Aerial footage filmed by a drone shows the large number of people joining pro-democracy protests in Hong Kong. Protest leaders have threatened to step up their campaign if the region’s chief executive does not meet them by midnight on Tuesday, after he insisted that Beijing would not retreat on limits to voting reforms Guardian
Downtown Hong Kong is “absolutely packed” with protesters in defiance of Leung Chun-ying’s call for the crowds to disperse, Tania Branigan reports in an audio update.
The size of the crowd is a sign of Leung’s unpopularity even among pro-Beijing residents in Hong Kong, she says.
This is a movement that has developed its own momentum, its own course. There’s a real spontaneity here.
The protesters are wary of alienating potential supporters, so they may try other tactics such as strikes and occupying government buildings, Tania reported.
People don’t want to occupy Central forever. Hong Kong is seen as a quite a politically conservative place and it is easy to forget, when you see these incredible crowds on the streets, that quite a lot of people here don’t really like these protests. There’s a sense even with the organisers, that at some point they are going to have to leave. It may not do them any favours [to stay] it may prompt a backlash if they keep blocking off the streets. They are very keen therefore to move on and try employing other tactics.
There has been a “strikingly” low key police presence since attempts to clear the crowds with tear gas and pepper spray backfired on Sunday night, Tania reports.
Beijing is aware that the more it cracks down the more likely it is that protests will swell. But at the same time Beijing does not want to appear weak by giving into the protesters demands and forcing the resignation of Leung, she explained.
This is Peter Walker, briefly taking the reins of this live blog.
The South China Morning Post reports that diplomats in Hong Kong were somewhat surprised to receive a letter from China’s foreign office more or less ordering them to not hang about at the pro-democracy protests.
Sent to all diplomatic missions, it reads:
At present, some radical groups in Hong Kong are staging illegal activities of assembly and ‘Occupy Central’, some acts of violence and legal offenses have occurred as a result. The Hong Kong police is dealing with them in accordance with the law.
To ensure the safety of all consular personnel and foreign nationals living in Hong Kong, we hope all consulates-general in Hong Kong will strictly abide by the Vienna Convention on consular relations and relevant local laws and regulations of Hong Kong, restrain the behaviors of its consular staffs, and advise its nationals living in Hong Kong to stay away from the sites of assembly and ‘Occupy Central’, so as to avoid violating the law and affecting their own safety and interests.
Article 55 of the Vienna Convention says it is ‘the duty of all persons enjoying [consular] privileges and immunities to respect the laws and regulations of the receiving state. They also have a duty not to interfere in the internal affairs of the state.
Rather than fending off teargas, umbrellas were put to their traditional use during a storm on Tuesday.
A lightning strike is seen over skyscrapers as demonstrators gather outside the central government complex as they protest during a heavy rain storm in Hong Kong. Photograph: Bloomberg/Bloomberg via Getty Images
The Straits Times has a helpful guide to some of the key players in the standoff. From the protesters’ side it profiles Benny Tai, “a mild mannered law academic” considered a moderate until he suggested people power should be used to implement “true democracy”, and Joshua Wong, the “scrawny teenager” who leads the Scholarism student movement.
Benny Tai, one of the leaders of Occupy Central, speaks to a crowd of protesters in Causeway Bay. Photograph: Robert Godden/Robert Godden/Demotix/Corbis
Seventeen year old student leader Joshua Wong outside the Hong Kong government offices Photograph: ALEX HOFFORD/EPA
Tania Branigan has been gauging the mood in Hong Kong by talking to some of the protesters. Here’s what they been saying:
Hymn Tse, 31, and her two-year old daughter, Siria Wong
Hyme Tse and her daughter. Photograph: Tania Branigan/The Guardian
I’ve been reading the news for a few days and decided to come because I want to fight for my baby’s future and support the students. I want other parents to know: it’s not dangerous here - you can come and say what you want. I grew up in a place with freedom. Now I see the tightening [of controls] and I don’t want my girls to grow up somewhere like the Chinese mainland where people can’t speak or express what they want.
Ken Ko, 27, teacher
Ken Ko. Photograph: Tania Branigan/The Guardian
We want to show our will and our beliefs. It’s not a sure success - if everyone comes out only if it is a sure success, then it won’t be successful. The reasons behind all of this are complex. The distorted political system has led to a lot of social issues. But the teargas [used by police] has changed the whole situation. If they use more force, they lose the future of Hong Kong.
Ben, in his 50s (declined to be photographed)
I’ve brought my mum to show her what’s happening. I think she really understands it. I’m like most people: I won’t show up myself until it is the right time. I think Beijing will listen, but I don’t think they will change. Maybe CY Leung will be asked to resign, but it won’t be his choice.
I was in the class boycott [last week] and came here yesterday mainly because I couldn’t stand police being harsh to the crowd. Although I’m not very sure whether these protests will succeed, I want to support them. We are all united. Yesterday it was crowded from Wanchai to Central. I’m surprised by how many people there are - but it should be like this. I think for the first few days people might not have understood, but after students have expressed what they think, I think parents understand why the students came down here. And you do see adults who have come to support it.
Lee Hokfun, 22 and Chan Chunyin, 26, both students
Lee Hokfun (left) and Chan Chunyin. Photograph: Tania Branigan/The Guardian
Lee:
Maybe some people think teenagers are not mature enough and that Hong Kong should be controlled by China. But most teenagers don’t think this way is viable for our future. My parents think this won’t work; they think it’s just a joke and will damage things. They have their values and they won’t accept new ones.
Chan:
It seems like they are waiting for us to get tired or bored and leave now, because using violence will not be successful. Most people in Hong Kong don’t really like the government - when we call for CY Leung to resign, everybody will agree. So how come they are not feeling any embarrassment? Hong Kong was better before [the handover from Britain in] 1997; China has a lot of money and people want it. I don’t think Britain can do much now - they have benefits from business with China so they won’t do anything.
Casar Leung, 25, service industry worker
I’ve been here two days and I’m helping with recycling. There are a lot of people doing support work, giving people food and water and other things, but if we don’t clear things away, it will pollute the environment.
People have their work to do; no one wants to sit here and block the way. It’s dirty. It’s not enjoyable. If the government shows they’re minded to make things better and do something for the people, they won’t all sit here - people will go home. But the government’s policy is just following the mainland.
It called for the end to the sales. Spokesman Andrew Smith said: “The UK must end all arms sales to Hong Kong and immediately investigate if any UK provided arms are being used on protesters.”
The arms supplier Chemring, has confirmed that it has supplied tear gas to Hong Kong “for a number of years”.
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