HK demonstrators announce withdrawal from some protest sites

A pro-democracy student protester wakes after a night on the occupied roads of the financial district Hong Kong, Sunday, Oct. 5, 2014. AP

HONG KONG—Pro-democracy demonstrators in Hong Kong on Sunday announced a partial withdrawal from some protest sites, but others vowed to stay on ahead of a deadline to clear the streets.

Occupy Central, one of the groups organizing the protests, said protesters would leave a secondary site to reinforce the main demonstration area and would allow access to a blockaded road near the government’s downtown headquarters.

Demonstrators across the harbor in congested Mongkok would join those in the central Admiralty district, and also called for the road next to the offices of the city’s leader to be unblocked, they said.

“#OccupyHK supporters in Mong Kok announce they will leave and join the occupation in Admiralty,” read a tweet from the group’s Twitter feed.

“#OccupyHK protesters outside the Chief Executive’s office in Lung Wo Rd announce they’ve decided to withdraw after deliberating together,” read another.

However, the decision was not immediately backed up by student protesters, the other main group behind the week-long demonstrations, with an AFP reporter in Mongkok told that demonstrators would leave but that others would remain on the site.

Hong Kong’s embattled Chief Executive Leung Chun-ying has said he is determined to clear areas near the downtown government offices after two public holidays cut short the working week last week.

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