Hong Kong protest camp counts down final hours

Hong Kong's second-highest ranking government official has stepped up calls for protesters to leave the site

Hong Kong's dwindling number of pro-democracy protesters vowed today to stay until the last minute before authorities clear them off a highway where they've been camped out for more than two months.

Dozens of activists and hundreds of tents remained on the normally busy thoroughfare outside of city government headquarters less than a day before police are scheduled to sweep them out.

Many other supporters as well as tourists and office workers visited the site for one final photo opportunity as a reminder of what's come to be known as the 'Umbrella Movement'.

Hong Kong's second-highest ranking government official stepped up calls for protesters to leave the site. Chief Secretary Carrie Lam warned people not to heed calls by student leaders urging those who had turned out for the movement's early stages to return to the scene.

"This is most undesirable, because once the police operation is underway, and knowing very well that there are some radical elements amongst the protesters, confrontation might become inevitable," Lam said.

The government said the headquarters complex would shut down for the day and 3,000 staff would not need to come to work while the police carry out their operation.

The protesters began occupying the road in the Admiralty district and two other neighborhoods on September 28 after police fired tear gas in a failed attempt to disperse them.

The demonstrators are demanding greater democratic reform than Beijing is prepared to allow Hong Kong.