Protesters condemned for charging police cordon in HK

HONG KONG - The police on Sunday strongly condemned attempts by the protesters to charge police cordon lines in Hong Kong at midnight Saturday, saying such acts seriously undermined public order and threatened the safety of themselves and others.

More scuffles erupted late Saturday, the second turbulent night in Mong Kok following the police's before-dawn operation on Friday, when most of the tents, canopies and barricades blocking main roads in the commercial area in Kowloon for almost three weeks were removed.

Scores of people, who were occupying the Nathan Road near the Argyle Street in Mong Kok, attempted to charge police cordon lines by pulling the mill barriers and shoving police officers early Sunday.

The police said they had warned the protesters repeatedly, including displaying banners, against their charge attempts. Police officers were forced to use minimum force to disperse them in a bid to bring the situation under control after the warning was ignored. The police stressed in a statement that they did not carry out a clear-up.

A man was arrested for the possession of an offensive weapon as two knives were found in his backpack. Three people were injured and a police officer suffered a shoulder dislocation, according to the police.

Calm returned to the area after dawn, although hundreds of protesters remained on the street in a standoff with the police.

In the statement, the police urged the protesters to leave the demonstration site as soon as possible, while advising the public not to go to the area.

The police also reiterated that any acts endangering public order and safety will not be tolerated, and they will take resolute measures against the illegal acts.

Thousands of protesters, mostly students, joined the Occupy Central movement on Sept 28 to express their discontent with an electoral reform package for choosing the region's next leader.

According to Hong Kong's Basic Law and the top Chinese legislature's decisions, more than 5 million Hong Kongers can choose the chief executive in 2017 through a "one man, one vote" election, which had never been realized under the British colonial rule.

Police arrests 26 in Mong kok clashes in Hong Kong	Cheers for HK police as barricades removed