Hong Kong protesters choose to remain in Admiralty encampments
HONG KONG, (UPI) -- Leaders of Hong Kong's student protest movement have decided to remain in street encampments, setting up the potential for conflict with police attempting to clear protest sites.
"We only hope the government will have dialogue again with students. Why is the government escaping from this?" Joshua Wong said Monday. Wong, who concluded a four-day hunger strike after advice from his doctor, added protesters in the city's Admiralty district, where hundreds of tents block streets and sidewalks, should remain peaceful if the government tries to clear the site this week.
Police used force and made arrests in removing another protesters' site two weeks ago after receiving court orders to do so.
Student leaders said the decision to stay in place in the Admiralty district was made after it was clear the protesters would not abandon their positions, regardless of decisions by leadership. A new group, identifying itself as Student Front, said the Admiralty area protest would remain despite the actions of student leaders.
"If we retreat, the situation will only get more violent because there is only one voice," an unidentified student leader said, the Wall Street Journal reported Monday, adding demonstrators would peacefully give themselves up if they are arrested.
The protests, which began three months ago over suspected threats to Hong Kong's democratic status within China, have coalesced around a more humble goal, the resignation of city executive C. Y. Leung. A demonstration last week at Leung's office prompted a police barricade of the building, and revealed divisions within the protest movement.
"Young activists are getting impatient. They think the government has no sincerity to respond. So they will extend the scale of action. Irrespective of what further action they will take, there is a consensus among us that they would not use violence," said protest leaders Albert Ho.
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