Update | Court dismisses Occupy bid to appeal Mong Kok clearance injunction

Occupy Central was dealt a blow at the Court of Appeal on Saturday when a protester lost a bid for leave to appeal against an injunction which allows police to assist bailiffs to clear the movement’s Mong Kok site.

The two judges also refused Dominic Fok Wai-pong’s request to stay the injunction. The court’s decision indicates that the order to dismantle the barricades could go ahead at any time.

The order was obtained by taxi and minibus drivers who claim their businesses are being affected by the protests, which have blocked sections of Nathan Road and Argyle Street since the end of September.

Solicitor Maggie Chan Man-ki, representing the minibus drivers’ group, said they would proceed with the court order. She said the group would place advertisements in one Chinese-language and one English-language newspaper, and put notices up at the occupied area to inform protesters about the order. They would then ask bailiffs to assist them to enforce the order.

Chan claimed that she still needed to discuss with her clients about the content of the newspaper advertisements. She refused to say when the clear-out action would take place.

However, as the taxi drivers’ group – which also obtained a court order to clear the site – needs to amend some wording, it is estimated that action could take place as early as next week.