Hong Kong businesses hit by nearly two months of illegal street occupations breathed a collective sigh of relief on Wednesday. Police finally cleared illegal protesters camped at the main intersection in the Mong Kok district, arresting two student leaders.
More than 7,000 officers backed bailiffs (執(zhí)達官，法警)clearing occupied sections of Argyle Street and Nathan Road. The two-day operation saw 148 people arrested for various offenses, including contempt (藐視) of court, resisting arrest, possession of offensive weapons, unlawful gathering and attacking police.
The Chief Leader Stephen Hui said 22 officers were injured during the clearances.
Police used pepper spray and batons (警棍)to keep protesters from reclaiming cleared roads and from spreading the illegal occupation to neighboring streets.
Six-lane Nathan Road, which goes through the heart of Kowloon, was cleared after nearly five hours. However, comments on the Internet said protesters were looking to reoccupy roads later in the evening.
This week's actions mark the first time the authorities have successfully cleared one of the three main protest sites, which sprang up after demonstrators seized key intersections in late September to press for unconstitutional reforms.
Contractor Kwan Sui-sum, 55, said he wished the Nathan Road clearance had come earlier, as he has had to pay HK20,000(2,580) after the protesters delayed building reconstruction work. The owner of the Chung Hing Duty Free drug store was cautiously optimistic and eager for his store at the corner of the cleared intersection to get back to business. Sales dropped by 40 percent during the occupation, he said.
“I'm not worried about the guess that the protesters will return. I trust in Hong Kong's rule of law and in the police,” the man said, who wished to remain unknown as he fears attack from protesters.
But five stores at a cleared site owned by jewelry chain Chow Tai Fook were still closed hours later. A company spokesman said the outlets will remain shut while it continues to monitor the situation.
1.You can infer from the passage that _______.
A. the Hong Kong police cleared the roads at a cost
B. all the Hong Kong citizens are doubtful about the result of the clearances
C. all the illegal protesters were willing to leave the protest sites
D. the Hong Kong government’s attitude to the illegal protesters is unclear
2.In the two-day operation,_________.
A. many Hong Kong citizens joined in it
B. all the protest sites were cleared
C. many illegal protesters were arrested
D. all the stores were still open
3.What Hong Kong police will probably do next according to the passage?
A. They will help the owners of the stores do their businesses.
B. They will try their best to arrest other fled illegal protesters
C. They will help the officers injured during the clearances.
D. They will arrange to take more action to finish the clearances.
4.This passage is mainly about ______.
A. Hong Kong businesses hit by nearly two months of illegal street occupations
B. the event that police cleared Hong Kong protest sites
C. shop owners who wished to remain unknown as he fears attack from protesters
D. Hong Kong citizens who doubt the police's clearances
