Live Updates: Hong Kong Leader Will Not Resign, Agrees To Talks With Protesters

Protesters in Hong Kong are demanding democratic elections free of Chinese interference in what some are calling Occupy Central or the Umbrella Movement.

What We Know So Far

• Chief Executive Leung: I'm not going to resign. • Leung says top civil servant will hold talks with protesters. • Students threatened to occupy government buildings. • Protesters defied Hong Kong leader Leung Chun-ying's calls for the crowd to disperse. • Protesters are critical of the Chinese government's plan to approve candidates for Hong Kong's 2017 election.

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Updates

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It's now been a week since pro-democracy protesters flooded the streets of Hong Kong's central business district, and there's no sign they're stopping.

The city's leaders issued an ultimatum on Friday, CNN reports: Leave the streets before Monday, or else.

That didn't fend of the demonstrators, who remained in the main protest area on Friday evening to hear speeches. Protests turned violent on Friday, leading protest organizers to back out of negotiating with local officials.

Dozens were injured after some opponents of the demonstrators destroyed their tents and assaulted them. Protesters say that the police did not attempt to protect them during these fights, and police say that the protesters escalated the situation.

The front page of some local papers on Saturday showed images of the ongoing protests.

Stark images of fist fights on Hong Kong streets on front of the local newspapers this morning

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Hong Kong leader says he will not step down.

As a deadline set by demonstrators passed, Hong Kong's Chief Executive C.Y. Leung agreed Thursday to allow government talks with student protesters, but will not cede to their demand that he resign.

Leung said Chief Secretary Carrie Lam will hold talks with the protesters. He also said that he will allow the protests to continue as long as they are peaceful but police will not tolerate occupation of government buildings.

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Live feed of HK gov't press con https://t.co/zLQt0ggOjU #Occupycentral H/t @JoyceLauNews

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Right now directly from the front line 23.35 #OccupyCentral #UmbrellaRevolution

Gov't press con w/leader CY Leung starting shortly. Current scene at #Occupycentral

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The Hong Kong leader's news conference will take place at 11:30 p.m. local time.

1100pm. HK leader CY Leung will hold news conference at 1130pm

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Negotiators told protesters police will not take action "for now."

925pm. Negotiators wearing jackets with "media liaison" arrive to speak to protesters

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Police continue to warn protesters.

Latest HK gov't press release, half hour ago. #Occupycentral #umbrellarevolution

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Police have been stocking up on tear gas and rubber bullets outside the Hong Kong chief executive's office.

Rubber bullets and CS gas grenades arrive at Hong Kong Chief Executive's Office. #OccupyCentral

Protesters were gathered outside the leader's office early Thursday.

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Tensions have risen in Hong Kong after the government urged protestors to "disperse peacefully."

.@AFP alert: Hong Kong govt tells protesters to 'disperse peacefully as soon as possible'

As the protesters' deadline for Hong Kong's leader to step down approaches, police have warned them of serious consequences if they attempt to occupy government buildings, the Associated Press reported.

Students call for reinforcement at Hong Kong leader's office as police seen carrying tear gas & rubber bullets there.

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New road sign in #HongKong reads: "Long Drive" & "Peace, Freedom, Democracy (True)" #UmbrellaRevolution #OccupyHK

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Hong Kong's last British governor, Chris Patten, has condemned the handling of the protests and accused China of breaking its word on universal suffrage in an interview with the BBC.

Patten said he felt that the demonstrations had been "very, very badly mishandled," and that Beijing's attempt to vet candidates for the 2017 chief executive election was "a breach of what the China authorities promised Hong Kong ... and now they are reneging on that."

He called for increased dialogue between Beijing and the protesters, and said that "the right thing to do is to embark on a new period of consultation."

Audio of the interview, via The Guardian, can be found here:

Patten oversaw the handover of Hong Kong from the U.K. to China in 1997.

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The Wall Street Journal's Henry Williams has just posted this Instagram Hyperlapse video of Hong Kong's Central Plaza.

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Protesters confirmed that they plan to attempt to occupy government buildings, The Guardian reported.

Agnes Chow, one of the protest's student leaders, told reporters the demonstrations will not cease until Hong Kong Chief Executive Leung Chun-ying has stepped down:

The only way to stop the movement is that our chief executive, CY Leung, should step down. And also that Hong Kong people should enjoy really democratic and equal political rights in our future chief executive elections.
If our chief executive and the central government do not respect and listen to the people's opinion, we will consider different operating actions, including occupying other places like important government offices.

Student leader Agnes Chow calls for CY Leung to step down today or tomorrow #Occupycentral #umbrellarevolution

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Many of those covering the demonstrations have remarked at how courteously the protesters are behaving, with some dubbing the movement the "polite revolution."

The BBC's correspondents in the territory compiled a list of many of the acts they've seen that they feel typify the Hong Kong protests, such as protesters tidying up after one another, offering shirt fresheners and water sprayers, and putting up a sign apologizing for erecting a barricade.

In last night's rainstorm, protesters were seen holding up their umbrellas for police so they didn't get wet.

Deeply moved by such scenes in Hong Kong - shows that dissent needn't be ugly, even revolutn can exude a quiet grace

And numerous other examples of protesters' courteous behavior have been spread on social media.

Toilet attendant with an orderly line literally hundreds long refused to take a tip #HK #PoliteRevolution #UmbrellaMovement

People spray passersby in #HK to help with heat. #PoliteRevolution #Occupyhk

Demonstrators have also set up makeshift recycling centers at protest sites, such as this one at Golden Bauhinia Square.

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Earlier this morning, embattled Hong Kong Chief Executive Leung Chun-ying was jeered while participating in a toast with other officials at a National Day event, the South China Morning Post reported.

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South China Morning Post's time lapse shows thousands of protesters gathering in Hong Kong over the past 60 hours:

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Hong Kong's leader has refused to meet with demonstrators by their midnight deadline as a national holiday begins.

LIVE: Tens of thousands brave storms to protest in Hong Kong as National Day begins http://t.co/SQnG3dJoCW

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The Wall Street Journal 's Laurence Witherington posted this video of protesters.

Pro-democracy demonstrators gather for the 3rd night in Hong Kong #OccupyCentral #AFP

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Tens of thousands of protesters are digging in despite calls to disperse and heavy rainstorms.

Demonstrators on Tuesday demanded that Hong Kong Chief Executive Leung Chun-ying come out and address them before midnight.

Meanwhile, Leung called for the crowds to disperse immediately, saying that Beijing will not back down or compromise on the protesters' demands.

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After a noticeably quieter protest earlier, numbers have once again increased to previous levels. With a public holiday ahead, they're expected to grow further on Wednesday.

6pm central HK Tues. Peaceful defiance. Crowd back at previous night's level and more expected Wed

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When we reached the agreement with China there were details of that agreement about the importance of giving the Hong Kong people a democratic future within this two-systems approach that we were setting out with the Chinese.
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Hong Kong Chief Executive Leung Chun-ying told reporters Tuesday China will not back down from the political position that sparked the protests.

"China will not compromise to the illegal threats of some people," Leung said. "Based on the basic law, we will be able to have one person, one vote universal suffrage. China's decision is based on and using what the basic law allows them to do."

"I understand this universal suffrage is somewhat different to what the public thinks it would be," he added, according to CNN. "But this is based on the Basic Law. We still want to remain peaceful, calm, and think what the best is for Hong Kong."

Leung urged protesters filling the streets to clear the area out of concern emergency vehicles were being impacted.

"The main roads are used by fire trucks and ambulances," he said. "They now have to take a detour, so we urge the society to think about this."

Protesters have called for Leung's resignation.

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China's government repeated its position Tuesday to allow only candidates vetted by Beijing to run for office in Hong Kong's 2017 elections.

#China's foreign ministry has reiterated that #HongKong is China's Kong Kong and its affairs fully fall within China's domestic affairs.

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Protest organizers' English-language Twitter account on Tuesday reiterated the nonviolent, pro-democracy nature of the demonstrations.

Though HKppl have been attacked by our own government and police force, we have not retaliated, not even once. We refuse to be their enemy

From the start,a basic condition of our movement is that it be nonviolent. HKppl have shown extraordinary patience, fortitude & discipline.

The group said it is seeking the resignation of the current chief executive as well as a new commitment from the Communist Party of China to allow independent elections in Hong Kong.

HK ppl regard CCP's fake universal suffrage ploy as part of its plan to assimilate HK into mainland & fear becoming more like mainland

Massive demo turnouts are because HKppl are enraged at HKgov&police actions & sick of being denied basic right to elect our own government

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A sit-in continued Tuesday morning after some protesters spent a second night in the street outside Hong Kong's central government offices.

#INFOGRAPHIC Updated map of the main protest site in #HongKong @AFP

The protests closed streets, schools, and also some banks in the financial capital.

FROM HKMA STATEMENT: 今日早񎂧時,香港共�間銀�個網點暫時關閉。As of 7am today, 47 outlets of 24 banks in Hong Kong are temporarily closed. #OccupyCentral

The protesters, who were estimated in the tens of thousands, stockpiled supplies as some feared a police push to clear roads before China's National Day holiday on Wednesday.

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A 15-Step Guide To Understanding Why Hong Kong Has Erupted In Protest

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At Least 56 Injured As Pro-Democracy Protests Intensify In Hong Kong

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33 Extraordinary Pictures Of Hong Kong’s “Umbrella Revolution”

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You Can’t Say “Hong Kong Police” Or “Umbrella” In China Today

This is a developing story. Check back for updates and follow BuzzFeed News on Twitter.

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