'We want real democracy!': Tear-gas, riot police and mayhem on the streets of Hong Kong as thousan

Thousands of students and activists gathered in the city's financial district in protest of anti-democratic leaders
Officers used tear gas and baton charge to break up crowd, but many protesters remain and have set up camp
Beijing last month ruled out open nominations for candidates for the first democratic election in Hong Kong in 2017
Protesters chanted 'Shame on C.Y. Leung', the city's Beijing-backed leader, while shielding faces from the gas

By Associated Press

Published: 08:47 EST, 28 September 2014 | Updated: 04:37 EST, 29 September 2014

Pro-democracy protesters, some wearing surgical masks and holding up umbrellas to protect against tear gas, expanded their rallies throughout Hong Kong on Monday, defying calls to disperse in a major pushback against Beijing's decision to limit democratic reforms in the Asian financial hub.

Police officers tried to negotiate with protesters camped out on a normally busy highway near the Hong Kong government headquarters that was the scene of tear gas-fueled clashes that erupted the evening before.

An officer with a bullhorn tried to get them to clear the way for the commuters. A protester, using the group's own speaker system, responded by saying that they wanted Hong Kong's Chief Executive Leung Chun-ying to demand a genuine choice for the territory's voters.

'Do something good for Hong Kong. We want real democracy!' he shouted.

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Resistance: Thousands of protesters are still gathered in Hong Kong's financial district despite police throwing tear gas at them and launching a baton charge

Force: The authorities have threatened to increase their use of force if the student activists, who are demanding democratic elections, do not disperse

Disruption: The protest marks the end of a week of activities which has become the worst unrest in Hong Kong since Britain handed the province back to China

Hong Kong police rained tear gas on thousands of pro-democracy protesters in the city's financial district today as tensions over the island's democratic rights grow


China has called the protests illegal and endorsed the Hong Kong government's crackdown. The clashes - images of which have been beamed around the world - are undermining Hong Kong's image as a safe financial haven, and raised the stakes of the face-off against President Xi Jinping's government. Beijing has taken a hard line against threats to the Communist Party's monopoly on power, including clamping down on dissidents and Muslim Uighur separatists in the country's far west.

The mass protests are the strongest challenge yet to Beijing's decision last month to reject open nominations for candidates under proposed guidelines for the first-ever elections for Hong Kong's leader, promised for 2017. Instead, candidates must continue to be hand-picked by Beijing - a move that many residents viewed as reneging on promises to allow greater democracy in the semi-autonomous territory.
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Democracy: The students are demanding a free vote in upcoming elections after the Chinese government hand-picked candidates loyal to the regime
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The protest has been spearheaded largely but student-age activists but has gathered momentum among a broad range of people from high school students to the elderly.

Protesters also occupied streets in other parts of Hong Kong Island, including the upscale shopping area of Causeway Bay as well as across the harbor in densely populated Mong Kok on the Kowloon peninsula. The city's transport department said roads in those areas were closed.

More than 200 bus routes have been canceled or diverted in a city dependent on public transport. Subway exits have also been closed or blocked near protest area. Authorities said some schools in areas near the main protest site would be closed.

Leung urged people to go home, obey the law and avoid causing trouble.

'We don't want Hong Kong to be messy,' he said as he read a statement that was broadcast early Monday.

www.dailymail.co.uk... -return.html

Mass unrest in Hong Kong because the Chinese authorities have decided to rule out open nominations for candidates for the first democratic election in Hong Kong in 2017... The candidates will all be chosen by the Chinese Communist Party, and the people won't be able to vote for who they really want.

Unfortunately this was bound to happen. It was a bad decision to give Hong Kong to China, to have another autonomous state being forced into the red iron curtain.

These protests have been going on for weeks now, and this one has been one of the strongest protests so far.

I feel bad for our brothers and sisters in Hong Kong who only want freedom from the communist regime. If any of you can read this, be assured that there are many of us who stand with you.

I really hope this doesn't turn into another Tiananmen square protest, but I am also hoping that the Chinese government would take off their communist blinders and allow the people of Hong Kong to have truly free elections, and let the people decide the candidates as well... But I know that unfortunately that won't happen.

a reply to: ElectricUniverse

History seems to teach us that the Left ultimately becomes the new Right.

It's the same story all over:

-A country is full of autocrats,

-People revolt, throw off the autocrats,

-People create new government "for the people",

-New government become conservative, it creates a military to ward off the "counter-revolution" people,

-New generation of people feel the "popular" government is autocratic,

-New generation revolts,

-History repeats itself all over again.

******

(yawns) Nothing new here.

S&F nevertheless for proving History right.

a reply to: ElectricUniverse

I never know what to call them?

Hong Kongers, Hong Kongonians, Hong Kongalers?


Power to the people, Pumps fist.

Checks carry out on speed dial.

The government of China is about to get its comeuppance for decades of autocratic abuse of its people.....
This is just the tip of the iceberg.....The Chinese people are about to get nasty......

originally posted by: SLAYER69
a reply to: ElectricUniverse

I never know what to call them?

Hong Kongers, Hong Kongonians, Hong Kongalers?


Power to the people, Pumps fist.

Checks carry out on speed dial.

Hong Kong people or Hongkongers or Hong Kongese. I think "Hong Kongese" it's a good name, but then again maybe they should decide.

a reply to: stirling

Hong Kong is an independent power.

Real democracy is mob rule.

And it sure the hell is not a very pretty sight when seen in action.

They should want a real republic.

Where the rights of the individual is protected from the mob.

Funny that these protests coincide with China dumping the dollar on the 30th
www.abovetopsecret.com...

It is all to familiar, where has this type of thing happened before???? Next you will have the government campaigning to send "aid" to the protesters.....

originally posted by: Nechash
a reply to: stirling

Hong Kong is an independent power.

Hong Kong was given back to China by the UK in the 1990's. China established a 1 gove4rnment 2 system setup, allowing Hong Kong greater freedoms / choices. The agreement China made was to allow for universal suffrage in Hong Kong, but welched on that agreement, resulting in the protests.

Hong Kong is a part of China, not independent.


@ some of the other comments in the thread.

I do think china is in trouble. With the issues in their west, to the mass strikes that have been taking place the last few years, to Hong Kong.

The Chinese government actually started arming their police in certain areas because of the issues. The only way for China to keep control is to use excessive force, like they did in Tiananmen.

i am amazed that the video / images were able to get out of the country.

a reply to: Xcathdra

Independence is a description of its de facto operating style, not its de jure legal status. Hong Kong and China are day and night, and the success of Hong Kong was so great that China has begun emulating its style of governance in other special economic zones. They have plans to expand these regions, not just within their own country, but all around the globe. If China wanted to protect Hong Kong from democratic demonstrations, they would not be going on in the first place. China is so paranoid that if you and I were to fly there and to start up a Lepidopterists' club that got more than five members, we'd probably enter a prison never to be seen or heard from again. I am confident, whatever the truth really is, the news isn't reporting it accurately.

Did you hear about the massive peaceful protests in Pakistan? I hear they are breaking world records.

History Rhyming for the Star in the East again...

Tianammen Square 2.0.

This time, new and improved, with more bodies to put those free thinkers in their place. I mean after all, can't have the economic shipping powerhouse of your country feeling as if they can actually have the freedom they did under British rule, now can they?

originally posted by: sosobad
Funny that these protests coincide with China dumping the dollar on the 30th
www.abovetopsecret.com...

It is all to familiar, where has this type of thing happened before???? Next you will have the government campaigning to send "aid" to the protesters.....

They are not protesting for the dollar, but for the fact that they won't have a say on who the candidates for the 2017 elections will be.

The Chinese government made this decision known to the people of Hong Kong last month and there have been several protests since then. This one is the latest protest. The protest has nothing to do with "any of the CCP's decision on the U.S. dollar". The protests have been happening because the people of Hong Kong want to have free elections.

This is a pretty big ongoing news story but not much of a mention here on ATS.

People in several places are protesting and fighting for there rights and freedoms worldwide!!!!

Are they all just looters and rioters?? Or do they have a valid reason to protests?

I've always wanted to see a China free of Communist rule..

I hope this snowballs even though it may bring a lot of violence and death.