Hong Kong protesters were under pressure to end their pro-democracy campaign yesterday, as their numbers dwindled after a chaotic week of mass rallies, and frustration over disruption and traffic gridlock grew.
The rallies that drew tens of thousands evaporated on Sunday night after a warning from Hong Kong Chief Executive Leung Chun-ying (梁振英) to leave the streets and allow government offices to reopen.
Crowds ebbed to just a few hundred weary activists at their main site in the Admiralty District, but were beginning to gradually pick up again as people left work and headed back to the streets.
Photo: EPA
Student leaders denied that their campaign for free elections had lost momentum, saying they were dug in and would remain there until the government agrees to conditions for talks on political reform.
Leung issued another warning to disperse, saying they should leave the flashpoint district of Mong Kok on the Kowloon Peninsula “as soon as possible.”
The protesters and their well-organized campaign have enjoyed strong public support, but after shutting down parts of the territory for more than a week, irritation has grown. Highways were jammed and subway trains packed yesterday as frustrated commuters tried to find their way to and from work.
Meanwhile, a four-day environment symposium gathering 11 Nobel winners that was due to open tomorrow has been scrapped “due to the sustained disruptions in the city,” the organizers said yesterday.
However, secondary schools closures were lifted and the government said primary schools would reopen today.
Also yesterday, police said they arrested five people over hacking allegations, days after “hacktivist” group Anonymous declared a cyberwar against the territory.
Anonymous last week threatened online sabotage against the police and government, citing the treatment of the protesters.
Police senior superintendent Steve Hui (許鎮德) said five people between the ages of 13 and 39 were arrested for “accessing a computer with criminal or dishonest intent.”
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