Hong Kong pro-democracy protests held on Sunday have left at least 41 people injured. Among the protestors' demands was the scraping out of rules that allowed Beijing's vetting of candidates for Hong Kong's top jobs.
Most Chinese Local papers criticized the protests, terming them "unlawful assemblies." The papers have even refrained from giving details on the protests or publishing photographs of the same.
Regardless, defiant protestors remained on Hong Kong's streets, blocking traffic on major highways.
On Monday, Hong Kong's government stated that the previously deployed riot police would be withdrawn from the pro-democracy demonstrations. In justifying its decision, the government stated that protesters were now behaving peacefully, implying misconduct on their part before.
Few police officers continue to stand guard around the main protest area adjacent to the government headquarters. The government has been urging the demonstrators to disperse to enable emergency vehicles and public transport vehicles to pass.
Though some demonstration organizers are calling for people to go back home, thousands of protestors continue to jam Hong Kong's streets in its main commercial and financial districts. It appears unlikely that the movement will end soon.
On a different spectrum, demonstrators reported that the police used cruel tactics to in their bid to calm the protests. In fact, late last Sunday, a student group, fearful that that police might use rubber bullets, had asked protesters to desert the streets.
Lawmaker and pro-democracy activist Leung Kwok-hung, known widely as "Long Hair," encouraged those who remained on the streets to be strong. He stated that their protest was a peaceful civil disobedience and their demands would not change.
Joseph Zen, the leader of Occupy Central and former Hong Kong Catholic Bishop, was among the organizers who were calling for the protesters' dispersion. He stated that at that point in time, dialogue was possible.
It remains to be seen whether the protesters will comply.
