Hong Kong students help to clear protest site

Hong Kong, Nov 18 (IANS/EFE) Students Tuesday cooperated with the Hong Kong police and bailiffs to peacefully evacuate a part of one of the three regions in the city they have occupied since last September to demand greater democracy.

The clearing of the area around the Citic Tower building in the Admiralty financial district, which has been the epicentre of the student movement, began at 10.15 a.m.

People from the building, along with policemen and bailiffs, proceeded to remove barricades while dozens of demonstrators helped to clear obstacles, reducing the area occupied by the protestors.

The move came following a court order Nov 11 for greater access to traffic and movement in two of the three areas taken over by the demonstrators.

The Hong Kong court authorised the police to remove barriers blocking the routes to the seat of the city government at Admiralty and a specific area in the Mong Kok district.

The clearance affects only a small part of the total region occupied by protestors in Admiralty, where thousands of tents remain after almost eight weeks of the protest.

Causeway Bay is the third district that is affected by the protests and has caused traffic problems in the area.

Protests erupted Sep 28 after China announced that Hong Kong's citizens would be able to vote directly in municipal elections only for vetted candidates previously selected by a special commission.

--IANS/EFE

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