Hong Kong protesters 'should go home or face arrest'
The territory's chief secretary warns pro-democracy protesters they face arrest following court order
By Benjamin Garvey
HONG KONG
Hong Kong Chief Secretary Carrie Lam Tuesday told pro-democracy demonstrators Tuesday to go home and warned they faced arrest if they remain at the protest sites, local media reported.
Lam, the second highest ranking official in the territory, spoke out a day after the High Court ordered bailiffs to clear roadblocks erected by activists in Mong Kok and Admiralty following the extension of injunctions against the protests, according to government-funded broadcaster RTHK.
She said the court had authorized bailiffs to request police assistance if necessary. “To uphold the rule of law, police are preparing to enforce the law, including making arrests,” Lam said.
Her comments raise the prospect of renewed violence between protesters and police, who have infrequently clashed during the seven-week occupations, seen as the biggest challenge to Beijing's grip on Hong Kong since the 1997 handover from Britain.
On Monday, a judge extended interim restraining orders taken out three weeks ago against protesters and ordered that anyone who interfered with bailiffs dismantling barricades be arrested and brought before the court.
The Federation of Students, one of the groups leading the protests, said the court had "indirectly" issued arrest warrants for protesters by extending the injunctions.
Previous police attempts to clear protesters by force have backfired, drawing sympathizers on to the streets and forcing the authorities to retreat.
Lam, who is standing in for Chief Executive Leung Chun-ying while he is in Beijing for the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit, said “there is no room for dialogue” with student leaders unless their views are “related” to the government’s consultation agenda, the South China Morning Post reported Tuesday.
The protest groups are seeking changes to proposals passed in August that pave the way for candidates for the 2017 chief executive election to be selected by a committee protesters fear would select only pro-Beijing candidates.
Lam noted that the Federation of Students was seeking a meeting with central government officials, which she said was unnecessary “if they go to Beijing only to repeat their views,” the Post said.
“But if they have new views about what to do next with the political reform, especially views that are related to the second round of the [government’s] consultation, we will always welcome them,” Lam added.
The federation has written to Rita Fan, the territory’s only representative on the National People’s Congress Standing Committee, which passed August’s decision, asking her to facilitate a meeting with Beijing officials. Former chief executive Tung Chee-hwa appeared to decline a similar request on Monday.
Hundreds of protesters have remained at the protests sites since late September and numbers typically swell to thousands in the evenings and on weekends or after force is used against the demonstrators.
