Fears over 'radicals' as protest violence increases, but sources say Beijing won't be embarrassed into action
Protests getting out of hand, says Leung amid claims radical groups and foreign forces are pushing for city's de facto independence
Beijing will not seek a quick end to the political turmoil in Hong Kong to avoid possible embarrassment ahead of some important domestic and international events, sources say.
People familiar with central government thinking also said there were "worrying signs" that radical groups in the city were pushing for the city's de facto political independence under the cover of democracy and were "actively collaborating with foreign forces".
For the first time yesterday, the People's Daily linked the Occupy movement to an attempt to seek Hong Kong's political independence. It said in a commentary that the movement's organisers wanted Hong Kong to have "self-determination" and even to be "independent".
READ: Don't take your children to Occupy Mong Kok, police warn protesters after quiet night
Protests in Mong Kok are getting increasingly violent as the political elite gather in Beijing for a four-day meeting today.
Dozens of people, including police officers, were injured in clashes over the weekend.
Watch: Dozens injured in clashes between Hong Kong pro-democracy protesters and police