Defiant protesters gather in Hong Kong on China's National Day
Huge crowds of pro-democracy protesters from all walks of life gathered in Hong Kong on Wednesday (01/10/2014) in defiant mood on China's National Day as support for the movement spread around the world.
Hong Kong leader Leung Chun-ying has faced mounting calls to resign and accusations of failing to engage with protesters after their "Umbrella Revolution" campaign for unfettered universal suffrage sparked the biggest civil unrest in the city for decades.
Demonstrators packed a 500-metre stretch of road between downtown neighbourhoods Wanchai and Admiralty Wednesday afternoon after Hong Kong and Beijing politicians gathered to mark Communist China's 65th anniversary.
With offices closed throughout the semi-autonomous Chinese city for a two-day public holiday, there were much larger daytime crowds than on the previous three days of protest, when numbers increased after dark.
International support has also been growing - a Facebook group calling itself "United for Democracy: Global Solidarity with Hong Kong" said it was planning events from Australia to the United States.
Around 300 people gathered in New Zealand's capital Auckland, one of the first protests, while organisers in Taiwan said they were expecting thousands to attend a rally on Wednesday evening.
After an early-morning flag-raising ceremony to mark National Day, Leung chinked glasses of champagne with Chinese officials including Zhang Xiaoming, Beijing's top man in Hong Kong.
"Hong Kong and the mainland are closely linked in their development. We must work hand in hand to make the Chinese dream come true," he told dignitaries at the city's convention centre, urging the community to work together.
Protesters outside booed as two helicopters flew overhead, one bearing a large Chinese flag and the other a smaller Hong Kong banner, while those on the streets later criticised Leung.
"This civil disobedience movement will continue unless CY Leung comes out and has a really serious dialogue with Hong Kong people," said hedge fund manager Edward Chin of pro-democracy group Occupy Central's finance and banking section.
"Of course the Hong Kong people need to work with Beijing, but they can't force a fake democracy on Hong Kong. This is not Tibet. This is not Xinjiang."
Close to tears, Occupy co-founder Chan Kin-man apologised to residents for the disruption the sit-ins have caused and asked for tolerance.
"With this short-term inconvenience, we hope to bring about a system that is more fair," he said.
The protests have paralysed much of the city's central financial district and two other areas, disrupting surface transport and shutting down businesses.
Beijing has been left grappling with one of the biggest challenges to its rule over the city at a time when the Communist Party is cracking down hard on dissent on the mainland.
The most intense civil unrest Hong Kong has experienced since its 1997 handover from British rule was sparked by Beijing's decision in August to restrict who can stand for the city's top post.
Hong Kongers will be able to vote for their next chief executive in 2017 but only two or three candidates vetted by a pro-Beijing committee will be allowed to stand.
Protesters call this fake democracy. They have two demands - that Leung step down and that Beijing rescind its insistence that candidates for future leaders be vetted.
But Beijing has stayed defiant, saying it supports Hong Kong's handling of the protests. Analysts say the chance of the Chinese government backing down is virtually non-existent.
In comments to mark the National Day anniversary, Chinese President Xi Jinping said "all tumours grown on the healthy organism" of the Communist Party must be removed.
"We must never waver in our faith and must never separate ourselves from the people," Xi added at the commemoration Tuesday, according to Xinhua news agency.
While students have been at the forefront of the demonstrations in Hong Kong, others have joined them, particularly since police tear-gassed protesters on Sunday night and triggered an outpouring of support for the crowds.
"We want to fight for our freedom and for everyone to have one vote," said one 65-year-old man surnamed Leung, who had joined the demonstrations with his wife for the first time.
"I wanted to show support for the students, it's for their future," a 58-year-old retiree who gave his name as S. Lam told AFP.
One mainland demonstrator said he had travelled by train to support Hong Kongers.
"It is a strong message that democracy is not brought by the Western world, but by the students, the locals," said David Zhang, a 24-year-old software consultant from the Chinese city of Dongguan. - AFP
