Hong Kong's Occupy protests did not end with a loss, says co-founder Benny Tai
Benny Tai says there has been 'solid growth' in support for movement which has highlighted the need for change to democratic structure
The Occupy Central campaign has not backfired despite recent polls showing support for Beijing's reform framework, the movement's co-founder says.
In an interview with the South China Morning Post reviewing the impact of the 79 days of protest, Benny Tai Yiu-ting said that the campaign had, in fact, widened the support base of the pro-democracy camp.
"Occupy has achieved the goal of social awakening far more than was intended," Tai said.
"Occupy did not end with a loss - we have expanded the pro-democracy camp."
He said that the tough stance taken by Beijing towards Hong Kong could be "a strategic consideration" and he has not lost hope for genuine reform in the next few years.
Speaking a week after police cleared the Occupy base camp in Admiralty, Tai said he was aware that some polls had shown that public sentiment against Beijing's stringent reform framework handed down in August for the 2017 chief executive election - the decision that triggered the protests - had waned slightly.