Tensions in Hong Kong soared yesterday after police were seen unloading boxes of tear gas and rubber bullets close to the territory’s besieged government headquarters as the authorities urged pro-democracy demonstrators to disperse “as soon as possible.”
Protesters have shut down central areas of the territory with a mass sit-in, including outside the Legislative Council building, and had given Hong Kong Chief Executive Leung Chun-ying (梁振英) until midnight last night to step down, or face escalated action.
China backed the territory’s embattled leader, saying it was behind Leung “firmly and unshakably” and pledged support for the police as protesters prepared for a fifth night on the barricades.
Photo: AFP
Days of peaceful demonstrations have seen tens of thousands of people take over Hong Kong’s usually traffic-heavy streets as they demand Beijing grant fully free elections in the semi-autonomous territory.
Last month, China said Hong Kongers would be able to vote for their next leader in 2017, but only those vetted by a loyalist committee would be allowed to stand — something demonstrators have dismissed as a “fake democracy.”
Hong Kong authorities said yesterday they wanted the streets cleared around the government headquarters, with more than 3,000 civil servants expected to return to the headquarters after a two-day public holiday.
In a statement, officials called on protesters “not to block the access there and to disperse peacefully as soon as possible.”
The late afternoon resupply by police officers caused widespread alarm among protesters as their leaders issued fresh calls for people to swell their ranks.
Pictures shared widely on social media and television showed one barrel with the words “round, 38mm rubber baton multi” written on it. Another had “1.5 in CS” emblazoned on it, a possible reference to CS gas.
The Chinese Communist Party has shown no sign of bowing to protesters’ twin demands. An editorial in party mouthpiece the People’s Daily yesterday warned against chaos in the territory, adding that Beijing supported “the police of the special territory in handling these illegal protests according to the law.”
The demonstrators consider Leung a Beijing stooge and protest leaders wanted yesterday’s ultimatum to be met.
“We will consider having different operating actions in future days, including occupying other places, like important government offices,” said Agnes Chow (周庭) of the student movement Scholarism.
Analysts say it is unlikely that Leung will step down, in what would be a massive loss of face for the establishment.
“If Beijing forces him to resign, they will be seen to be buckling under pressure from the protesters. They might give out signals that he has been sidelined, but the likelihood of his immediate dismissal... is not very high,” said Willy Lam (林和立), Chinese University of Hong Kong professor.
However, Lam added that the longer the protests affect Hong Kong, the more pressure Chinese President Xi Jinping (習近平) would be under to act.
Tropical Storm Gaemi strengthened into a typhoon at 2pm yesterday, and could make landfall in Yilan County tomorrow, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said yesterday. The agency was scheduled to issue a sea warning at 11:30pm yesterday, and could issue a land warning later today. Gaemi was moving north-northwest at 4kph, carrying maximum sustained winds near its center of up to 118.8kph and gusts of 154.8kph. The circumference is forecast to reach eastern Taiwan tomorrow morning, with the center making landfall in Yilan County later that night before departing from the north coast, CWA weather forecaster Kuan Shin-ping (官欣平) said yesterday. Uncertainty remains and
SEA WARNING LIKELY: The storm, named Gaemi, could become a moderate typhoon on Wednesday or Thursday, with the Taipei City Government preparing for flooding A tropical depression east of the Philippines developed into a tropical storm named Gaemi at 2pm yesterday, and was moving toward eastern Taiwan, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said. Gaemi could begin to affect Taiwan proper on Tuesday, lasting until Friday, and could develop into a moderate typhoon on Wednesday or Thursday, it said. A sea warning for Gaemi could be issued as early as Tuesday morning, it added. Gaemi, the third tropical storm in the Pacific Ocean this typhoon season, is projected to begin moving northwest today, and be closest to Taiwan on Wednesday or Thursday, the agency said. Today, there would likely
DISRUPTIONS: The high-speed rail is to operate as normal, while several airlines either canceled flights or announced early departures or late arrivals Schools and offices in 15 cities and counties are to be closed today due to Typhoon Gaemi, local governments announced last night. The 15 are: Taipei, New Taipei City, Taoyuan, Tainan, Keelung, Hsinchu and Kaohsiung, as well as Yilan, Hualien, Hsinchu, Miaoli, Chiayi, Pingtung, Penghu and Lienchiang counties. People should brace for torrential rainfall brought by the storm, with its center forecast to make landfall on the east coast between tonight and tomorrow morning, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said. The agency issued a sea warning for the typhoon at 11:30pm on Monday, followed by a land warning at 11:30am yesterday. As of
CASUALTY: A 70-year-old woman was killed by a falling tree in Kaohsiung as the premier warned all government agencies to remain on high alert for the next 24 hours Schools and offices nationwide are to be closed for a second day today as Typhoon Gaemi crosses over the nation, bringing torrential rain and whipping winds. Gaemi was forecast to make landfall late last night. From Tuesday night, its outer band brought substantial rainfall and strong winds to the nation. As of 6:15pm last night, the typhoon’s center was 20km southeast of Hualien County, Central Weather Administration (CWA) data showed. It was moving at 19kph and had a radius of 250km. As of 3pm yesterday, one woman had died, while 58 people were injured, the Central Emergency Operation Center said. The 70-year-old