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C.Y. Leung and officials raise a toast - ignoring thousands of booing protesters outside. Photo: K.Y. Cheng

Update | Demonstrators set CY Thursday deadline to resign with threat to step up protests

Protesters argue over best way to demonstrate at flag-raising ceremony attended by politicians from Hong Kong and the mainland

Student leaders of pro-democracy protests say that if Chief Executive Leung Chun-ying does not resign by Thursday they will step up their actions, including occupying several important government buildings.

Lester Shum said at a news conference this afternoon that the student leaders would welcome an opportunity to speak with a central government official, but not Leung, insisting he must step down. Shum is the vice secretary of the Federation of Students, which has played a key role in organising the street protests that started on Friday.

Leung raised a glass of champagne to toast National Day this morning – as thousands of protesters booed outside the traditional flag-raising ceremony and Occupy Central entered a fourth day.

As the main roads in the city’s commercial districts continue to be occupied by tens of thousands of Occupy Central supporters, key officials arrived at the Convention and Exhibition Centre in Wan Chai by ferry to attend National Day celebrations.

Protesters argued over the best way to make their presence felt at the ceremony before politicians from the city and the mainland clinked glasses to mark the 65th anniversary of Communist China.

Members of student activist group Scholarism, who advocate peaceful protest, erected metal barricades at the entrance of the Golden Bauhinia Square overnight to prevent other protesters from storming the flag-raising ceremony venue.

Scholarism convenor Joshua Wong leads the group in silent protest as the flags of China and Hong Kong are raised. Photo: SCMP Pictures

However, a split among the demonstrators become apparent before dawn when about 20 protesters arrived, who appeared to favour a more confrontational approach.

This group argued that Scholarism members did not have the right to stop them from protesting in a more radical way. The two sides argued for about an hour, without physical friction. Both groups booed when the Chinese flag and the Hong Kong flag were raised and when two helicopters carrying the banners flew overhead.

Leung, who admitted yesterday that the protests would not end soon, failed to mention the mass protests or the Occupy movement directly in his opening remarks, but called for “peaceful, lawful, rational and pragmatic” manners in pushing forward universal suffrage.

However, Zhang Xiaoming, director of the central government’s liaison office, said that “the sun rises as usual”, when asked about the protests.

Leung insisted that a popular vote that would allow Hong Kong’s 5 million eligible voters to cast ballots for the city’s leader would be an improvement from the current electoral system, which only allows 1,200 members of the election committee to vote.

He said that the development of Hong Kong and the mainland are closely linked and urged the public to “build up the Chinese dream hand in hand”.

The Chinese dream is a phrase popularised by President Xi Jinping.

Social Democrat lawmaker “Long Hair” Leung Kwok-hung, the only pan-democrat lawmaker to attend the event, was escorted out of the ceremony by security after chanting for Leung’s resignation and universal suffrage for Hong Kong.

District councillor Paul Zimmerman, a former Civic Party member, raised a yellow umbrella – the accidental symbol of the civil disobedience movement that has grabbed worldwide attention after fending off riot police’s pepper spray – in support of the protests.

“CY [Leung] and the police commissioner owe Hong Kong an apology – nothing less than an apology – for what they have done,” Zimmerman said.

Meanwhile, Occupy organiser Dr Chan Kin-man did indeed offer an apology to citizens living near the rallies in Admiralty, Causeway Bay and Mong Kok.

“We apologise to [these residents],” said a teary Chan, his voice trembling. “We know the Occupy movement will bring inconvenience to citizens’ lives but we hope people can understand us. We know there will be short-term disruption but we are fighting for long-term harmony in society.”

Chan said “humanitarian corridors” had been set up at each rally location with portable barriers that could be removed in seconds. He said ambulances could drive through such corridors in shorter time than if there was a traffic jam.

The streets of Wan Chai, usually choked with traffic, were eerily quiet again this morning. Photo: Sam Tsang

Chan said he understood people wanted to expand the protests to more areas because of the “indifference of the government” but he said they should first fortify protest sites areas in Admiralty, Causeway Bay and Mong Kok so they would not be cleared by police. He also called for protesters to stay away from residential areas.

Chan again called for Leung to resign as soon as possible so the stand-off between protesters and the government could have a “turning point”.

He said he believed the central government would not be an immovable “iron board”, or else there would not be a “one country, two systems” policy, adding that Leung had been the blockage between Hong Kong and Beijing.

Chan said organisers had not kept record of the number of people joining the Occupy movement but he was amazed at how civilised protesters had been.

“It’s like the best and worst things happening at the same time,” he said. “The government has shown its worst face but Hong Kong protesters have brought us the most beautiful side.”

Big crowds continued to gather in the city’s commercial districts last night despite a sudden downpour. Roads in Admiralty, Wan Chai, Causeway Bay, Central and Mong Kok were transformed into seas of umbrellas as protesters sang songs and chanted slogans in the rain.

The protesters continue to demand Leung’s resignation and that Beijing retract its decision on the city’s 2017 chief executive poll, which would restrict the number of candidates to two or three approved by a 1,200-strong nominating committee.

Additional reporting by Associated Press

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