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Stuart Lau

Hundreds of protesters – both for and against the Hong Kong government’s proposal for the 2017 chief executive election – gathered outside the Legislative Council this morning as the chamber prepares to debate the political reform package.
The protesters, who arrived earlier in the morning, are outnumbered by police as Legco has issued a yellow danger code warning in the wake of a foiled bomb plot.

Watch: Security high as protesters gather ahead of Hong Kong political reform debate
Police sources earlier told the South China Morning Post 200 officers would be inside Legco, and another 1,000 would patrol outside the building today. Police previously said the plan was to mobilise 7,000 officers from across the city during the debate.
Lawmakers were required to have their belongings screened by X-ray machines as they entered the building this morning.
READ MORE: 200 police officers deployed inside Hong Kong's Legco complex ahead of reform debate
Twelve groups consisting of lawyers, accountants and other professionals submitted a joint letter to pan-democratic lawmakers demanding they stick to their promise to vote down the Beijing-decreed proposal, which they regard as phoney democracy.
“Hongkongers do not need fake universal suffrage,” Kevin Yam Kin-fung, of the Progressive Lawyers Group, said.
Another group of pro-government supporters have gathered at the protest zone outside Legco. Playing the national anthem and waving the Chinese national flag, they came to show support to lawmakers who would vote for the proposal.
The protests were peaceful and there were no confrontations.
Lawmakers will cross verbal swords over the Beijing-decreed reform bill for the 2017 chief executive election, in which voters get to choose from two or three pre-vetted candidates. The proposal needs a two-thirds majority to be passed but looks set to fail with 27 pan-democrats in the 70-member chamber sticking to their vow to vote against it tomorrow or Friday when the debate wraps up.
Commenting on the alleged bomb plot yesterday, Chief Executive Leung Chun-ying said Hong Kong should not condone any illegal act - whether violent or not - suggesting acceptance of illegal protests could prove a slippery slope to encouraging radical elements to resort to violence. Illegal protests "will only let people with a violent tendency use the same reason to rationalise their violent behaviour", he said.
With additional reporting by Staff Reporters


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Hong Kong political reform

Protesters gather outside Legco ahead of Hong Kong political reform debate

A group of activists, including members of the Progressive Lawyers Group, hold placards outside Legco. Photo: Felix Wong

INFOGRAPHIC: Hong Kong's political reform vote explained

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Hong Kong

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Hundreds of protesters – both for and against the Hong Kong government’s proposal for the 2017 chief executive election – gathered outside Legco as the chamber prepares to debate the political reform package.
