Police, organisers disagree about scuffles in Causeway Bay
Force criticises queue jumpers for causing chaos in Causeway Bay, and deny they agreed with organisers to open road fully to marchers
Police last night criticised queue jumpers for trying to join the pro-democracy march in Causeway Bay, and denied breaking an agreement with organisers, after scuffles broke out between officers and protesters.
March organisers once again questioned the authorities' handling of the July 1 pro-democracy demonstration.
We agreed that if the area around Sogo was crowded … the police would open all six lanes … [Chief Executive] Leung Chun-ying just doesn't want to see a photo of people jamming all six lanes
About an hour into the march at 3.30pm, with protesters making slow progress, some tried to cross into the eastbound lane of Hennessy Road near Sogo. Police said some marchers also tried to join the protest in Causeway Bay, rather than at the starting point in Victoria Park.
The situation quickly escalated. A group of angry protesters carried away a police barricade, and one who was pushed against the barricade fell. Police removed several protesters. "Open the road, police! Open the road," the marchers chanted.
"The police have broken their agreement with us," said Jackie Hung Ling-yu, convenor of march organiser the Civil Human Rights Front.
"We agreed that if the area around Sogo was crowded … the police would open all six lanes … [Chief Executive] Leung Chun-ying just doesn't want to see a photo of people jamming all six lanes."
Ivan Tan Yi-chun, of youth activist group Scholarism, said the police hoped to force people to leave the march by refusing to open up more lanes. "Fortunately, they failed. No one left, not even in the rain," he said.