoted by Reuters.
The demonstrations are estimated to have attracted as many as 100,000 people at the height of the protest movement. However, the protest movement, spearheaded by student organizations, may be losing momentum. Many Hong Kong residents have argued that ongoing protests hurt local businesses, urging activists to go home, according to recent polls conducted by Hong Kong University and the Chinese University of Hong Kong. The injunction to clear Argyle Street has thus been granted to a bus company on that ground.
