Police negotiators facing 'toughest challenge yet' at Occupy sites
Officers trying to defuse tensions at Occupy sites deal with insults and lack of protest leadership
Police negotiators say Occupy Central has presented them with their toughest challenge yet, facing hundreds of sometimes hostile demonstrators instead of the one or two people they usually deal with.
Some officers worked 24-hour shifts trying to negotiate pathways for emergency vehicles and defuse tensions between frontline police and protesters, often amid a barrage of insults and with little success.
"We're not used to facing big crowds like these," said Chan Chi-wai, who is a marine police officer as well as a member of the 62-strong Police Negotiation Cadre.
"It's never been like this before," he added.
Chan negotiated with the crowds in Mong Kok last week, as well as talking to protesters on Lung Wo Road outside the Chief Executive's Office about letting in food trucks for officers.
"The insults just pour in on all sides, but you have to push it aside in order to function and complete the task," he said.