David Cameron today said he was “deeply concerned” about Hong Kong as pro-democracy protesters rejected the city leader’s demands for them to go home.
Unprecedented demonstrations have been sparked in the former British colony by Beijing’s insistence on screening election candidates for the post of chief executive on the basis of their patriotism to China.
Hong Kong protests - in pictures
Following five days of protests, the UK prime minister voiced his own worries. He told Sky News: “Of course I feel a deep obligation and I have expressed how concerned we are at what is happening in Hong Kong, because when we reached the agreement with China, there were details of that agreement about the importance of giving the Hong Kong people a democratic future within this two-state system.
“I am deeply concerned about what is happening and I hope that this issue will be resolved.”
The Occupy Central movement set a deadline of tomorrow, a public holiday, for Hong Kong’s chief executive Leung Chun-ying to resign and meet their demands for democracy. The protesters said they would also “announce new civil disobedience plans”.
The demands were issued as Mr Leung told the demonstrators to halt their campaign “immediately”. Tens of thousands of people have taken to the streets in what has been dubbed the “umbrella revolution” — a reference to the shields used by protesters to protect themselves from tear gas fired by police during violent clashes on Sunday.
The highest-ranking civil servant under the last British governor of Hong Kong today condemned the police’s actions. Anson Chan told BBC Radio 4: “I could not believe my eyes when I saw fully kitted-out riot police firing tear gas and also pepper spray and wielding batons against unarmed protesters.
“I hope the whole world is sitting up and taking notice.”
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