Updated: 4:27 a.m E.T. on Sept. 30. Occupy Central leaders on Tuesday announced an Oct. 1 deadline for the Hong Kong government to respond to their demands for voting reform, as mass pro-democracy protests entered their third day. Oct. 1 is China’s National Day, and stipulating it as an ultimatum will be seen as a grave affront by Hong Kong’s sovereign rulers in Beijing. A statement from Occupy Central called on Chief Executive Leung Chun-ying to grant Hong Kong people the right to nominate and directly vote for candidates for the city’s highest office.