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                Hong Kong Protest Leaders to Surrender to Police

   by VOA News

   The three founders of Hong Kong's Occupy movement are moving ahead with
   plans to surrender to police and are urging their fellow protesters to
   retreat for their own safety.

   At a news conference Tuesday, Benny Tai, Chan Kin-man, and Chu Yiu-ming
   announced they will turn themselves into the Central Police Station at
   3:00 p.m. local time Wednesday.

   Benny Tai said it is unclear whether police will detain or release him
   and his Occupy co-founders, but he said they are ready to accept the
   consequences no matter the outcome.

   The leaders also urged the hundreds of protesters who remain camped on
   Hong Kong's streets to "recuperate and build up strength" for a
   long-term fight aimed at securing democratic reforms.

   On its Twitter page, the Occupy movement said the surrender "is not an
   act of cowardice" or admission of failure, but a denunciation of what
   it called a "heartless government."

   The protests, which began in late September, are calling for
   authorities to hold fully democratic elections in the semiautonomous
   Chinese territory in 2017.

   Authorities have declared the protests to be illegal and have tried
   several times to clear parts of the camps, resulting in violent
   clashes.

   It is unclear whether the protesters will agree to back down. Several
   student leaders have said they will not surrender, insisting instead on
   further escalation.

   One student leader hopes a hunger strike will convince authorities to
   consider reforms. Joshua Wong began his indefinite hunger strike late
   Monday, along with two other members of his group, known as Scholarism.

   Twelve hours into the fast, the 18-year-old Wong told reporters his
   demand is to hold fresh talks, with no preconditions, on restarting
   Hong Kong's political reform process.

   He also said he wants his action to help bring attention to the
   so-called Occupy Central movement, which has lost momentum in recent
   weeks.

   "We admit that it's difficult in the future to have an escalated
   action, so besides suffering from batons and tear gas, we would like to
   use our body to get public attention on the issue. We are not sure if
   the hunger strike can put pressure on the government, but we hope that
   when the public finds out about the student hunger strike, they will
   ask themselves what they can do next," said Wong.

   The hunger strike is being held in the Admiralty district, where
   clashes erupted Sunday after protesters broke through police lines in
   an attempt to surround government headquarters.

   Police pushed back with pepper spray and batons, but the protesters
   eventually succeeded in temporarily forcing government offices and
   parliament to close. Several protesters were injured and at least 18
   were arrested.

   Hong Kong's High Court has approved an injunction to clear part of the
   Admiralty site, though it is unclear if and when authorities will
   enforce that ruling.
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   [1]http://www.voanews.com/content/hong-kong-protest-leaders-to-surrende
   r-to-police/2542128.html

References

   1. http://www.voanews.com/content/hong-kong-protest-leaders-to-surrender-to-police/2542128.html