Hong Kong Protest Leader Urges Fight for Free Elections Despite Dismantling

Neveetheless, the prominent Hong Kong protest activist stressed that no upcoming protests were planned.

MOSCOW, December 12 (Sputnik) — No new protests are planned in Hong Kong after following the dismantling of Hong Kong's Occupy Central movement by police, but the struggle for fair elections goes on, prominent activist Jason Wong said Friday to RTHK radio.

"Scholarism [student activist group], in close cooperation with Student Federation will continue to fight for true universal suffrage," Wong was quoted as saying by the radio station, as police terminated the 75-day occupation of roads surrounding the local government headquarters by protesters on Thursday.

However, Wong stressed that no upcoming protests were planned.

On Thursday, Hong Kong police began a large-scale operation to dismantle barricades put up by the protesters. According to local media outlets, about 100 protesters refused to leave, staging a sit-in. Some had to be carried off the site by the police officers and over 200 were arrested.

A statement by the State Council Hong Kong and Macao Affairs Office said Friday the Chinese central government supported the decisions by local authorities to clear the protest sites. The central government will continue its "one country, two systems" policy with regards to Hong Kong and will support its "democratic process" and the Basic Law, the statement says.

Hong Kong's Occupy Central campaign with protesters calling for fair elections for began in September, following Beijing's decision to screen candidates the special administration region's chief executive in 2017. The demonstrations led to numerous arrests and clashes with the police.