Hong Kong protests: Pro-democracy students plan to occupy British consulate

News comes amid reports some of the co-founders of the Occupy movement are preparing to surrender ahead of government clear-out

A Hong Kong pro-democracy transports supplies (Reuters)

Pro-democracy student protesters in Hong Kong have claimed that they will occupy the roads surrounding the British consulate in order to demonstrate against what they perceive as British inaction.

As the students prepare to protest, there are reports that the demonstration may be splintering as local media alleges three co-founders are planning to surrender ahead of plans by the government to clear the barricades.

Apparently undaunted by the possible clear-out student demonstrators, having announced the event on Facebook with 700 likes, have placed larger posters around the area.

They are angered by what they perceive as failure on the part of Britain to uphold certain elements of the agreement, designed to protect Hong Kong’s unique social structures, signed by the government when the city was returned to the Chinese in 1997.

"We are angry at the way that the British government has for many years denied that China has actually breached the declaration by interfering with Hong Kong politics," Anna-Kate Choi, the coordinator for the Occupy British Consulate group told AFP.

Although Prime Minister David Cameron said he was “deeply concerned” by the apparent use of tear gas on protesters at the end of September, the British leader’s reticence on the matter has not been perceived favourably by pro-democracy protesters.

"They have the responsibility to make sure that the joint declaration has been implemented properly and that democracy and the high degree of autonomy of Hong Kong has been protected," Choi said.

Meanwhile, a “core-member” of the Occupy Central movement told The South China Morning Post that three of the co-founders of the demonstration indicated that they were “tentatively” preparing to step down.

On Monday police were authorised to back up bailiffs charged with clearing barricades and according to local media reports they are expected to start the operation over the coming days – with thousands of officers placed on standby.

The three co-founders plan to step down and surrender prior to this in an attempt to show Hong Kongese authorities that they are prepared to accept the legal consequences of their “unlawful” protest.

However, the deputy leader of the Federation of Students, Lester Shum, had some reservations. "The police are already planning to clear the sites," he said. "I would rather be arrested than surrender."

The protest – at one point nicknamed the Umbrella revolution – is demanding fully free leadership elections for the autonomous city. However, Beijing has refused to change a system which vets all candidates.

Britain and China signed the Sino-British Joint Declaration in 1984, which is supposed to protect both the ‘one nation, two systems’ principle and Hong Kong’s capitalist system until 2047.

Allegations from Chinese authorities of foreign elements agitating the movement have been strongly denied by US president Barack Obama, who in a recent press conference with the Chinese premier was “unequivocal” in stating America “had no involvement in fostering the protests”.

The British consulate had no comment.