Update‘We do what we say’: Occupy Central set the record straight after Benny Tai interview
Movement co-founder Chan Kin-man says some may be deterred by Beijing's decision to rule out open elections in Hong Kong - but more are angry and joining Occupy
Occupy Central organisers affirmed their commitment to fighting for genuine universal suffrage by issuing a press release on Tuesday night, after co-founder Benny Tai told Bloomberg TV that the movement had failed to win concessions from Beijing on reform.
In the emailed statement entitled We do what we say. Occupy Central with Love and Peace, Occupy organisers set out to clarify several points regarding their objectives after Tai admitted that support for the planned sit-in was "waning" in the Bloomberg interview.
“The objective of Occupy Central is to fight for genuine universal suffrage in Hong Kong. Our target is a 2017 Chief Executive election that meets international standards,” the statement began.
“Although this target has been brutally strangled by the National People’s Congress Standing Committee, the significance of our movement will not end at this point.
In the statement, the organisers of the pro-democracy group re-iterated that they planned to follow through on their programme of planned civil disobedience.
We have said that if the government does not keep their promise to allow Hongkongers to have genuine universal suffrage in 2017, we will occupy Central with love and peace
"We Hongkongers won’t accept failure in our road to democracy. We have said that if the government does not keep their promise to allow Hongkongers to have genuine universal suffrage in 2017, we will occupy Central with love and peace,” the statement continued.