Hong Kong : Hong Kong’s democracy protest leaders implored supporters to bring tents and dig in for the long haul, threatening to expand their occupation of key parts of the city after talks with the government collapsed.
Crunch negotiations between protesters and Beijing-backed city officials were slated for Friday, but fell apart on Thursday after the government pulled out, blaming student leaders for attempting to escalate demonstrations.
The decision deepened the political crisis convulsing the Asian financial hub, with the failure of talks expected to reinvigorate mass rallies that have paralysed parts of the city for nearly two weeks. Demonstrators are calling for Beijing to grant the former British colony full democracy and for the city’s Chief Executive Leung Chun-ying to resign.