Hong Kong police warn protesters against occupying buildings

Hong Kong police promised on Thursday to respond firmly to any attempt by thousands of pro-democracy protesters to occupy administrative buildings, and authorities urged people to immediately end their blockade of the city centre.

The mostly young protesters have demanded Hong Kong’s leader, Leung Chun-ying, step down by the end of Thursday, and want China to introduce full democracy so the city can freely choose its own leader.

Several protest leaders, frustrated at the government’s refusal to meet their demands, have threatened to occupy government buildings if Leung fails to resign.

But the chief executive, appointed by Beijing, has refused to budge, leaving the two sides far apart in a dispute over how much political control China should have over Hong Kong.

Steve Hui, senior superintendent of the Hong Kong police force, said police would take action in accordance with the law if the protesters tried to enter government buildings.

“Whenever there are violent and major incidents and crimes such as fighting and any other situation that jeopardizes safety and public order, police will take resolute and firm action to restore public order,” Hui said, when asked how police would respond should the students carry through with their threat.

“We assure (you) that police will have enough manpower to deal with every single situation.”

Riot police used tear gas, pepper spray and baton charges last weekend to quell unrest, the worst in Hong Kong since China resumed its rule of the former British colony in 1997.

Tens of thousands of people were on the streets of central Hong Kong on Thursday night, below peak numbers seen during six days of mass demonstrations but still significant.

Some protesters said they would go back to work on Friday after a two-day public holiday, but they planned to continue to support the movement by returning in the evenings.

Several thousand people gathered outside Leung’s office in Central business district, where they faced more than 100 police officers wearing riot gear. The situation was calm so far.