2,000 police to guard flashpoints while students and government meet
2,000 officers to guard Admiralty, Mong Kok and venue for student talks with government
Some 2,000 police officers will be deployed this evening in the Mong Kok and Admiralty protest zones and in Wong Chuk Hang, where top government officials will meet student leaders to discuss the pro-democracy sit-ins, now in their fourth week, a police source said.
The source said more than 1,000 would be stationed in Mong Kok because "it is a very high risk zone". A senior officer said Mong Kok was on "the verge of a riot".
"We are preparing to deal with any possible chaos if the talks break down," the source added.
Protesters insisted the area had been peaceful until police tried to clear their barricades.
Hundreds of police officers are expected to be stationed around the Admiralty government headquarters.
Pan-democratic lawmakers and student leaders plan to increase their presence in Mong Kok to ease tensions between police and protesters after clashes erupted over the weekend. Scores were injured when police deployed pepper spray and batons to clear protesters.