Occupy Central co-founders hold 'community dialogue day'
Occupy Central’s founders may have become less visible at the protest sites, but they have been planning ways to take the fight for democracy beyond the occupied zones – starting with a “community dialogue day” today.
Occupy Central’s founders may have become less visible at the protest sites, but they have been planning ways to take the fight for democracy beyond the occupied zones – starting with a “community dialogue day” today.
The news emerged after a three-hour discussion involving over 100 volunteers yesterday, which also addressed when or if the three co-founders, Benny Tai Yiu-ting, Reverend Chu Yiu-ming and Dr Chan Kin-man would turn themselves in to police.
While Tai, Chu and Chan declined to comment, others said the trio favoured turning themselves in early next month, although no consensus was reached as some felt they should focus on doing the groundwork for democracy first. “Some were concerned that if they followed the trio and turned themselves in, they wouldn’t be able to contribute … any more,” a volunteer said on condition of anonymity.
Today, Occupy volunteers, students and pan-democrat lawmakers will be stationed at 21 locations across the city to share their views on universal suffrage.
Ideas discussed yesterday included sending volunteers to knock on doors and set up street booths in neighbourhoods to explain more about democracy. Others involved encouraging people to patronise small shops instead of chain stores to break the economic dominance of conglomerates and developers.
On his Facebook page yesterday, Tai slammed the government for “hiding behind the court” by relying on injunctions granted to private parties to clear the protest site.
Meanwhile, Scholarism activist Wong Ting-wa was denied entry to the mainland at the Lok Ma Chau crossing. He is the student group’s second member to be barred. Members of the Federation of Students were also blocked last week.
Wong said two Shenzhen police officers took him to a room at the checkpoint, and held him for 45 minutes. He had had his details taken by police when he and others stormed a forecourt at government headquarters on September 26.
A Baptist University student, an Occupy protester, was also blocked at the Shenzhen Bay checkpoint on Friday night.
