Split within Occupy deepens as splinter group challenges leadership

The split among pro-democracy protesters deepened last night with radicals confronting the campaign leadership to demand an equal say on the movement.

The drama began as dozens of protesters who answered an internet appeal to confront the leadership marched, some wearing masks, to the main stage of the Admiralty rally site at 8pm.

They carried placards reading "you do not represent us" and shouted at speakers on the stage.

"We have not been allowed to express our views freely on stage," Samuel Chuang, one of the challengers, said. "If we say something the emcees do not like, they then add their comments later to 'correct' our speech."

Protesters who had been camping at the site described the radicals as "troublemakers" and said they would film any who caused trouble so they could be held accountable later.

Chuang also said the marshal system set up to keep order at the protests was unnecessary. No one, he said, should have the right to overrule others in a social movement, especially when those keeping order were not elected by the people.

He admitted he was present when clashes broke out early on Wednesday when a group of masked men tried to storm the Legislative Council building, but said he did not want to see any violence.