Hong Kong apex court bans protestors from blocking roads

Hong Kong, Oct 20: The Supreme Court of Hong Kong on Monday enacted a preliminary injunction to ban demonstrators from occupying roads in Mong Kok.

The move was made after groups of mini-buses and taxi operators filed for an injunction that would reopen the paralysed roads in Mong Kok occupied by protestors for the last 23 days, Xinhua reported.

A lawyer representing the group said the ongoing movement in places like Mong Kok have blocked many roads and disrupted public transport, which inflicted losses on taxi and bus companies.

More scuffles erupted late Sunday, the third turbulent night in Mong Kok following the police's pre-dawn operation Friday, when most of the tents, canopies and barricades blocking main roads in the commercial area in Kowloon for almost three weeks were removed.

Mong Kok is an offshoot protest site across the Victoria Harbour from the main demonstration area in Admiralty where the government headquarters is located.

Hong Kong's Chief Secretary Carrie Lam said Saturday that the region's government planned to have formal talks with representatives of the students participating in the Occupy movement Tuesday, and each side will have five representatives.

Thousands of protestors, mostly students, joined the Occupy Central movement Sep 28 to express their discontent with an electoral reform package for choosing the region's next leader.

The protests began a month after China announced that Hong Kong's citizens would be able to vote directly for one of two or three vetted candidates previously selected by a special commission.

IANS