Hong Kong protesters scuffle with guards as they storm lifts at Link Reit headquarters

Pan-democrats and community activists demand meeting with Link Asset Management chief executive George Hongchoy

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Since Link Reit took over government-owned malls and wet markets in 2005, rising rents have made many shop owners and tenants unhappy. Photo: Edward Wong

Published: 1:20pm, 5 May 2016Updated: 5:11pm, 5 May 2016

A scuffle broke out as more than 30 pan-democrat politicians and community activists protested on Thursday at Link Reit’s headquarters in Kwun Tong over the company’s broken promise to meet its tenants’ representatives for discussions.

About half an hour into the rally, which started at 10am, protesters attempted to enter the building’s lifts, clashing with AXA Tower security guards who tried to stop them.

Eight protesters, including Tsang Kin-shing of the League of Social Democrats, successfully accessed the lift and managed reach the real estate investment trust’s office on the 35th floor. The remaining protesters resumed their sit-in in the lobby while discussing their next move.

The protesters demanded to see George Hongchoy, chief executive of Link Asset Management. The headquarters of Link Reit are on the 33rd floor of AXA Tower, while protesters believed Hongchoy’s office is on the 35th floor.

Rally participants included members of the Democratic Party, the Association for Democracy and People’s Livelihood, the Labour Party, the League of Social Democrats and community activists from various neighbourhoods, such as Tin Shui Wai and Tseung Kwan O.