Sep 30, 2014

Tens of thousands of pro-democracy protesters filled the streets of Hong Kong late on Tuesday, stockpiling supplies and erecting makeshift barricades ahead of what some fear may be a push by police to clear the roads before Chinese National Day.

On the eve of Wednesday’s anniversary of the Communist Party’s foundation of the People’s Republic of China in 1949, crowds poured into central districts of the Asian financial hub, near where National Day festivities are scheduled to take place.

There was a carnival atmosphere among demonstrators, in contrast to weekend clashes when riot police fired pepper spray and tear gas to quell the unrest. – Reuters reports

: A protester (C) raises his umbrellas in front of tear gas which was fired by riot police to disperse protesters blocking the main street to the financial Central district outside the government headquarters in Hong Kong, September 28, 2014. Hong Kong police used tear gas for the first time on Sunday to disperse pro-democracy protests and baton-charged the crowd blocking a key road in the government district after Hong Kong and Chinese officials warned against illegal demonstrations. (Tyrone Siu/Reuters)

: Lightning strikes as protesters take part in a rally on a street outside of Hong Kogn Government Center on September 30, 2014 in Hong Kong. Thousands of pro democracy supporters continue to occupy the streets surrounding Hong Kong’s Financial district. Protest leaders have set an October 1st deadline for their demands to be met and are calling for open elections and the resignation of Hong Kong’s Chief Executive Leung Chun-ying. (Photo by Anthony Kwan/Getty Images)

: Demonstrators sleep on Connaught Road Central in the business district of Admiralty in Hong Kong, China, on Tuesday, Sept. 30, 2014. Tens of thousands of protesters filled streets in Hong Kong through the night to press for open elections and the resignation of Chief Executive Leung Chun-ying, as student leaders set an Oct. 1 deadline for their demands to be met. (Jerome Favre/Bloomberg)

: Protesters walk along a street as they block an area near the government headquarters building in Hong Kong September 30, 2014. Tens of thousands of pro-democracy protesters extended a blockade of Hong Kong streets on Tuesday, stockpiling supplies and erecting makeshift barricades ahead of what some fear may be a push by police to clear the roads before Chinese National Day. (Carlos Barria/Reuters)

: Protesters take shelter from the rain under umbrellas as they block the main street to the financial Central district outside of the government headquarters in Hong Kong, September 30, 2014. Tens of thousands of pro-democracy protesters extended a blockade of Hong Kong streets on Tuesday, stockpiling supplies and erecting makeshift barricades ahead of what some fear may be a push by police to clear the roads before Chinese National Day. (Carlos Barria/Reuters)

: Men consult maps as the stand by a barricade at an area blocked by protesters near the government headquarters building in Hong Kong, September 30, 2014. Tens of thousands of pro-democracy protesters extended a blockade of Hong Kong streets on Tuesday, stockpiling supplies and erecting makeshift barricades ahead of what some fear may be a push by police to clear the roads before Chinese National Day. (Carlos Barria/Reuters)

: Pro-democracy demonstrators check their smart phones in the central district as they gather for the third night in Hong Kong on September 30, 2014. The demonstrators have demanded full universal suffrage after Beijing said it would allow elections for the semi-autonomous city’s next leader in 2017 but would vet the candidates — a decision branded a “fake democracy”. (Philippe Lopez/AFP/Getty Images)

: Pro-democracy protestors use umbrellas to shield themselves from heavy rain in Hong Kong on September 30, 2014. Hong Kong has been plunged into the worst political crisis since its 1997 handover as pro-democracy activists take over the streets following China’s refusal to grant citizens full universal suffrage. (Anthony Wallace/AFP/Getty Images)

: Student protesters sleep on the streets on October 1, 2014 in Hong Kong, Hong Kong. Thousands of pro-democracy supporters continue to occupy the streets surrounding Hong Kong’s Financial district. Protest leaders have set an October 1st deadline for their demands to be met and are calling for open elections and the resignation of Hong Kong’s Chief Executive Leung Chun-ying. (Photo by Paula Bronstein/Getty Images)

: Thousands of protesters shelter under umbrellas from heavy rain aftera thunderstorm passed over outside the Hong Kong Government Complex on September 30, 2014 in Hong Kong, Hong Kong. Thousands of pro democracy supporters continue to occupy the streets surrounding Hong Kong’s Financial district. Protest leaders have set an October 1st deadline for their demands to be met and are calling for open elections and the resignation of Hong Kong’s Chief Executive Leung Chun-ying. (Photo by Chris McGrath/Getty Images)

: Protesters block the main street to the financial Central district, outside the government headquarters in Hong Kong, September 29, 2014. Hong Kong democracy protesters defied volleys of tear gas and police baton charges to stand firm in the centre of the global financial hub on Monday, one of the biggest political challenges for Beijing since the Tiananmen Square crackdown 25 years ago. China wagged its finger at the student protesters, and warned against any foreign interference as they massed again in business and tourist districts of the city in the late afternoon. (Carlos Barria/Reuters)

: Riot police target pro-democracy students with pepper spray after hundreds of protesters stormed into a restricted area at the government headquarters, after a rally ahead of the October 1 “Occupy Central” civil disobedience movement in Hong Kong September 27, 2014. Hong Kong riot police used pepper spray on Saturday to disperse dozens of students who had stormed government headquarters, but an equal number held their ground in protests against Beijing’s tightening grip on the city. (Tyrone Siu/Reuters)

: A protester holds up placards which reads “Occupy Central” (L) and “Civil Disobedience” in front of a line of riot police outside government headquarters in Hong Kong September 27, 2014. Hong Kong riot police used pepper spray to disperse protesters around government headquarters on Saturday, fuelling tension ahead of a planned sit-in by pro-democracy activists to protest against Beijing’s tightening grip on the city. (Bobby Yip/Reuters)

: Riot police use pepper spray as they clash with protesters, as tens of thousands of protesters block the main street to the financial Central district outside the government headquarters in Hong Kong September 28, 2014. The leader of a Hong Kong movement seeking greater democracy announced in the early hours of Sunday the launch of a campaign to blockade the heart of the financial centre to demand greater freedoms in the former British colony. (Bobby Yip/Reuters)

: A pro-democracy demonstrator gestures after police fired tear gas towards protesters near the Hong Kong government headquarters on September 28, 2014. Police fired tear gas as tens of thousands of pro-democracy demonstrators brought parts of central Hong Kong to a standstill on September 28, in a dramatic escalation of protests that have gripped the semi-autonomous Chinese city for days. (Xaume Olleros/AFP/Getty Images)

: Riot police patrol as tens of thousands of protesters block the main street to the financial Central district (at background) outside the government headquarters in Hong Kong September 28, 2014. Riot police advanced on Hong Kong democracy protesters in the early hours of Monday, firing volleys of tear gas that sent some fleeing as others erected barricades to block the security forces in the heart of the former British colony. Earlier, police baton-charged a crowd blocking a key road in the government district in defiance of official warnings that the demonstrations were illegal. Picture taken September 28, 2014. (Bobby Yip/Reuters)

: Pro-democracy protesters rest on girders near a construction site during a rally outside the government headquarters in Hong Kong early September 28, 2014. Violent clashes between Hong Kong riot police and students galvanized tens of thousands of supporters for the city’s pro-democracy movement and kick-started a plan to lock down the heart of the Asian financial centre early on Sunday. (Tyrone Siu/Reuters)

: Protesters take cover from pepper spray with umbrellas as riot police clash with tens of thousands of protesters blocking the main street leading to the financial Central district outside the government headquarters in Hong Kong September 28, 2014. The leader of a Hong Kong movement seeking greater democracy announced in the early hours of Sunday the launch of a campaign to blockade the heart of the financial centre to demand greater freedoms in the former British colony. (Bobby Yip/Reuters)

: A protester throws an umbrella at riot police as fellow demonstrators blocked the main street to the financial Central district outside the government headquarters in Hong Kong September 29, 2014. Some Hong Kong financial firms advised staff to work from home on Monday or go to secondary offices after thousands of pro-democracy demonstrators blocked parts of the city and clashed with police. (Tyrone Siu/Reuters)

: Protestors and student demonstrators hold up their cellphones in a display of solidarity during a protest outside the headquarters of Legislative Council in Hong Kong on September 29, 2014. Hong Kong has been plunged into the worst political crisis since its 1997 handover as pro-democracy activists take over the streets following China’s refusal to grant citizens full universal suffrage. (Xuame Olleros/AFP/Getty Images)

: Umbrellas used to shield demonstrators from pepper spray and the sun are displayed during a pro-democracy protest near the Hong Kong government headquarters on September 29, 2014. Police repeatedly fired tear gas after tens of thousands of pro-democracy demonstrators brought parts of central Hong Kong to a standstill on September 28 in protest at Beijing’s refusal to grant the city unfettered democracy. Dale De La Rey/AFP/Getty Images)

: Protesters rest following pro-democracy protests in Hong Kong on September 29, 2014. Police fired tear gas as tens of thousands of pro-democracy demonstrators brought parts of central Hong Kong to a standstill in a dramatic escalation of protests that have gripped the semi-autonomous Chinese city for days. (Xuame Olleros/AFP/Getty Images)

: A demonstrator offers a flower to riot policemen during a pro-democracy protest in Hong Kong on September 28, 2014. Police fired tear gas as tens of thousands of pro-democracy demonstrators brought parts of central Hong Kong to a standstill in a dramatic escalation of protests that have gripped the semi-autonomous Chinese city for days. (Xuame Olleros/AFP/Getty Images)

: Pro-democracy demonstrators are sprayed with pepper spray during clashes with police officers during a rally near the Hong Kong government headquarters on September 28, 2014. Police fired tear gas as tens of thousands of pro-democracy demonstrators brought parts of central Hong Kong to a standstill on September 28, in a dramatic escalation of protests that have gripped the semi-autonomous Chinese city for days. (Xuame Olleros/AFP/Getty Images)

: A pro-democracy demonstrator wearing a mask and goggles to protect against pepper spray and tear gas gestures during a rally near the Hong Kong government headquarters on September 28, 2014. Police fired tear gas as tens of thousands of pro-democracy demonstrators brought parts of central Hong Kong to a standstill on September 28, in a dramatic escalation of protests that have gripped the semi-autonomous Chinese city for days. (Xuame Olleros/AFP/Getty Images)

: Police clash with pro-democracy protesters near the government headquarters in Hong Kong on September 28, 2014. Police fired tear gas as tens of thousands of pro-democracy demonstrators brought parts of central Hong Kong to a standstill Sunday, in a dramatic escalation of protests that have gripped the semi-autonomous Chinese city for days. (Alex Ogle/AFP/Getty Images)

: People disperse after police fired tear gas upon pro-democracy demonstrators near the Hong Kong government headquarters on September 28, 2014. Police fired tear gas as tens of thousands of pro-democracy demonstrators brought parts of central Hong Kong to a standstill on September 28, in a dramatic escalation of protests that have gripped the semi-autonomous Chinese city for days. (Aaron Tam/AFP/Getty Images)

: A pro-democracy demonstrator (C) gestures in front of a police line near the Hong Kong government headquarters on September 28, 2014. Police fired tear gas as tens of thousands of pro-democracy demonstrators brought parts of central Hong Kong to a standstill Sunday, in a dramatic escalation of protests that have gripped the semi-autonomous Chinese city for days. (Aaron Tam/AFP/Getty Images)

Hong Kong protesters stockpile supplies, flood streets

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