Hong Kong protests: Demonstrators suspend vote on their next steps

The precise nature of the disagreements that scuppered the ballot remains unclear

Tens of thousands of protesters gather to listen to the talks between the government officials and the protesters tonight at the main protest site on October 21, 2014 in Hong Kong. (Paula Bronstein | Getty Images)

Pro-democracy protesters in Hong Kong have been forced to postpone a planned vote on their next steps after their leaders could not agree on how it should be administered.

The mobile phone vote – on how to respond to concessions offered by Hong Kong's government dismissed as “fake democracy” by the demonstrators – had been scheduled for Sunday and Monday.

The precise nature of the disagreements that scuppered the ballot remains unclear, although student leader Alex Chow confirmed that the organisers had reservations over how to ensure only protesters could vote, and feared that opposition forces would attempt to hijack proceedings.

“We admit that we did not have enough discussion with the people before deciding to go ahead with the vote and we apologise to the people,” the organisers said in a statement.

The leaders of the movement – known as the “umbrella revolution” after protesters repelled police tear gas with umbrellas – are under pressure to resolve their differences and make progress due to the disruption caused to residents by their occupation.

Although their numbers have diminished, demonstrators remain at several major road junctions in Hong Kong a month after tens of thousands of residents took to the streets to demand free leadership elections for the semi-autonomous city.