Hong Kong Leader Says Protests in Vain after Violent Clashes

Local Editor

Hong Kong's leader said Monday that pro-democracy protests were "in vain" after police used pepper spray and batons on students trying to storm government headquarters overnight, in some of the worst violence since the rallies began.

With the protests now into their third month and frustrations mounting, Chief Executive Leung Chun-ying hinted that further police action may be imminent, in his most forceful comments in recent weeks.

"I have pointed out before that Occupy Central is not only illegal but it will also be in vain," Leung said, describing the continued protests as "intolerable".

"Now the [public] demand for police clearance is increasing. From now on, police will enforce the law without hesitation," he told reporters.

But the leader of the student group spearheading the movement declared Sunday night's action a success.

"The government headquarters was paralysed this morning... to a certain extent, the goal of the action was achieved," Alex Chow of the Hong Kong Federation of Students told demonstrators Monday at the main Admiralty protest site.

The government offices were closed on Monday morning and the city's legislature suspended after protesters broke through police lines and occupied a major road outside the complex overnight.

Authorities said they had "no other choice" but to use pepper spray and batons to force them back.

By Monday morning crowds had been driven back to the nearby Admiralty protest site, where they voiced their fury.

Police arrested 40 people and 11 officers were injured, a spokesman said. Authorities said a total of 37 people received hospital treatment.

Protesters began staging mass sit-ins on major roads at three locations on September 28, demanding free leadership elections for the semi-autonomous Chinese city in 2017.

Some protesters said police had attacked them for no reason.

Others voiced their doubts over the direction of the movement and Sunday night's call to storm the government HQ.

The protests drew tens of thousands of people at times during their first weeks, but the numbers have dwindled as the movement's leaders struggle to keep up momentum.

Police cleared a protest site in the Mongkok district last week, making more than 140 arrests, but sporadic scuffles have continued there.

Source: News Agencies, Edited by website team