(MENAFN- The Peninsula) Hundreds of Hong Kong police used sledgehammers and chainsaws yesterday to tear down barricades erected by pro-democracy protesters near government offices and the financial centre, reopening a major road for the first time in two weeks.
But late in the evening demonstrators retaliated by swarming into a tunnel on a major four-lane thoroughfare, bringing traffic to a halt and chanting for universal suffrage. Riot police tried to push them back with pepper spray and batons, according to a local news channel, but later retreated.
Traffic flowed freely along Queensway Road after the protesters' obstructions were cleared early in the day, although other major protest sites remained intact in the Admiralty and Mong Kok districts and pro-democracy demonstrators were defiant.
"We will rebuild them after the police remove them," said protester Bruce Sze. "We won't confront the police physically."
Police with chainsaws cut through bamboo defences and others wielded sledgehammers to smash concrete blocks outside the Bank of China's Hong Kong headquarters and next to the office of Asia's richest man, Li Ka-shing.
Unlike on Monday, when clashes erupted between anti-protest groups and pro-democracy activists after police removed blockades, there was no immediate confrontation as a result of yesterday's operation.
In the evening, however, hundreds of people made a surprise move to occupy the tunnel on Lung Wo Road, an important east-west artery near the offices of the Hong Kong government and legislature that had been intentionally left open to traffic for most of more than two weeks of protests. "The police took a road from us today and cleared away tents, so we're taking this road," said Kelvin Chor, one of the protesters.
After the police retreated, scores of demonstrators, some wearing protective face masks and goggles, swiftly formed several lines of makeshift barricades, setting the stage for another possible flashpoint.
Legal Disclaimer:
MENAFN provides the information “as is” without warranty of any kind. We do not accept any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright issues related to this article, kindly contact the provider above.