Hong Kong protests have started to withdraw this Sunday night. The demonstrators who are in front of the office of Hong Kong’s leader, Leung Chun-ying, are slowly decreasing in numbers, as well as those who are in the Mong Kok district, the busiest district in the world according to the Guinness World Records. This is after the chief executive reportedly ordered the local police to make sure that there will be full access to government offices starting tomorrow, Monday.
A handshake between a protest member and a police officer was made in Admiralty as an informal agreement. Student protest group ‘Occupy Central with Love and Peace’ tweeted the photo of the gesture. It apparently eased the tension and avoided further confrontation, and both sides said they are very much ready for a dialogue. Topics of the talks are being expected to include the duty of the police to avoid clashes between the pro-democracy protesters and the people who are against the rallies.
But after an hour, the same group tweeted again, saying that some protestors returned to Lung Wu Road and in Mong Kok, posted along with a set of photos. It was not made clear if the partial withdrawal will eventually lead to the end of the so-called Umbrella Revolution, which started ont September 22nd by members of the student group Hong Kong Federation of Students. But still, the students have been denying reports that they have been blocking access to schools and government offices.
On Sunday afternoon, Hong Kong police chief spokesman Hui Chun-tak held a press conference where he made an appeal to protesters to remove the street barricades. But despite saying that the police will do necessary actions to restore peace and order, there was no mention about the supposed Monday deadline. Besides Mong Kok, other areas where protests are being held include Central, Wan Chai, Causeway Bay, and Tsim Sha Tsui.
From Friday to Sunday morning, dozens of people were hurt and at least 30 people were arrested in Mong Kok. This is due to violent clashes between the pro-democracy activists and anti-Occupy members. Local police have been using pepper spray and batons to control the situation. The Hong Kong protest was ignited by China’s ruling Communist Party’s alleged stance in the upcoming 2017 election.
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