Hong Kong police move on protest camps

Hong Kong police on Monday began removing barricades from the camp sites of pro-democracy protesters, who have vowed to block the financial hub's main roads until the central government in Beijing agrees to direct elections for the city's leader.

Police said they were removing barricades in the Admiralty district in order to ease congestion during morning traffic. They also took down some barricades in the Mongkok shopping district, where pro-democracy protesters and supporters of the government faced off on Sunday.

"Today we haven't come to clear the area," a police officer told protesters on local TV. "We just want to clear the barricades blocking the road and take back the government's tools and property."

The protesters responded by using social media to call for help reinforcing the barricades.

'Minimum force'

On Sunday, Hong Kong city leader Leung Chun-ying said authorities were considering how to resolve the standoff with the demonstrators.

"We've resorted to all kinds of persuasions, the way we resolve it in the end is being constantly reviewed," Leung said. "We absolutely would not prefer clearing the venue, but if one day the venue has to be cleared, I believe the police will use their professional judgment and training using a minimum amount of force."

Tens of thousands of protesters have taken to the streets over the past two weeks, demanding that the Chinese central government grant Hong Kong, an autonomous region, full democracy.

Under the government's current plan, Hong Kong residents will directly elect their leader in 2017, but the list of candidates will be selected by Beijing.

slk/bk (AP, AFP, Reuters)