Chief Executive Donald Tsang has defended the Police treatment of protesters after meeting Police officers in Wan Chai. He said the demonstrators would be treated according to law.

"We have used appropriate and minimum force and maximum tolerance in the situation," he said.

"All those arrested were apprehended according to the law of Hong Kong, stricly in accordance with the law of Hong Kong."

Those who have insufficient evidence against them will be released, he said, adding we have demonstrated to the rest of the world that we are capable of handling such an incident.

Those arrested were treated in a fair and open manner, he stressed.

Police Public Relations Branch Chief Superintendent Alfred Ma urges the public not to take part in public meetings and processions today for their own safety.

At a press briefing at the Convention & Exhibition Centre - the venue for the WTO's Sixth Ministerial Conference that ends today - Mr Ma said about 900 people had been rounded up following the disturbances in Wan Chai yesterday.

A total of 108 people, including 39 Police officers, were injured during the disturbances when protesters tried to storm the venue. Food and water were delivered to protesters staging a sit-in on Gloucester Road this morning.

Police began arresting those who refused to leave early this morning.The operation took about 12 hours. The Kwun Tong Magistrates' Courts will likely hear their cases tomorrow.

Transport Department urges people to stay away

As some public order events continue today, Principal Transport Officer Albert Su also called on motorists to avoid Hong Kong Island, particularly Wan Chai and Causeway Bay.

Processions and a few public gatherings are disrupting public transport services and require road closures and traffic diversions, the Transport Department says.

It advises people to plan their journey well in advance, pay attention to radio/TV announcements for updated traffic information, and use public transport as far as possible and to avoid driving to Hong Kong Island, especially areas around Causeway Bay and Wan Chai north.

People can call the department's hotline, 183 4567, for traffic updates.

The Emergency Transport Co-ordination Centre Joint Steering Mode has been operating since December 10 to closely monitor the traffic situation and handle transport incidents, and co-ordinate the announcement of information on traffic and public transport services.