Hong Kong pro-democracy protesters (AP Photo)
Leaders of a Hong Kong pro-democracy movement say they're kicking off a long threatened mass civil disobedience protest to challenge Beijing over its recent decision to rule out genuine democratic reforms for the former British colony.
Organizers of "Occupy Central with Love and Peace" said early Sunday that an "occupation" of the streets outside government headquarters has officially begun.
The movement had originally planned a mass sit-in to paralyze the Asian financial hub's central business district next month.
But organizers made the surprise move in an apparent bid to harness momentum from a student-led pro-democracy demonstration outside the government complex that has attracted thousands of supporters.
Democracy supporters are angered that Beijing is not allowing the public to nominate candidates to run for Hong Kong's top job in 2017.