On National Day, HK defiant

UMBRELLA REVOLUTION Pro-democracy activists raise stakes in the stand off as govt pleads for calm

HONG KONG: Student leaders of pro-democracy protests in Hong Kong warned Wednesday that if the territory’s leader doesn’t resign by the end of Thursday they will step up their actions, including occupying several important government buildings.

By raising the stakes in the standoff, the protest leaders are risking another round of confrontation with the police who are unlikely to allow government buildings to be stormed. It also puts pressure on the Chinese government, which has so far remained mostly silent and preferred to let Hong Kong Chief Executive Leung Chunying deal with the crisis.

The student leaders, who have played a key role in organizing the protests to press for greater electoral reforms, would welcome an opportunity to speak to a Chinese central government official, Lester Shum, vice secretary of the Hong Kong Federation of Students, said at a news conference.

“However, we ask them to come to the square and speak to the masses,” Shum said. “This is a movement of Hong Kongers and not led by any specific group.”

Shum demanded that Leung resign by the end of Thursday. He said there was “no room for dialogue” with Leung because he ordered police to fire tear gas at protesters over the weekend, after the street protests started Friday.

“Leung Chun-ying must step down. If he doesn’t resign by tomorrow we will step up our actions, such as by occupying several important government buildings,” he said, adding that demonstrators won’t occupy “essential” government offices, such as hospitals and social welfare offices.

The protesters oppose Beijing’s decision in August that candidates for the territory’s top post in inaugural 2017 elections must be approved by a committee of mostly pro-Beijing local elites. The protesters don’t want such restrictions and see China as reneging on a promise that the chief executive will be chosen through “universal suffrage.”

Earlier Wednesday, a holiday, protesters kept behind police barricades heckled Leung as he attended a flag-raising ceremony on China’s National Day.

REUTERS A pro-democracy protester argues with a pro-Beijing demonstrator (not pictured) as people block areas around the government headquarters building in Hong Kong on Thursday.