Hong Kong student leaders blocked from traveling to Beijing

Three student leaders of the Hong Kong protests demanding a greater say in the election of the territory's leader were blocked Saturday from traveling to Beijing to seek direct talks with top Chinese leaders.

The three students — Alex Chow, Eason Chung and Nathan Law — tried to board a Cathay Pacific flight to Beijing but the airline refused to issue them boarding passes on the grounds that their travel documents to China had become invalid.

"We are astonished," Chow said later. "How can a self-proclaimed great country be so afraid of three students seeking a dialogue with the officials?"

The students planned to fly to Beijing and go straight to China's government headquarters to seek meetings with Chinese Premier Li Keqiang or other top Chinese officials.

Led by Hong Kong student activists, pro-democracy protesters in Hong Kong have occupied the streets of three key spots in Hong Kong for 49 straight days demanding that Beijing rescind a decision to screen candidates for the leadership election in 2017.

Hong Kong police commissioner Andy Tsang said Saturday police will give full assistance to court bailiffs in executing court orders to remove the street barricades erected by the protesters since Sept. 28.

"Police will take decisive action against anyone who charges at or blocks bailiffs from removing the barricades," he told the press.

The Chinese government has decided that candidates for the leadership race must be screened by a 1,200-member nominating committee and be approved to run for election by "universal suffrage."

The pro-democracy camp has denounced the procedure as "sham" democracy.