86 protesters arrested in Hong Kong

Hong Kong, Nov 26 (IANS/EFE) At least 86 people were arrested and over a dozen injured in Hong Kong Wednesday in clashes between the police and pro-democracy protesters during the clearing of a protest site in Mong Kok district.

The city police, which deployed thousands of officers, made use of tear-gas and batons to dissuade protesters from occupying new streets after clearing one of the zones that was occupied by the protesters for almost two months.

Those arrested were detained on charges that included illegal association, attacking an officer on duty, possession of arms and obstructing the authorities, during the intense clashes that lasted for about two hours until 3 a.m., police said in a statement.

Nine policemen were injured in the operation, while the number of protesters injured was not yet clear.

The clashes began Tuesday after police officers helped bailiffs clear a route in Mong Kok in compliance with judicial orders.

After the street was cleared, protesters gathered in the vicinity, disobeying police orders to vacate the region.

Tension continued to escalate while hundreds of officers tried to cordon off intersections to prevent demonstrators from expanding their barricades.

The protesters, armed with umbrellas, helmets and shields, attempted to put up barricades in more streets and temporarily blocked traffic along two routes.

The police operation is aimed at clearing Nathan Street, where a line of tents was spread along several hundred metres of the road, one of the major traffic arteries on the Kowloon peninsula.

Mong Kok district, with a high population density and a large amount of business and tourist activity, has been the scene of one of the most violent clashes since the protests began.

The protesters are demanding a free choice of candidates in voting for the next chief executive in 2017.

China's central government announced in August that Hong Kong citizens could vote directly for one of two or three vetted candidates previously selected by a special commission.

--IANS/EFE

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