Civil servants defy China with rallies

Thousands of Hong Kong civil servants rallied last night to support protesters and urge authorities to rebuild confidence in the government as escalating protests rock the Asian financial hub.

The rally is the first time government employees have promoted a demonstration in Hong Kong. Hordes of civil servants assembled peacefully with protesters in the heart of the business district, many in black masks to hide their identity.

Chanting in Chinese: “Civil servants, add oil!” in words of encouragement for the movement, crowds spilled onto major roads, closing them down and halting traffic in the heart of the city’s business district.

“I think the government should respond to the demands, instead of pushing the police to the frontline as a shield,” said Kathy Yip, a 26-year-old government worker.

Police said they had arrested eight people, including a leading pro-independence leader, after seizing weapons and suspected bomb-making material in a raid.

A wave of protests is planned across Hong Kong this weekend, along with a mass strike on Monday across sectors such as transport, schools and corporates that could bring the city to a standstill.

The protests in Hong Kong, a former British colony that returned to China in 1997, pose one of the gravest populist challenges to Communist Party rulers in Beijing.