Hong Kong protest leaders surrender

Three founders of a civil disobedience campaign that helped spark Hong Kong’s pro-democracy protest movement have entered a police station to surrender after calling for an end to the street demonstrations.

Professors Benny Tai Yiu-ting and Chan Kin-man and the Rev Chu Yiu-ming have not been charged but authorities say protests that have blocked streets in the Asian financial centre for more than two months are illegal.

The three were joined by dozens of supporters also planning to turn themselves in.

The trio founded Occupy Central, which aimed to shut down streets in the financial hub to press for greater democracy in the semi-autonomous Chinese city.

But their actions may have little influence on student protesters who make up the bulk of the activists.