Students' hope for CY Leung to read open letter thwarted

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Prosters, including HKFS's Alex Chow and Lester Shum, jostle with police after they rushed the metal barriers upon seeing CY Leung.

An estimated 13,000 participated in the class boycott yesterday at The Chinese University of Hong Kong, at which an open letter was issued to Chief Executive Leung Chun-ying, asking him to have an open dialogue with students and citizens.

This morning, at around 8.30am, students from various student groups, such as Hong Kong Federation of Students (HKFS) and university political reform concern groups, began waiting outside the Central Government Offices for CY Leung. Among those waiting were HKFS's Secretary General Alex Chow and Vice Secretary General Lester Shum, and all were there to await his response to the open letter those at the class boycott issued yesterday.

Protestors who gathered rushed through metal barriers upon seeing CY Leung exit the Central Government Offices building. After jostling with the police, who had further reinforcements rush over when the commotion started, Chow and Shum had their personal information taken down by the police. "[CY Leung] promised to come to the community to talk to the people," Chow said, explaining why they pushed through the barriers. "The barriers are completely useless, and he should speak directly to the people."

Chow also said the boycotts are posing a moral question to society now that students have sacrificed themselves. Regarding criticism of their actions in relation to the danger they put themselves in and the public space they occupy, he said: "What else can Hong Kong people do?" Chow says the protesters will give the government 48 hours to respond to their demands, and promises to step up their actions if they do not, or fail to give a satisfactory response.

A government spokesperson said around noon that CY Leung had wanted to speak to the students and receive their open letter, but when they rushed through the metal barriers the students diminished the possibility of peaceful and rational communication. And that was why Leung decided to return to his office.
 

Watch our video interviews at the 9.22 university class boycott

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