Bailiffs turned up this morning on a section of Nathan Road in Hong Kong, between Argyle Street and Dundas Street, to carry out a court order sought by a taxi drivers' group to remove barricades and tents built by the pro-democracy Occupy movement.
The action, assisted by the police, began this morning shortly after rush hour, and after scuffles and arrests, the road was cleared and reopened for vehicle traffic shortly after 3pm. But some protestors have vowed to return tonight. If that happens, more chaos might ensue in the district of Mongkok.
Last night, as police were getting prepared for the move, sporadic clashes took place between the protestors and officers, and pepper spray and batons were used to disperse the crowds. There have been reports of minor injuries but there has been no loss of lives.
Despite recent months' unrest, life remains largely normal in Hong Kong. More and more commuters have chosen to take the Mass Transit Railway (MTR) to avoid the disrupted road traffic. Many of the MTR stations have exits directly connected to major buildings and the numerous pedestrian bridges in the city make it possible to avoid protests taking place at street level.
Reggie Ho
