Hong Kong protests ebb after offer of talks

19 arrested over clash in Hong Kong

HONG KONG - Some protesters decided on Sunday to withdraw from areas in Hong Kong as a good gesture for talks with the authorities, while secondary schools affected by the Occupy Central demonstration would resume classes on Monday.

Demonstrators outside the Chief Executive's Office (CEO) in Admiralty said they would leave the streets near the government headquarters on their own volition. "Some citizens have a negative view on the days of protest. It's time for us to leave," said a student.

Some protesters in Mong Kok, a commercial area in Kowloon where 19 were arrested after pro- and anti-Occupy people clashed on Friday, also left and joined the rally in Admiralty. They apologized for the disruption of life and businesses caused by their protests.

Traffic in Lung Wo Road temporarily resumed on Sunday night after demonstrators removed barricades and shook hands with police officers.

Meanwhile, the Education Bureau of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region said that classes of all secondary schools in the Wan Chai and Central and Western districts would resume on Monday.

Classes of kindergartens, primary schools and special schools in the two districts would remain suspended, and the government would closely watch the situation to decide when these classes would resume, the bureau said.

Sophia Wong, principal assistant secretary for education at the bureau, told a press conference Sunday night that schools at the two districts were preparing for the resumption of classes after four days of suspension.

Bus companies would make special arrangements for school services and school buses were also making preparations accordingly, she said.