A midnight deadline imposed by pro-democracy demonstrators calling for Hong Kong's top official to step down passed Friday, with Chief Executive C.Y. Leung vowing to stay and warning of "serious consequences" should protesters cross police lines. Leung said Chief Secretary Carrie Lam, who is second in command, will meet with representatives of the Hong Kong Federation of Students to discuss "constitutional development matters." He urged protesters not to occupy the space outside official buildings, including government headquarters, police headquarters and Government House. "I will not resign, because I need to continue to finish working on universal suffrage so that Hong Kong's 5 million voters can go to the polling booth and elect the chief executive," he said. Joshua Wong, 17, leader of the scholarism movement, whose student demonstrations last week sparked the large-scale protests that have brought key areas of the city's commercial and financial centers to a standstill, told demonstrators Friday that he didn't want anyone to get hurt and that student leaders would set a time to meet with Lam as soon as possible. He urged protesters to remain calm. Wong said the questions the student representatives would ask Lam include: Why did police use tear gas on demonstrators? Are police planning to use rubber bullets against protesters? In a statement from the Hong Kong Federation of Students, the group said representatives would meet with Lam. "For as long as we fail to see a chance for true universal suffrage, the people of Hong Kong people will continue to occupy so we can put pressure on the government," the statement said. Many demonstrators dismissed Leung's remarks. "Rubbish," said one identified only as Ray, 23. "C.Y. is just putting the ball in the citizens' court again," another identified as Harry, 20, said of Leung. Hours earlier, police warned protesters not to surround government buildings, saying they would take "impartial and decisive enforcement" if public security were threatened. The pro-democracy mass demonstrations have largely been peaceful since police fired tear gas and pepper spray on protesters Sunday. Asked whether police would use rubber bullets and force against largely peaceful demonstrators, Leung said police would use restraint as long as police lines are not broken. Student leaders had vowed to move inside government buildings if Leung, who is viewed by many protesters as a puppet of China, did not resign by midnight Thursday local time. As that deadline neared, hundreds of students moved from the main protest site to the gates of the chief executive's office to express their dissatisfaction with him and the central government in Beijing. A group of about two dozen church leaders gathered at the protest line. "We're here to protect the students," one pastor said. Authorities may be getting impatient At midnight, the situation grew tense as some protesters spilled onto the streets against police warnings. Other demonstrators yelled in Cantonese, "Calm down! Calm down!" The stray protestors returned to the group. Soon, groups of demonstrators dispersed although scores remained, with some intercepting ambulances and food delivery trucks to check for weapons being smuggled into the government complex. The police presence near the office was heavier, with many of the officers holding helmets, masks and gloves. For the first time, officers were seen carrying shields. Protesters handed out goggles and masks, preparing for what could be reignited tensions. A government statement said the gathering protesters were paralyzing traffic in the area and warned them not to charge government buildings or police cordons. The pro-democracy activists still occupy crucial parts of the Asian financial hub. But patience may be wearing thin as the Hong Kong government was to reopen Friday after two public holidays and as protests have extended into a fifth day. The government said in a statement that the protests have "increasingly serious impacts on people's livelihood, Hong Kong's economy and even government operations."

• published: 02 Oct 2014
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