Hong Kong Protesters Vows to Be Back As Police Swoop Looms

Local Editor

An air of tired resignation hung over Hong Kong's main protest site Wednesday as demonstrators braced for a police clearance after more than two months of rallies -but bright new posters declared "We'll be back".

Police will clear the Admiralty camp on Thursday, opening traffic once more on a multi-lane highway through the heart of the business district that has become home to tents, supply stations and artwork by student-led protesters calling for fully free leadership elections.

Authorities have asked protesters to retreat and have said they will take "resolute action" against those who resist in what they say is a bid to restore public order.

Student leaders are also encouraging non-violence.

"We will not call for a new round of occupying, we'll wait and see what the government will do to meet public opinion," said student leader Alex Chow.
Beijing says that candidates in the leadership elections in 2017 will have to be vetted by a loyalist committee, in what protesters have dismissed as "fake democracy".

And new art around the Admiralty site, which has become a creative hub during the protests, made clear the movement was not over.

"Sweeping away the barricades cannot sweep away public opinion. The body is down but the determination is not. We will be back," read one poster, showing a picture of Arnold Schwarzenegger in the film 'Terminator'.
Another "We will be back" poster was draped across the road and the slogan was created in gold balloons near the main speakers' stage.

In trademark humor for the occupied site, an alien doll wearing goggles and a yellow cape was tied to a sign-post with a shield that read: "Whoever clears me out will be afflicted with stubborn disease until death."

Protesters told of their sadness at the lack of political concessions from Hong Kong or Beijing, who branded the demonstrations illegal.
"To be honest, we failed this time. Having slept on the street for two months, we haven't achieved anything," said 28-year-old theatre worker Karen Ho. "But at least we saw how ugly and ridiculous our government can be."

Others said they were still determined to prove their point.

Source: News Agencies, Edited by website team