Student leader Alex Chow, center with microphone, defended the group’s demands and said they would join forces with democratic lawmakers. European Pressphoto Agency HONG KONG—This city’s government scrapped negotiations with students a day before they were scheduled to take place, a sign the administration is taking a harder line with the protesters, whose numbers have dwindled in the nearly two-week standoff. The government’s unilateral decision Thursday appeared to double-down on its strategy of letting the protesters continue their sit-ins until they wore out or public opinion turned against them. The move puts pressure on the students to justify their occupation, which has choked traffic and dealt a blow to local businesses. But student leaders remained defiant, calling on supporters to return to the streets in droves for a large rally on Friday, and joining forces with pro-democracy lawmakers who promised to block legislation in the city’s Legislative Council. Despite the shrinking crowds in recent days, the streets remain barricaded in three key areas of the city. The government’s pullout was announced by Carrie Lam, the city’s No. 2 official, who is known as a conciliator. The protesters’ main demand is public nomination of candidates for Hong Kong chief executive, the city’s top post. That goes directly against Beijing’s decision on Aug. 31 that the nomination of candidates be approved by a nominating committee largely loyal to Beijing. Commuters passed through pro-democracy protester camps near the Hong Kong government headquarters on Thursday. Bloomberg News Ms. Lam accused the students of “shifting their demands.” She said students were now calling for the Chinese government to rescind its decision, which she called a breach of the Basic Law, Hong Kong’s mini-constitution. She said a previous open letter from students to the government on Oct. 2 didn’t include this demand. For talks to convene, the students would have to accept the Beijing decision and stop promoting protests, she said. She also accused protest leaders of using the negotiations as a way to incite more people to join the “unlawful” demonstrations. “I urge protesters to take into account public interest and retreat from the occupied site immediately,” Ms. Lam said. Alex Chow, leader of the Hong Kong Federation of Students, said “the government intentionally terminated the possibility of a meeting” and said the group’s demands were “totally reasonable.” Ms. Lam made her announcement just 90 minutes after the protesters announced they had stepped up their campaign with the partnership with lawmakers who would extend the protest into the legislature. Pro-democracy lawmaker Alan Leong, speaking at a news conference with the leaders of the three main protest groups, called for “a new era of noncooperation.” He said legislators aligned with the protesters would block motions on funding that require approval in Hong Kong’s Legislative Council, a move that could freeze legislative action. The democratic legislators control two subcommittees, including the one controlling public works, which means new infrastructure initiatives could be delayed. Michael DeGolyer, a professor at Hong Kong Baptist University, said that the lawmakers’ decision to join the movement by vowing to block financial decisions at the committee level appears to be a “pre-filibuster” move that could result in a major slowdown in the passing of bills. He said it was a strategic move by the protester camp to open up a new front “to pressure the government to concede on constitutional reform.” Hong Kong protest leader, 17-year-old Joshua Wong of Scholarism, talks to the WSJ about the movements next steps and how he feels about U.S. support. The student federation and Scholarism, a high-school student group, as well as activist movement Occupy Central, have acted as the main organizers of the protests. Joshua Wong, the founder of Scholarism, appealed for students to keep coming out to the streets. He called for a large rally Friday night and asked supporters to erect tents and camp out at the garden next to the office of Hong Kong Chief Executive Leung Chun-ying. Few demonstrators were in the streets Thursday in the three protest areas. At the epicenter, near government buildings in Hong Kong’s Admiralty district, a few dozen demonstrators were scattered outside government buildings, a far cry from the thousands in the past week. Some Protesters Remain in the Streets View Slideshow EPA Hong Kong Protests Apps Speed Up, and Often Muddle, Protesters’ Messages Video: Joshua Wong Wants Action, Not Words From Obama Joshua Wong: Protesters Will Come Back Hong Kong Leader Leung Faces Scrutiny Over Payment China’s World: Tumult Derails ‘One China’ Dream Analysis: What Comes Next for Hong Kong? Video: How Protests Unfolded Video: Insurance Man by Day, Occupy Protester at Night 360 Degree Views From Protest Sites Admiralty, mid-protest. Henry Williams/The Wall Street Journal Ever since the Tuesday agreement to hold the talks to resolve the protests, apprehension has clouded the atmosphere between student protest leaders and the Hong Kong government. While government officials have complained that the student groups encourage protesters to remain in the streets, student groups have in turn accused the government of insincerity over the past two days. Agnes Chow, a spokeswoman for Scholarism, said the group had considered pulling out from thinly occupied streets, but hadn’t taken action for fear of losing leverage in negotiations with the government. “But we are also aware that we can’t block roads or streets that make a majority of citizens there unhappy,” she said. Mr. Wong, the Scholarism leader, said students would reach out in different neighborhoods to explain the group’s efforts in response to growing annoyance at disruption caused by the lengthy spate of protests. —Fiona Law, Isabella Steger and Mia Lamar contributed to this article. Write to Jason Chow at jason.chow@wsj, Chester Yung at chester.yung@wsj and Isabella Steger at isabella.steger@wsj
Posted on: Thu, 09 Oct 2014 23:27:38 +0000