Hong Kong anti-parallel trading protesters stay away from Government House open day
Protesters who threatened to stage a demonstration against parallel traders at the Government House open day stayed away as a heavy police presence kept the event largely peaceful.
Internet users who had earlier threatened to stage a protest against parallel traders at Chief Executive Leung Chun-ying's residence did not show up as a heavy police presence kept the open day at Government House largely peaceful.
The no-show followed a rally against parallel trading earlier this month that drew condemnation from both officials and politicians from opposing sides.
But there were still sporadic scuffles involving pro-democracy protesters who tried to get inside 160-year-old Government House with items such as yellow umbrellas or flyers with messages saying "I want genuine universal suffrage".
Soon after a rally against parallel trading turned violent on March 8, internet users threatened to stage another protest inside Government House.
They said on the popular HKGolden site that they would pose as parallel traders and put commonly traded items like baby milk formula on the ground to block access.
Several pro-democracy protesters, including People Power member Tam Tak-chi, were denied entry. Police escorted 21 people away from the building. Two of them, a man, 39, and a woman, 45, were arrested on suspicion of obstructing police.