Hong Kong police yesterday dispersed pro-democracy protesters, dousing them with pepper spray, as China stressed it would not back away from a controversial plan for electoral reform in the former British colony.
Police also removed opposition democrat politicians from a venue where they were heckling Li Fei, a senior Chinese official who was briefing the Hong Kong government on China’s plan for universal suffrage.
China on Sunday confirmed its pledge to allow Hong Kong residents to elect their chief executive, the top political job in the territory. But the move sparked protests from critics, who accused China of creating a “sham” democracy because Beijing would have the ability to screen candidates in advance.