Anti-China Protests Continue in Hong Kong: At Least 26 Injured

Last week Hong Kong was peppered with student-led
protests over China’s increasing influence in the territory once
controlled (until 1999) by the British. Larger demonstrations began
this weekend. Students were joined by Occupy Central, the local
occupy movement, and began to occupy several government buildings.
Authorities have reported 26 injuries—six of cops, with police

firing tear gas at demonstrators. The protests hinge largely on
China’s decision to only allow candidates vetted by its government
to stand in elections in 2017.

CNN reports on the Hong Kong government’s
response:

The city’s chief administrator, Chief Executive C.Y. Leung, said
at a news conference Sunday afternoon that the Hong Kong Special
Administrative Region government is “resolute in opposing the
unlawful occupation” of the government buildings.

“The police are determined to handle the situation appropriately
in accordance with the law,” he said.

Leung, who was addressing the protesters for the first time,
urged Hong Kong’s residents to express their dissatisfaction with
the political process in a safe and lawful manner.

The Chinese government, for now, says it is confident that the
government of Hong Kong can handle the protesters on their own.
Reporting on the protests is, naturally, censored in communist
China, where there are an average of up to
500 protests a day.