Thousands continue election protests in Hong Kong

Thousands of people continued a protest Monday to demand democratic elections for the city government of Hong Kong following a tense night during which police used tear gas against demonstrators.

The situation had calmed down considerably by early Monday, with demonstrators sitting down or sleeping in the streets while the police who had erected barricades in front of buildings also took a break.

Officials once again urged protesters to return home and leave the city’s administrative and financial districts, such as the Admiralty, Central and Causeway Bay areas.

Banks, schools and some private businesses in the districts were closed.

The local government, as well as the legislative assembly, have also suspended some activities.

The Hong Kong Stock Exchange, Asia’s secondlargest equity market, was able to open as usual, but the tensions and the possibility of the financial district being cut off caused share values to plummet.

The benchmark Hang Seng Index fell 1.18 percent in the first few minutes of the trading session.

Several metro stations were closed and many bus lines were suspended or diverted.

Volunteers brought food, water and masks for demonstrators.

Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Chief Executive C.Y. Leung denied rumors that the army would be deployed and that riot police would use rubber bullets against protesters.

High school students have also gone on strike, staging sitins in school yards.

Protesters are demanding free elections for the next chief executive in 2017 following China’s announcement last month 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.