Hong Kong court refuses to hear appeal by protesters

A Hong Kong court has refused to hear an appeal by democracy protesters against injunctions to clear some of areas they are occupying. 

In the High Court Thursday, lawyers for protesters said it was wrong for the court to address a question of public order by way of civil litigation, according to public broadcaster Radio Television Hong Kong. 

Groups representing taxi and bus drivers had sought the injunctions.

The court earlier this week ordered bailiffs to enforce injunctions to dismantle barricades at protest sites in two locations, and police have been authorized to remove or arrest anyone who tries to obstruct them.

After Thursday's hearing, a lawyer for the group representing taxi drivers said the injunctions would be executed "as soon as possible."

"We will proceed with the enforcement of the injunction orders as soon as possible with bailiffs and the assistance of police," Phyllis Kwong told reporters.

Hundreds of protesters remain at Mong Kok, one of the sites the injunctions apply to. Hundreds more are at two other sites. 

Separately, a subset of protesters, labeled as “radical” by some, has threatened to occupy the British consulate Friday. They are angry at what they say is London's lack of support for their movement, and say China has breached the Sino-British Joint Declaration, signed by London and Beijing in 1984, and demand Britain respond.

The move to occupy the consulate is being organized by a 20-year-old, Daniel Ma.   

The protests, in their seventh week, are seen as the biggest challenge to Beijing's grip on Hong Kong since the handover in 1997. 

Anadolu Agency